METAL CLAY & Enamels » Discussions

Enameling on Silver Clay

• Tina Carvalho

  

  Member
   

  June 4, 2010

  I’ve never enameled on anything other than silver clay, but I presume it’s similar to enameling on fine silver sheet and silver foil, with one big difference: metal clay is more porous. Enamel reacts with silver clay similarly to other forms of silver, so it is important to understand what effects different fluxes and colors will have when they react with  silver. In addition, the prorosity of silver clay means that there will probably be more bubbles and also more silver ions available for the enamel to react with. Making test swatches with silver clay is important. I love using artifacts to my advantage, such as using the tiny bubbles that appear in silver flux to get a nice milky-white appearance. (How does that sound as an excuse?) http://tinyurl.com/enamel-iris

  
  

  Silver clay can be used to make substrates for any kind of enameling; basse taille, champleve, cloisonné, dimensional pieces, etc. The main thing to remember is to burnish and polish well to seal the surface of the clay. To see what fired silver clay looks like in my scanning electron microscope, visit my Flickr page at http://tinyurl.com/sem-silverclay  When you burnish, the bumps are forced down and the surface is sealed, and you get a nice reflective surface.

  
  

  I suspect fully sintered silver clay is prone to the same stresses as the equivalent thickness of silver sheet. I dome most of my silver clay substrates. One thing I found out (the hard way) is that if you have a seam in the silver clay, it better be perfect and able to withstand more trips into the kiln (= more shrinkage). I had a seam on a bead open up a little more each time it went into the enameling kiln until it failed and the enamel peeled off. 

  
  

  Dimensional pieces are fun http://tinyurl.com/fuzzbug

  
  

  Aloha, Tina

   

  I’ve never enameled on anything other than silver clay, but I presume it’s similar to enameling on fine silver sheet and silver foil, with one big difference: metal clay is more porous. Enamel reacts with silver clay similarly to other forms of silver, so it is important to understand what effects different fluxes and colors will have when they react with  silver. In addition, the prorosity of silver clay means that there will probably be more bubbles and also more silver ions available for the enamel to react with. Making test swatches with silver clay is important. I love using artifacts to my advantage, such as using the tiny bubbles that appear in silver flux to get a nice milky-white appearance. (How does that sound as an excuse?) http://tinyurl.com/enamel-iris

  
  

  Silver clay can be used to make substrates for any kind of enameling; basse taille, champleve, cloisonné, dimensional pieces, etc. The main thing to remember is to burnish and polish well to seal the surface of the clay. To see what fired silver clay looks like in my scanning electron microscope, visit my Flickr page at http://tinyurl.com/sem-silverclay  When you burnish, the bumps are forced down and the surface is sealed, and you get a nice reflective surface.

  
  

  I suspect fully sintered silver clay is prone to the same stresses as the equivalent thickness of silver sheet. I dome most of my silver clay substrates. One thing I found out (the hard way) is that if you have a seam in the silver clay, it better be perfect and able to withstand more trips into the kiln (= more shrinkage). I had a seam on a bead open up a little more each time it went into the enameling kiln until it failed and the enamel peeled off. 

  
  

  Dimensional pieces are fun http://tinyurl.com/fuzzbug

  
  

  Aloha, Tina

   

• Samantha Braund

  

  Member
   

  February 3, 2011

  I love your pieces on your Flickr pages.Especially the dog (of course!) and the Basse Taille pieces, in the photo you've called Second Enamels. I also love your 3d organic style. I love sculpting organic pieces in metal clay too.... heres a link if you want to be nosy (and don't we all LOL) http://www.flickr.com/photos/amadoradesigns/sets/72157622663503731/

   

  Could you tell me which brand of enamels you used on the meatl clay to achieve those beautiful reds,oranges and yellows on the basse taille pieces, because they are divine :)

  I love your pieces on your Flickr pages.Especially the dog (of course!) and the Basse Taille pieces, in the photo you've called Second Enamels. I also love your 3d organic style. I love sculpting organic pieces in metal clay too.... heres a link if you want to be nosy (and don't we all LOL) http://www.flickr.com/photos/amadoradesigns/sets/72157622663503731/

   

  Could you tell me which brand of enamels you used on the meatl clay to achieve those beautiful reds,oranges and yellows on the basse taille pieces, because they are divine :)