H Fumino,

I would suggest going on to Amazon.com to Enamel books - there are so many beginner step by step books which will give you a fountain of information.  Which type of resources are you looking for?

There is a large list of resources on the site - located in the Library section - just scroll down the list and click - 

I will give you a quick step by step - the copper must be cleaned thoroughly of oils and dirt with cleanser - when the water runs off the metal in a sheet then you know the metal is thoroughly clean-

When You apply the counter enamel make sure to use Klyr-fire spray first in a light spray - that will adhere your enamel when sifting - apply a nice even coat - allow to dry - then fire in the kiln at 1450 degrees for 2 mins.- or less -  cool - then reapply a second coat of counter and fire - 

Once the metal is cool place in citric acid pot and leave it until the metal oxides are removed from the surface - rinse with water -  If you are using transparent enamels you must first apply a clear coat of flux and fire to keep the oxides from penetrating your transparents - After firing the flux you can then apply your first layer of enamel - If you are using an Opaque you do not need to lay down a flux first.

I don't know of any Enameling book that only focuses on wall art - because there isn't much to know about making them - If you are using 6x6 tiles or any size you can lay them out on a piece of plywood and glue them with a product called "Goop" or any 2 ton epoxy- Some artists use a picture frame to enclose their tiles, others just the wood board - make sure you have a secure holder on the back that will support the weight of the wall piece.

Counter enameling is very important on your 6 x6 wall tiles and other techniques - think about your enameled tile as a oreo cookie - enamel on top - enamel on bottom and the METAL in between-

As the metal and enamel cool the metal moves in between the enamel - having even coats of enamel on both sides keeps the metal from shifting causing cracks and warping -

You will have some warping with your tiles as they come out of the kiln - if this happens - have a heavy weight piece of steel block or an iron very close by - Make sure the surface of the block or iron are very smooth and clean of any debris or pock marks -  lift the tile off the trivet and onto a clean surface and immediately press  gently with the iron onto the hot tile and leave it there while it cools - this must be done rather quickly because the piece begins to rapidly cool - and you need to catch the metal in the hot form so that it lays flat.

As for Klyr fire - it comes in a bottle - then you mix a 50/50 solution of Klyr fire and water in a misting bottle - Hold the tile at arms length and mist - so that a fine layer of mist lands on the tile - then sift and let dry - mist again - and sift another layer on top - then dry and fire - 

Don't be afraid to do a lot of experimentation with smaller pieces of copper - practicing misting and sifting - When sifting - start on the outside edges of the tile and work around moving into the center-

You should not see any metal - The art of even sifting took me a long time to get right.

You will also find that when you remove the tile from the kiln the edges of the copper tile will have a dark oxide along the edge - this is a chemical reaction - if you are going to refire this tile again, you should remove the oxide with a sanding stone or diamond sponge - as this oxide which is called"firescale" will flake off or jump off onto your enamel in the kiln.

Another Note: I was always taught to counter enamel first - but the top of the piece becomes filled with firescale and you have to put it in Sparex to remove the firescale - Then I was introduced to Bill Helwig, now deceased but the guru of enameling and techniques and he always sifted a clear flux onto the front of the tile first and fired - then cleaned up the back and counter enameled - which gives a beautiful golden surface to the top of the tile - 

Please feel free to ask away!

I thought I sent you the Thompson Enamel Workbook - it has a great run down on all the various metals - but in case you did not receive it from me the best copper to use is "Oxygen free high conductivity" . Electrolytic copper is least advantageous and Roofing copper purchased frtom a hardware store can produce serious problems.

You should always counter enamel - as the metal cools it moves between the top and bottom layers of enamel - both layers keep the metal from warping  causing cracking on the top layer of enamels. 

18 or 20 g. is good - make sure you have 2 layers of counter enamel on the back - Make sure your copper panel has been cleaned very well with a cleanser until the water runs off in a sheet - or else your enamel will give you major problems. If you are using transparent enamel on the front then cover your front first and your counter second - this will prevent the firescale from builing up on your front and give you a nice golden shine.

