Enamel Jewellery Tips
When you are doing pieces in cell enamel, or are working with
unusually thin, or large, copper pieces, it is usually necessary to
enamel the back of the piece as well, otherwise it will warp, and the
enamel layer will be spoiled. Always enamel the underside first. You may
use a mixture of left-over enamels. Only when the underside is finished
should you go on to working on the front. Of course, you will not place
the already enameled side directly onto the firing tray, since the
enamel would melt and stick to the tray. To avoid this, set the piece
onto a ceramic tripod or a three pronged furniture glider. The marks
which the points of the tripod will leave are negligible.
Cell Enameling
In this process, the enamel is divided into areas of color "walled
off" with shapes of copper or silver wire. You may use round wire, or
square or rectangular. You may also flatten round wire with a mallet on
a smooth metal surface.
First, temper the wire. (This is not necessary if the wire is very
thin.) Then bend it into the shapes you want. In this booklet, we have
provided you with a good variety of designs you might want to try, but
of course you will be eager to invent your own, or make variations on
the ones we show.
The wires must not overlap. Rectangular wire must rest on its narrow
edge. The forms must lie smoothly on the piece to be enameled. "Pickle"
both the metal piece and the wire you will use. Sprinkle the surface
evenly with "fondant" (a colorless enamel), and carefully set the wire
forms in place with a pair of tweezers. Fire the two together. "Pickle"
the piece again. Now you may apply the various colors of enamel to the
areas, bringing the enamel paste carefully up to the wire "walls". Do
not apply the enamel too thickly. If you are already quite proficient in
the enameling process, you may omit the treatment of the piece with
"fondant" when you use opaque colors. When the pieces are finished,
carefully clean the wire edges with very fine steel wool.
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