I've been having the need to play with some enamels... so I got out my "Experimental Techniques in Enameling" book by Fred Ball. So many fun and interesting techniques. He really opens your mind to experiment. I made most of my samples on 1" copper disks and did them 2 at a time so I will have a few sets of experimental enameling earrings. They are all torch-fired, using a Smith Little Torch with oxy-propane.
| The first one I did was using borax, liquid white enamel, and salt, with some ground copper tossed in. I started off with a 1" copper disk and painted it with a thick coat of liquid white enamel. I covered it with borax and spread a strip of ground copper across the middle, then covered the lower half with salt. Then torch-fired it. I finished it with a layer of clear flux. |  |
| The next set was done by first enameling orient red onto a domed copper disk. Then I put a layer of liquid white on top of the red and crumpled some foil to lay on top of it. Then painted the foil with liquid white and fired it. |  |  |
I edited these 2 pictures on my phone, using PhotoStudio app - more fun and interesting techniques to play with!!
| This set was done again, starting with red enamel, then sinking part of a copper chore boy into the red by firing it again and then painting some liquid white enamel on top of half of it and of course, firing again. Apparently I used the same paper that I used for the foil ones above – these are not domed or have aluminum on them! |  |
New earrings coming soon!!
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