Making a (Wearable!) Color Test Strip for Enamels using the Cloisonné Technique

Some time ago I took a class in cloisonné enameling and returned quite eager to get started on my first project. So I took the plunge and ordered some fine silver cloisonné wire and a whole spectrum of yummy colors of transparent Japanese leaded enamels. I chose Japanese enamels for the brilliance and variety of colors; I chose transparent enamels as opposed to opaque enamels so that the fine silver backdrop of my piece with its wave texture would be visible through the enamel.  Opaque enamels might be better suited over copper, for example, or where the background of your enameled piece doesn’t need to be visible.

In order to determine exactly how these colors would fire over fine silver – it should be noted that fired enamels bear very little, if any, resemblance to their appearance in powder form -- I made a color test strip. Not wanting to waste a good piece of fine silver on a mere test, I decided to design a slightly more interesting piece that could be worn as a pendant. Accordingly, I first crafted a textured rectangle of fine silver with a hanging hole.

Before going any further with my description, I'd like to say a few words about safety precautions with enamels in general but with leaded enamels in particular.  Think about the effect on your lungs of inhaling powdered glass!  Every step I took during the creation of this color test strip was made while wearing an N95 3M particulate mask to avoid inhaling the enamel dust. I also mixed, washed and applied these enamels outdoors on my deck. When I was finished working, I packed up all my supplies and thoroughly washed down the table on which I was working (there's nothing quite like wetting enamel to keep the particles from becoming airborne), washed my hands, stripped off my clothes and threw them into the washing machine, and took a shower. I didn't want to allow a single grain of enamel to cling to me anywhere. Always work sensibly with enamels. Even non-lead-bearing enamels are harmful if inhaled.

Once I had the pendant fired, burnished and tumbled, I brushed the front of the pendant with enamel adhesive and then used a sifter to uniformly apply a layer of clear flux (enamel) over the entire piece. When it was dry, I fired the pendant at 1500 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly two minutes in a pre-heated kiln and then quickly removed it to cool. Then I did exactly the same thing to the reverse side of the piece to counter-enamel it. The clear flux acts as a barrier between the fine silver and the colored enamel to enable the colors to remain true. Sometimes enamel colors, when applied directly to fine silver, have a tendency to change. This is especially true with pinks and reds which will sometimes turn orange when applied to fine silver.

I then applied my cloisonné wire to the pendant, adhering it by dipping it first into enamel adhesive. I took care to ensure that I cut the edges of the wire at precise right angles so all parts of the edges would come in contact with the adjoining pieces; you don't want to leave any gaps which might allow the enamel to flow out of its cell or worse, show when you're grinding down your finished piece and suddenly a gap appears. Once dry, I fired the pendant again. Because the flux re-melts during firing, the cloisonne wire actually sinks into the flux and is permanently captured as the piece cools off. Here's how the pendant looked after the cloisonné wire was fired in place:

You can see that the ends of the cloisonné wire extend over the edges of the pendant; this is done deliberately to avoid cutting the ends too short. It's safe to trim this excess wire after the first few coats of enamel have been applied and fired.

Before proceeding, I drew a rough diagram showing the placement of my wire and wrote the code numbers of the enamel colors I planned to use into the cells so I could keep track of which colors I wanted to place where and also have the ability to remember which colors I used on the test strip for future reference.

Since I had already washed the enamels and placed them into coded jars, I was ready to roll. I spooned out small amounts of the colors I had selected and placed them in numerical sequence into a plastic paint tray, adding a few drops of distilled water to each color to prepare them for wet-packing into the cells.

Then the fun began as I carefully filled the cells with their assigned colors. It's not necessary to put down the entire first layer; so I applied just the first few and fired them in place. Again, 1500 degrees F for two minutes. I used a tripod because now, with the reverse side of the pendant counter-enameled, the piece needed to be suspended so that the back wouldn't melt against the firing surface (a square of mica placed on my kiln furniture to protect it from the melting enamel). All subsequent firings after the counter-enameling were done on a tripod.

