Brush‐on‐method with partial‐melt growth has been used to fabricate Bi‐based 2212 superconducting thick films on silver. Transport properties show critical currents of 10–20 amperes (or equivalentlyJcof 105A/cm2below 20K and zero field), with a 50 percent degradation at 9 tesla field parallel to the film surface. Electron microscopy reveals the film to be layered, consisting of platelets with large aspect ratios and with thec‐axis perpendicular to the substrate. Transport and microstructural properties of the films has been found to depend on the structural integrity of the substrate. Silver foil, 25 microns thick, has resulted in poor films with microcracks, whereas 75 micron thick silver foil have resulted in sturdy high quality superconducting films. Sputter deposited silver on polycrystalline MgO results in the total diffusion of the silver into the film with a corresponding degradation in film properties. Film processing and corresponding characterization results will be discussed.