I'm looking at experimenting with liquid enamels, but have a couple questions since I don't have my Thompson Workbook with me…and I'm not even sure the answer is in there.  I would like to experiment with liquid enamel as a way to highlight etched areas of the underlying metal. If I get dry powder for liquid enamel, it seems like it would be more economical and I could only mix what I needed.  Is that right or am I asking for trouble?  Any special hints on mixing?  My second concern is that the enamel won't be hard enough and may lift or bubble through subsequent layers.  Is there a chart that lists the hardness of liquid enamels?  I see medium and low fusing mentioned for some of the enamels.  Can I assume black, for example, will be medium fusing and I will need to use lower temperature enamels on top of it?  

  I mostly use British-made lead-free liquids. I use them as a painting enamel over harder and leaded enamel - this gives a nice cracking effect fired at 920c for 1 min.

I've not use them to highlight etching - but have found that they might breakthrough a transparent layer placed on top. When covered, they don't look too good, the whites look sugary beneath flux. Whites on top keep their brightness and clarity.

I can't comment on black.

If you mix powder and water to a cream consistency on a pallet, it will dry out in storage - so just add water and stir.

Hi, 

If you are speaking of chemically etching your enamels, you can use ceramic pigments to apply color to the etched area.  I have limited experience with this, however.  I am sure there are others who might give more insight.  The ceramic pigments are in the Thompson catalogue.

I use liquid enamels most of the time.  My interest is in painting (whether on kiln fired glass, enamel on copper, or canvas).     There is a lot of crackling with the liquid enamels (and I'm sure some of it could be controlled) however, I like that effect sometimes.

I use distilled water when mixing the dry liquid enamels. . . stir well and also crush down (not unlike using a mortar and pestle).  I add the distilled water with a large dropper, (more control that way).  Since I am usually working on several paintings at a time, I mix the pigments in small jars and set them out on a palette. There I can physically mix them together if I choose, add water or a medium of choice, etc.  You can reconstitute them later on if you don't use all of them.

I haven't seen a chart on liquid enamels (like the one on regular enamels in the Thompson's book).  However, there is the potential for break through.  In my own experience, it has been mostly with white (I could have just been lucky in my other choices, however).  While I haven't taken the time to fully investigate this, I am always interested in certain random acts - so experimentation is always on the table! Wish I could provide more insight. Good luck.

Best regards,

Terrie

Thanks Harry.  Interesting to know the effects you are getting.  I may want to get that at some time--but not on the particular piece I'm looking at.  Appreciate the reply.

What a thoughtful response, Terrie.  It's nice to see how others approach enameling.  Your suggestion to use ceramic pigment is a good one.  I have some china paints and underglazes around.  If the underlying metal surfaces are intreesting, the experiment will be successful.  Some dry powder enamel will be on the next shopping list though....so I can try the crazing effects you and Harry speak.  Glad I asked the forum or I would have bought the powder  and declared the experiment a failure.  Now it's another tool to experiement with for still another effect. 

Love your dog. I don't remember if I have helped to answer you question.  Dry is great to use. Density of enamel depends on what you want to use it for. For painting you can buy paintable enamel from Thompson.  I use dry for spraying. The amount of water depends on the effect I want on my work. A heavy look, or a water color look. The excess spray that is in my spray booth is swept in to a 80 grit sift and put the powder back in my jar. I save around 95% of my excess enamel by using powder form in this manor. Powder form changed to a liquid is not a good paintable enamel. it balls up to fast when it dries. on the brush. This enamel will not bubble or lift with subsequent layers. It will eventually start evaporate after 10-15 firings. There isn't a chart for hardness, but I have dropped projects on concrete with a damage, but I wouldn't recommend it. The temperatures remain the same for all colors. Red and yellow may take a longer time to firing, but they evaporate at a quicker rate.  The more enamel that is placed on top the more heat and time will be needed to fuse the enamel. Your own kiln will determine this. I hope this helps. Mixing is at you won discretion. Play with it.  Each coat has to be dried with a hair dryer to remove the excess moisture before firing. Once dried you can scratch a design into the enamel. 

I have noticed that some people are having trouble with white. Use a mini detail gun set at 25-30 psi. The enamel should have the consistency of milk.  Spray at a 45 degree angle to the project, and 1 1/2 - 2' away. Spray in 4-5 different directions. Dry. Repeat two more times. This can be heavy, or light enough when lifted to a light source you can see the reflection of the light from the project.  At this point you can draw onto your project. Fire at 1500 degrees for 3 minutes and remove, or remove when the project is shiny. If you have the ability to view the project.   

Yes, Charles.  I think you have not just answered my question but given me ideas as well.  This has been very helpful.  Just getting back to the studio after a family reunion and an upper respiratory infection, so nothing has been done yet.  The air compressor, gun and spray box are set up, and I'm ready.  Hope to have some pics to post soon.  Bandit (so named because he stole my heart)  says thank you.  He was resqued and the vet says he's an Australian Cattle Dog--territorial but very obedient, loving and bigger than he looks in that picture!  

Hi, You should be able to call Thompson and ask about hardness. I'm sure they know. My personal experience is that the black was rather soft, but not the blue. I would suggest experimenting.

I did do some work where I rubbed liquid into texture in the metal and then did a transparent over it. It was nice but as you are guessing rather fragile. I wouldn't enamel over it more than once.

I have used both the premixed and the power. I found that my favorite way to mix both up (because the liquid settles) is with a paint mixer mounted to my drill very carefully in the bottom of a sink because I always seem to splash. I don't know that this actually "goes bad" so the economical part was never a big issue for me. I have used some that was years old and dry as a rock after reconstituting it with distilled water. Karen

I discovered a way to keep the liquid that I mixed in a jar from settling: I have Lortone tumbler, and it uses a rubber walled tub, liquid tight. In it's place, I used a bottle that my Rx comes in, straight sides with a cap that's tight, and a diameter of the same or slightly less than the sides. While using the liquid for extended times, I let it rool on the rubber o-rings on the steel rollers in the tumbler. Just be sure the cap of jar is tight, not leaky. Keeps it smooth creamy without excess bubbles.  Just a hint.