You will see as you go along - that if you counter first - when you take your tile out of the kiln, the front is flaked with a lot of black firescale - and its a pain to clean up - the flakes are nice if you want to shake them off and save them to use on another piece - but if not rinse under water, brush the surface and pickle until the surface is clean.

If your tile warps when it is taken from the kiln, lay it down on a clean fireproof surface and lay an iron or bench block on top and it will press down the warp. Again, Make sure your iron or bench block surface is clean of debris. I have collected antique irons from flea markets which are made from IRON and use them as my flattener.

I have both a Vcella and a Paragon Kiln -  They are Enameling kilns and my Paragon can also be used for Metal Clay -  Make sure that Your enamel piece and Trivet will fit inside your kiln before you do all the work of preparing the enamel design and find out later you can't fit it in the kiln.

When I was interested in buying a kiln many folks suggested going larger so that I could fit a  bowl or plate inside - it was the best advice I could have received - so if you are shopping for a kiln double check the inside dimensions of the kiln - and remember the larger trivets are high- make sure from the floor of the kiln to the top, that you leave enough room to move in and out of the kiln - 

There are so many trivet sizes and you will collect a lot along the way - choose a trivet for the size of your tile where only the edges touch the trivet sides.

Hi Fumino,

Sorry for the delay - I just got back from the Enamelist conference -

What you have to consider is the HEIGHT of the inside of the kiln - I have a Paragon SC 2 series and the height only reaches barely 6" - I can put small pieces inside with a trivet and a mesh stand but not a 4 1/2' high three point trivet - You not only need a trivet but a stainless steel mesh firing rack that your trivet will stand on - this allows you to pick it up with a firing fork and place it inside the kiln. You also need a fire proof tile to protect the floor of your kiln from enamels dropping off - or you can use a furnace floor blanket - I prefer a ceramic fire proof tile - it is more stable.

Your set up would be a  ceramic tile on the floor, then a stainless steel mesh, a trivet on top with your enamel piece - all these measurements can add up quickly to the height of the inside opening of the kiln. That is why I suggested a kiln with a higher number in the HEIGHT when you are looking for a kiln. That is why when I considered my first kiln, I bought a Vcella with a 11"height - so I could make bowls, vases, plates on high trivets without trouble. The Paragon 6" height is only good for small trivets -

Also I see that Tompson suggested the sawtooth but you will have all those teeth sticking into the back of your tile and you will have to tap it when it cools to get the teeth out of the enamel. If you don't mind having marks on the back of your tile then it would be ok.

I like the 3point trivets and I use them for all my work - only the raw edge of your metal will touch the inside of the trivet - thats why I have so many sizes of trivets to match whatever small or large sige of metal I am using - I measured my steel trivet that would fit your  6" tile and it measures 4 1/2 " high and the legs are about 5" across.

Do you have a Rio Grande catalogue? you can see them on line - also the Resource list on this site lists many companies - and you can always GOOGLE!!! I don't know what I would do without the option.

Hi Fumino

I took 3 photos so that you can see how the trivets sit with the mest stands and how much space you have inside the two kilns. I used a 6" x 6" copper tile - I happen to have a very large trivet - which I probably picked up at a sale.  I was in error with the 4 1/2" steel trivet that I said would work - I didn't realize I grabbed a shorter copper tile when I measured the trivet - I went back through my inventory and re-measured and you will need the Very BIG Trivet.  

Smal piece in the Paragon with trivet, mesh stand and kiln floor protective tile.

Paragon Kiln - 6" tile on the Saw tooth trivet and mesh stand -  little room on the sides of the kiln - height ok - 

My Vcella kiln - a Very large trivet which is holding a 6" copper tile - close sides - good height.

Hi Fumino,

Again I would suggest that if you can afford to buy a kiln with a larger opener to fit all your needs you will be a lot happier down the road. All those measurements will fit if you have a large inner opening-

I paid someone to lift my kiln where I wanted it in my studio - and when I bought a Vcella I needed a 220 outlet and had an electrician put one in the wall.  No one can lift those kilns but a big guy or 2 guys - I am sure you can find some friends to help you out.