Q What is Enamelling?
Enamelling is the art of applying richly coloured powdered glass to the surface of metal and firing with heat usually within a kiln but also occasionally with a torch, to produce a glorious permanently coloured surface glaze.
The four main enamelling techniques are Champleve, Cloisonne, Basse-Taille and Plique-a- Jour each uses a variety of fine jewellery techniques to prepare a piece ready for enamelling, each technique names refers to the method used to contain and apply the enamel. In addition Enamel can be wet painted, applied Sgraffito style or torch fired.
Enamellers are usually highly skilled jewellers, goldsmiths or silversmiths who have expanded their areas of expertise into Enameling in order to add another gloriously colourful dimension to their work.
If you are thinking about adding colour to your work you can get a good idea of basic enamelling techniques on a 1-day course and one-to-one tuition can tailor the course to suit your style of work.
Alternatively if you already have a basic understanding of Enamelling for Jewellery you may like to undertake a course on the essentials of one of these other more advanced techniques;
Enamel sifting
Basse Taille
Enamel painting (Limoges style)
Wet / Liquid enamel techniques
Cloisonne
Champleve
Plique a jour
Torch-firing
Making enamel beads
Using fine silver and gold foil in decorative purposes in enamelling
Learning Opportunities
Best wishes,
Dawn Meaden-Johnson
Founder of The Bespoke Jewellery Training Company
