how can i cover a drawing on the enamel surface? it is lightly burned into the enamel but not very heat resistant, so i can not use  transparent enamel as last layer.  and sometimes is the drawing not heated, so i need the good trick to protect drawing. does exist some  transparent, hard and shiny  sprays?

Have you tried using Krylon Crystal Clear?  It is sprayed on and let dry and then is impervious.

thanks, i will try!

Hi Kairi,

Stop!  before you use Krylon, tell us a little bit more about the drawing - I see a photo, but what pencils did you use to apply this drawing and what enamel is underneath? How long did you fire the drawing and at what temperature? Let me look into this further for you.

Hi Trish,

i used bottom layer efco elfenbein /ivory color. It was prettyugly color, it stays not pure ivory, but m more like eige-orange-rosa.yellow marble. this marble effect was very thin, i filed it away and melt again.

Actually i filed and burned about 10 times at least, ecause sometimes i got small holes in the enamel, and sometimes  chips.. but finally i got smooth surface.

Then i used pnp paper and hot iron, to print old picture on the smooth ivory surface, i burned it in the kiln very little.

I dont know temperature, i dont have thermometer. I look the color-if kiln is inside almost orange, then probably 700-800.

I wanted make the brooch better and burned again, then the photo changed  light. I decided. why not cover with acrylic enamels ? I got very nice result, like miniature painting.

Now was the surfase little bit faint and rough. I cant not file so thin painting anymore.I took clear enamel.

and then i got cracks.  Pinting under clear enamel changed much lighter, but was still nice, just different.

Why  cracks?

I suppose, that clear enaml vas too thick, or had higher melting temperature than bottom layer?

Must last clear enamel bevery fine grain? I mixed 80 gran with water, but maybe is better to brush the painting with traganth and then sift fine grain flux enamel?

I add picture before clear enamelling

Thanks for the feedback.  I am not familiar with the type of enamel you used as your base coat. A white would have been best - and with a hard melting point - You did not mention using counter enamel - which should have been "hard also."

I don't know if you are familiar with the hard, medium and soft melting points of enamel but if you put an enamel on the first coat that has a melting point that melts quicker then your other layers of enamel you will have cracking and all sorts of other problems. The final finish should be a soft melting point clear that quickly melts for a short period of time in the kiln. All you need is a dusting of clear on top before firing BUT  As I read in Thompson's work book, when using the Acrylic Enamels - only fire ONE time.

Here is an excerpt from Thompsons Workbook-

Liquid Form Brushable Enamels -

This series is similar to the liquid enamels now used by many artists in that it consists of enamel frit or glass finely ground in a ball mill with clay and water. In addition, a nonionic water-soluble polymer has been aded to proved unique properties. This series can be applied by brushing. When the brushed on enamel is dried at 120 C degrees or higher it develops a scuff resistant surface. It can be freely handled while the front side of the article is being coated. Thus both sides of an article can be coated and fired at the same time. Traditional enamels can be applied as subsequent coats.

A second unique property is after drying at 120C degrees or higher a different color from this series can be brushed on top, again dried at 120C degrees and a third color brushed on. Thus a painted design of three or more colors can be applied and fired ONLY ONE TIME.

A third unique property is a small amount of the liquid can be poured into a small flat container and allowed to air dry. These dry colors can be moistened with water and used exactly the same as water colors.

Following the procedure given above - dry each applied color BEFORE applying a second color on top and a multi-color design can be painted and fired ONLY one time.

FROM THOMPSONS CATALOG - UNDER "Acrylic Enamels"

Paint thin or buttery thick using brush, palette knife, spatula etc. Dry one color, overlap with a second or third - ONE FIRE - Use in combination with water color enamels, enamel marking crayons or 80 mesh enamel.

I am going to check with Tom Ellis from Thompson's enamel next week, after the holiday and find out if you should also sift the clear on over the dried acrylics and THEN FIRE THE WHOLE PIECE -since the directions say ONLY ONE FIRE -

I have not used painting enamels so I cannot offer my experiences but I will ask the Group in Painting enamels to send you their advice, and I will gol to the source - Tom Ellis-

I hope this has bee of some help.

Regards,

Trish