An exciting day course exploring the skills and techniques of kiln enamelling. No previous experience is necessary.
We will learn to fuse finely powdered enamel onto the surface of copper. Enamelling techniques were used by the ancient Chinese, Greeks, Celts and Egyptians to decorate metal and add colour to metal jewellery.
If you love working with colour you will enjoy enameling; the combinations are limitless and the results swift and exciting as they emerge from the kiln. We will experiment with a range of simple decorative techniques to create your very own one-off pieces to make into unique jewellery to wear home!
On this day course you will learn to:
- Prepare copper for enamelling
- Make several sample pieces using a range of techniques
- Explore the use of opaque and transparent enamels
- Use a variety of decorative inclusions (e.g. frit, glass threads, millefiore and silver leaf)
- Cover health and safety and the kiln firing process
- Explore colour, and surface designs with stencils, printing and drawing
- Design a final piece to finish and mount on jewellery findings by the end of the day
- A supply of silver-plated jewellery findings will be available on which to mount your sample pieces. Information will be provided on suppliers of enameling equipment and jewellery findings should you decide you want to do more!
Refreshments: Plenty of free tea, coffee and biscuits at the studioLunch: There are many lovely cafe's in the locality to frequent during the lunch break, or alternatively, you may bring a packed lunch with you.
Due to the need for social distancing, we continue to limit the size of our enamelling courses to a maximum of 4 students at a time with the added benefit of more 1:1 attention during the day.
Please note: this course takes place in a working glass studio and not a classroom setting, so participants need to be able and prepared to stand to prepare enamelled pieces, and to work standing at benches. (Stools are available in between times). If you have any questions regarding mobility, please make contact via the "contact" page. Thank you.