The applied but unfired enamel almost has the appearance of powdered sugar when it's dry enough to fire.

I continued to apply the enamel to each cell and fired the pendant. I also again counter-enameled the back, this time adding a solid color to the entire reverse side before firing again.

Here, you can see the first full layer of color after firing. It's necessary to continue applying and firing layers of enamel until they reach or slightly exceed the height of the cloisonne wire -- any excess can be ground down later, but ultimately the piece should feel smooth and level to the touch once the piece is finished.

 

Repeated firings were done as more and more layers of color were built up on the piece.

Here's another photo showing how I achieved shading of colors in some of the cells -- I applied enamel selectively. These areas turned darker when they were fired.

 
After the final layer of enamel had been fired, I finished the test strip by burnishing the surface under running water with an alundum stone and polishing it with successively finer grits (120, 200, 400 and 800) of diamond pad grinding sticks. I carefully removed any remaining glass powder residue with a glass brush and finally fired the pendant one more time to fire-polish it and return it to a nice shiny gloss finish.

Once finished, I mounted the pendant on a silver chain and now wear this piece whenever I'm working with my Japanese enamels as a reminder of how each color looks once fired.  And instead of having a pile of random wasted color test pieces, I have a lovely cloisonné enamel pendant I can wear any time!

written by Beverly Miller Gallerani of Mango Tango Designs

Ten Questions for Julia Rai

Julia Rai is an accomplished metal clay artist and teacher. She teaches a variety of metal clay subjects at several jewelry schools in the U.K., and is also the Director of the Metal Clay Academy, a valuable web site that contains a wealth of information for metal clay enthusiasts. Now, Julia has a new distinction to add to her impressive resumé–she is the first person in the world to achieve the Masters Registry Level Four!

When I read about Julia's latest achievement, a bunch of questions ran through my mind. I began to think I would like to ask her a few things. Then I thought, "hey–why not"? So I asked Julia if she would be willing to answer 10 questions from me, and I wanted to share her answers with you.

Being the generous teacher and all-around lovely person that she is, she agreed!

So, here they are, Ten Questions for Julia Rai. Enjoy!

1. Why did you want to do the Master's Registry?

As soon as I heard about the Registry I knew I wanted to do it. It's the ultimate test of metal clay skills but also addresses something not really covered in many of the classes available, design skills. I wanted to push myself and really challenge myself to see what I could achieve.

2. How long did it take you to achieve level 4?

It's taken me a year to get from Level 3 to Level 4. This was the hardest level as I left projects I was less sure of until later - also, the evaluators expect more of you at each level! I signed up for the Registry as soon as it launched in September 2008 and had achieved Level 1 by March 2009, that was my fastest level.

3. What was the hardest thing you had to work on for the Master's Registry?

The hardest thing is difficult to answer. The nesting rings were very tricky for me to get right and I made five sets before I found one that worked properly. There are a couple of projects that I've submitted three times and still not passed! One is combining metal clay with copper - I just don't seem to be able to get this one right! It won't beat me though...

4. Did any of the projects come easily for you?

Surprisingly, the threaded closure worked first time - and I've never done a threaded item before. It just worked straight away. Now people are asking me to teach them the threaded closure so I need to learn how I did it to pass it on!

5. How much time, on average, did each project take you?

Very hard to answer. Some things took a couple of hours, some have taken weeks and weeks with me coming back to them over and over again. I tend to work on at least three or four projects at once, sometimes as many as seven or eight. Some things are still in progress a year after I started them.

6. Was there a project that you dreaded doing? If so, how was it when you finally did it? (That is, if you've done it yet- I assume you are going on to level 5)

The one I'm really dreading is the miniatures. I keep mulling over what to make but I have no idea how to approach making a scale model of a household item. Especially after seeing Tim McCreight's working tumble polisher! My friend Lesley Messam made a fabulous pair of working scissors - hard acts to follow!

