So Enamelling?

[Kwant]

Second attempt with cloisonne wire, it is at least this time nearer to what I was aiming for:


fine silver and enamel flower by kwant, on Flickr

[snow_imp]

Ooh, love the colours and design and everything about that Kwant!

[Kwant]

Thanks Anne, I feel like I am making some progress.

[Wallace]

Second attempt with cloisonne wire, it is at least this time nearer to what I was aiming for:


fine silver and enamel flower by kwant, on Flickr

so far in such a short time. Lovely work and that fine silver looks so lovely too

[Kwant]

the fine silver is just coz I am too lazy to depletion gild sterling :0)

[Wallace]

the fine silver is just coz I am too lazy to depletion gild sterling :0)

lol - if you have got it, flaunt it!

[Kwant]

Well yes I feel the same way


sadly they do not think so in the supermarket and told me to put it away........................


oh wait you meant the fine silver my mistake

[Lindy]

That looks good. Fine silver is much easier to begin with and ideal if you can afford it! Have you thought of maybe making the level of the wires more even by rubbing them down? I use a fine Diagrit. Available form Vitrum Signum and probably other places too. Use with water. You need to be careful not to go too far, but when I am doing cloisonné, I fill all my cloissoinnes evenly over a succession of firings and then carefully rub back. I aim to go back far enough so that every wire has been upbraded all over. I end up with a perfectly smooth surface with just a few dips (shiny sections) which I then add a little more enamel too and refine. I like a Matt surface so I then finish with 600 and 800 grit wet and dry paper with a little wax to seal the surface to finish. I think it is a great early piece but thought I would share how to take your work to the next level.

[Kwant]

..... and Lindy your input is very much appreciated, thank you.

I did this piece with just two firings of colour as I was a little worried about over firing and as I do not know the make of the enamels (they came with a starter kit) I really do not know what temp I should be firing them at. As to the filing back I did think about it but that too worried me a little as I was unsure if indeed the wires are fully fixed to the back plate.

In this instance I laid down a thin layer of flux first, fired it off to set the grains, then place the wires and fired again to "stick" the wires in place. I suspect this was the wrong thing to do as I did not really want a coat of clear over the whole piece but did not know how to fix the wires another way. After the next firing with the colour the flux started to change a little to slightly white, on the last firing with colour, the flux took on a yellowish hue. In the end I used a diamond grit burr to take it all off the backplate leaving a little round the wires as I believed that to be the only thing holding them on, and the thought then of taking a file to them made me think I might just knock them off.


I did think about soldering them on but I understand that solder and enamel don't get on too well, and I am sometimes a little heavy handed with the solder :0)

[mark]

A useful tip I was given on a course was to not use solder but art clay overlay silver paste on fine silver as a beginner.

I checked with the tutor - see comments : http://lynne-glazzard.co.uk/2012/06/...mel-jewellery/

We fired the wires, pressed into place, fired until happy with them then burnished and then put the enamel on.

Mine were

I know the earings are a bit of a mess - but I was in a hurry trying to get them done - I should have taken more care with the wires.