Herv,

i am teaching a three day post conference workshop at the enamelist conference this summer on using foils, including making and using handmade foils from thicker pieces. i don't pierce anything. here is a link to the workshop info: http://www.enamelistsociety.org/Activities/Conf2013/WorkshopsPostConf2013.html#RickyFrankPost

i also teach private and semi private workshops in my studio just north of atlanta.

Ricky,

The conference sounds awesome. Unfortunately I'm a bit too far away to attend a workshop in atlanta. Have you ever considered giving lessons online using Skype?

Is there a secret to applying foil without piercing?

Thanks!

Herv

no secrets. i've been considering doing some lessons with skype. have you done this before? any suggestions?

skype titorials would be cool, maybe youtube might be easier though

I have not done Skype lessons but I know it's a common way for musicians to give lessons. It's great for music lessons because the teacher can easily see and hear what the student is doing.

I don't think it would be difficult for you to give private demonstrations on Skype because you already have good photography skills, including how to light a difficult subject, which you could translate to video without too much trouble. It would be harder to help a student create a video setup that lets you see what he or she is doing. However, experienced enamelists would probably be happy simply to be able to watch your demonstration and ask questions as you go. 

Given that enamelists are few and far between, I think Skype offers you a promising way to expand your teaching market. There are probably a few of us here on Grains of Glass who would be willing to pay for an interactive Skype demo but could not as easily travel to Atlanta.

Herv

I've been looking for this quote about pricking or not and finally found it in Linda Darty's Art of Enameling:

"Years ago, enamellists were taught to prick holes in foil before applying it to glass so gasses could escape during firing. There were even tools made specifically for the purpose, such as a block of wood with many tiny pins glued into it. This practice may have been the result of the thickness of the foil or the holding agents once used beneath it. Today, if you hold commercial sheet of silver or gold foil up to a light, you’ll see that it’s thin and already perforated with many tiny holes; therefore, if applied properly, there’s no need to prick additional holes."

Nice to know, if true.

Thanks, Candy. That certainly makes sense.  I've wondered if maybe people had trouble due to improperly dried binder boiling underneath the foil. I'm going to go ahead and try a few pieces and see what happens.

Herv

Good luck and let us know what you find out. Being patient in the drying stage would be a good first step.

Hi all,

I'd like to use some larger pieces of foil (up to 3cm x 5cm). I was taught to pierce the foil to allow trapped air to escape, but I seem to recall reading in Lilyan Bachrach's book that she never bothered with piercing and never had trouble. I'd like to avoid the piercing step if possible. 

Does anyone have experience with this that they would like to share?

Thanks, Herv