7. Which project was your favorite?

I have a soft spot for the Votive figure which is the frog. She was so lovely to make and is tiny and delightful. But the piece I love the most is the metal clay paper piece which passed at Level 4. I love the shape of the piece and although it was very tricky to make, I'm really pleased with the outcome.

"it is the piece I love the most which hasn't been seen anywhere yet"

8. In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently?

Loads! There are several that I'm going to do again when I've finished because they scored poorly and I know I can do better. Some just scraped through and the evaluations gave me pointers on how to make them better. The sleeve container pendant is a good example. I loved the piece but I now know more about design and I'd make this one quite differently second time around.

9. What is the biggest thing the Master's Registry has taught you?

Design, design, design! I had no clue about what makes a design good or bad before I started the Registry. The evaluators might say I still don't have a clue at times! But I can see the progression in my work and I'm constantly trying to improve my design skills. Before I started the Registry, I never drew anything before I made it, I'd just sit down and start rolling! But now I plan things from the texture upwards, on paper and also in polymer clay for more complex forms. And I'm constantly looking for shapes and textures in everything around me.

10. What advice would you give to people who are thinking about taking the Master's Registry challenge?

I think it's important for people to understand that the evaluators are not interested in stroking your ego. The Yahoo metal clay group is a supportive and encouraging group but the Registry evaluators will not say nice things about your work, they will pick it apart. Even for my pieces that have passed with 10 out of 10, sometimes the evaluators will tell me what could have been done better. And for pieces that have really missed the point, they sometimes won't mark it, that's a horrible feeling - my work is so bad they won't even bother to mark it! So you need to be pretty resilient and not take it personally - which is hard when you've put your heart and soul into something. I've sobbed after reading some of the harsher evaluations - and I'm not an easy sobber! The reason I've put all the marks and evaluation comments for my pieces on my website is to show people what they can expect. I've had such a lot of positive feedback from people about it, it's helped people to make a decision about whether they can cope with that level of criticism. Having said all this, I would encourage anyone who's really serious about improving their skills to go for the Registry. It will challenge you in ways you can't imagine and will develop you as an artist.

***

I worked on these questions for Julia after a long day and I was pretty tired. Well, wouldn't you know it, I had mistakenly sent her an extra question, which she also graciously answered. So, here is our "bonus" question!

Which score surprised you most (positively or negatively)?

The score that surprised me the most - hmm, difficult to say. I'm always surprised by the ones they decide are so bad they won't even consider them! Why would I send in something I didn't think was up to the job? But for some of them, it's just that I've missed the point of the project - that's the price of being the first!

***

I have so many more questions I could ask Julia and I very much appreciate that she took the time to answer ten…whoops–eleven of them. Thank you, Julia!

Please be sure to check out her web sites:

www.juliarai.co.uk

www.metalclayacademy.com

Julia is very generous in sharing her knowledge and experience, and there is a lot to learn from both sites!

written by ~ Evelyn P. Dombkowski

Wearable By Design in Etsy Vote for Favorite Best Seller

I actually am fond of Etsy Voter series. It is a good way to be introduced to new work on Etsy you have never seen before. The latest Voting Poll is for Etsy Favorite Best Sellers over the Holiday Season. Jennifer Smith-Righter from Wearable by Design is in this latest Voting Poll. Her Silver Cuff Links - Bicycle Gear have made the list. Please help our EMC team member to the top of the list with your vote by clicking on this link! Congrats Jennifer! Well Done.

Meet the Team- Interview with Zoe Nelson

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

My Mom was a big-time crafter, doing mostly needlework her whole life. She opened a consignment art and craft gallery when I was in High School and hired me to work there. That was my initial exposure to all kinds of art and what inspired me to make things. A college course in jewelry making taught me the basics of traditional fabrication work. After college I decided I’d rather make money than be a starving artist, so I went to work for a large corporation and made art in my spare time. I started doing bead work, which eventually led me to investigating this stuff called Metal Clay. That was it. I was hooked and haven’t looked back since. I left my “real job” 18 years ago and have been making and selling jewelry ever since.

