Jim JordanFeel free to use the info under your name Trish. You deserve all the credit for putting together this great web site. I'm jealous about your symposium, Linda Darty is a true master and I think her book is the best I've ever read. I used to do Repousse in... moreFeel free to use the info under your name Trish. You deserve all the credit for putting together this great web site. I'm jealous about your symposium, Linda Darty is a true master and I think her book is the best I've ever read. I used to do Repousse in the 70's, but the asphalt pitch was so nasty that I gave up. Over the last year, I took three workshops with Valentin and I'm truly hooked. One result is I now have quite a few copper practice pieces that I'd love to enamel. However, I don't seem to be able to get a good first coat by wet packing, too steep of sides. Also, sifting leaves air bubbles. As I get more relief and detail, it's harder to get a good first coat of flux. The discussion about acrylic enamels on enamel forum lately has me thinking about trying them. It's hard to find just the right way to combine repousse and enamel. Jim less
Would you mind if I added this info about opalescents to the Colors Tab ? actually, I would love for you to put it under your name - I did put some collected info on the subject for other readers, but I hate for all the information to go... moreThanks Jim,
Would you mind if I added this info about opalescents to the Colors Tab ? actually, I would love for you to put it under your name - I did put some collected info on the subject for other readers, but I hate for all the information to go under my name, as I collect it from everywhere and its not mine. We all collect so many notes over the years, share them here and there and file them away in draws that never get opened much, and only a few that chat back and forth get to know about them. I am trying to collect all these great snips of knowledge and store them in the NOTEBOOK TAB as a resource for everyone. Big task, but its i I just got back from San Francisco last month from the Revere Academy- they had a one week MASTERS SYMPOSIUM - I studied with my mentor, Linda Darty, but there was also a Master Repousse instructor by the name of Fabrizzio AcquaFresca who is renowned in the field and lives in Florence - google him - he works big - like caviar urns for the Princes of Dubai. You are... less
May 18, 2010
Jim JordanThanks for the complement Trish. I finally took pics of some older work. This is my one and only PMC piece. The stone is held on with little silver screws from the back and the frame is mahogany. I made the PMC blank and pushed an oiled rubber stamp into... moreThanks for the complement Trish. I finally took pics of some older work. This is my one and only PMC piece. The stone is held on with little silver screws from the back and the frame is mahogany. I made the PMC blank and pushed an oiled rubber stamp into the wet clay. There are a lot of bubbles that came up into the enamel. At the time, I didn't know to burnish the PMC to reduce porosity. I have always used Thompson opalescent enamels and I can't remember where I read to fire them high (1425-1450) to full maturity (1-2 min) on the first firing. They go transparent and almost clear. Then the last firing, I drop the temp to about 1375 and do a short firing, maybe a minute. This allows long fibrous crystals to grow in the enamel and gives it depth. If you just fire them normally, they end up looking really flat like milk glass. I've been off on a Repousse tangent for the last year with an eye to enameling it. Hopefully I'll be back to enameling soon. Jim less
May 18, 2010
Trish WhiteAll the photos you sent it are really nice Jim.
We have had a rush of Metal Clay artists join and I hope you will
add some notes to the Metal Clay Group I just added on. I took
a workshop last year out in Tucson at the Gem Show and fell in... moreAll the photos you sent it are really nice Jim.
We have had a rush of Metal Clay artists join and I hope you will
add some notes to the Metal Clay Group I just added on. I took
a workshop last year out in Tucson at the Gem Show and fell in love
with it. There is so much you can do with it; now I need the time.
I came across some notes you had posted on the Enamel Forum some
time ago and I kept them on Opalescents. In your notes you said that
if they get overfired, you could refire them to bring back the opalescent
to the glass. How long do you do this?
Would you mind if I added this info about opalescents to the Colors Tab ? actually, I would love for you to put it under your name - I did put some collected info on the subject for other readers, but I hate for all the information to go... more
We have had a rush of Metal Clay artists join and I hope you will
add some notes to the Metal Clay Group I just added on. I took
a workshop last year out in Tucson at the Gem Show and fell in... more