Hi Diana,

Nearly every enamellist has his own way. Popular is the following way.
Put the foil onto a layer of 10 or more news paper sheets
With a thin needle make a lot of little holes into the foil.
Sieve on a thin layer of flux onto the metal sheet and fire it.
After cooling: Moisten the surface of the enamel a bit. Some people prefer a very thin layer of holding agent.
Lay the foil onto the flux surface.
Stipple with a glass fiber brush or an other brush with a flat bristle-head careful vertical onto the foil until it is flat attached smooth very well.
Let it slowly dry. Put it NOT on the kiln!!
Fire it.
i for my share prefer if the foil is a bit crimped. I find, that the transparent colors then a bit more lively looks.

Edmund

Oh, Edmund, thank you!  I had read that contemporary silver foil did NOT need to be pricked, but I can see now that it does.  And I appreciate the comment about slow drying... aha!  These are two ideas that I'm sure will help with air bubbles.  Cheers, Diana

Hallo Diana,

May be, that there are new silver-foils on the market, that must not be pricked. I don't hear about it, and I have a lot of folis which are more than 20 years old.
Still an other tip. If I  the foil onto the pre enamelled surface apply, I add only a drop of holding agent into the destilled water which moistened the surface. This little amount of holding agent don't harm during the firing, but the trace of the agent hold the foil safe onto the surface if you handle the workpiece. If one only moisten with water, the foil can during transporting and  put it into the hot kiln fly high, because it is so light.

Edmund

Hi Edmund, 

I tried your technique and it worked!  Thank you very much.  There was still crinkling (which I like) but I didn't get the pockets of air.  Yippee!  You have been a great help.  Diana

Hallo Diana

I'm glad that your problem is solved. Furthermore, a lot of joy when enamelling

edmund

Hi Diana

Gold foil don´t need to be pricked.I think silver foil for enameling is too thick and you need make small holes like Edmund said.I use old burnisher for slightly tapping the foil,when the piece comes out from kiln and the enamel is still hot enough.

Rudolf

Dear Rudolph,

the burnisher is an excellent idea!  I have been using the closed jaws of a scissor clamp for the same purpose but a burnisher would be smoother and work better.  I'll certainly try it!  Thank you!  Diana

I just became a member and want to know if there is actually a right and wrong side to the silver foil.  I know that it has to be kept between the tissue paper as it is cut or it's hard to straighten out.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  Audrey

Hallo Audrey, 

You can use both sides. There is no difference. 

Edmund

Thank you, Edmund.  I appreciate your reply.  Do you have any recommendation for handling the foil?

Hallo Audrey,
if you read the posts above on this site, you  get all relevant answers.
An additional tip:   If you want to apply silver foil onto a curved surface, you can the foil  into small triangular  or quadrangular snippets cut. Glue the snippets with water and a trace of holding agent a bit overlapping onto the pre enamelled  domed surface. Fire the piece to fasten the snippets. After cooling of the piece, smooth the foil with a burnisher. After enamelling the piece you can not see, that the silver underground-foil is made of snippets.
Edmund

Hi folks, 

Please share your techniques for applying full-piece silver foil to copper that DOESN'T have air bubbles trapped underneath.  Thank you!  Diana