Have any special hobbies?

I like to garden (I’m so glad spring is here!) and snoop around antique stores and auctions.

What is your business name and website address?

My business name is Artwear and my website address is

http://www.zoemanybeadz.com/
http://www.zoenelson.etsy.com/

Do you sell in any shops other than etsy?

I’m a member of two local cooperative galleries: Hands Gallery in Boone, NC and Main Street Gallery in Blowing Rock, NC. These shops are owned and operated by groups of artists, so I work there selling all of our work a couple of times a week. I also have jewelry on consignment in several other galleries in my area. I do a few craft shows, but I’m cutting down on those. I used to do lots of them, but it’s getting to be too hard on my body.

How did you find out about metal clay and then start working with it?

I think I must have seen the very first information that Rio Grande put out about PMC. I ordered some (original formula at that time), played with it, and fired it in a friend’s enameling kiln. It was fun, but the cost of the product prohibited me from pursuing it much further. I sort of forgot about it for awhile and then heard about PMC3, which could be fired at a lower temperatures and shorter times and you could include glass and stones. This sounded exciting to me, so I took an introductory class and decided this is what I wanted to do. I was certified in 2004. So, I guess I’ve been working with it for about 8 years, and exclusively for the last 5 years.

Blue hickoryite set in fine silver

What drives you to make jewelry?

I like to wear jewelry! And, the possibilities are endless. As long as the ideas keep coming, I’ll keep making more.

Are you disciplined or do you go with the flow and work when you feel like it?

I usually go with the flow, unless I have a gallery or craft show coming up. Then, I can get a lot cranked out in a short amount of time.

Won any awards for your jewelry? For anything else?

I won an award at a craft show a few years ago for best in show. I also got a grant from our local Arts Council when I was first starting out so I could buy some equipment, mainly my kiln.

Do you do any other type of art?

I like to paint and do collage when I have time, but only for myself. And, I still like to do intricate bead work at times.

What is your art sensibility – precise or organic?

Both. I love the organic look and feel you can achieve with metal clay versus sheet metal, but I also like the precision of building things like box beads.

When did you feel you had more confidence in your abilities?

It just took time patience and practice, like anything else. There are still some things that come out of the kiln that make me ask myself “What were you thinking?”. But, I feel pretty confident now.

Blue topaz and fine silver flower necklace

What is your favorite tool for working with metal clay?

I guess I could say my hands, but that’s pretty obvious. I suppose my favorites are the textures I’ve made myself.

Where do you work? A photo of your work space.

I work out of my home studio – the second bedroom in my tiny little house. I’m running out of space because Daddy raised a tool junkie, so I’d love to be able to build a separate space one day.

What is your favorite thing to make?

I really like making lentil beads and anything with dichroic glass. And rings. Oh – also earrings. It’s hard to narrow down!

Do you ever add commercial components?

I use commercial wire, chain, ear wires and jump rings and occasionally clasps.

How do you work, and when? (for ex. Assembly like or one at a time)

I work in batches. I’ll get enough formed and dried in a week or so to fill a kiln shelf, and fire it all at once. Then I spend the next few days polishing, applying patina and adding the final touches. Then I have to inventory and photograph everything… and update Etsy and my website! Some things I make beaded chains for, and that takes extra time. I’m usually in my studio from about 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon almost every day. On days that I have to work in one of the co-op galleries I take something with me to work on, such as hanging earrings on ear wires, or bead crochet for a special pendant.

Do you have any kind of creative ritual?

Not really, but I like to listen to audio books as I work. Our county library needs to get some new ones – I’m starting to repeat ones I’ve already heard. It’s a great way to get caught up on best sellers and the classics like War and Peace, without taking time from my already busy schedule.

How do you hold onto ideas that you don’t have dime to pursue NOW!

I keep a notebook with me when I’m away from home and write down ideas as they come to me.

Do you ever use a sketchbook?

Yes, the same notebook mentioned above. I can get a rough idea from a sketch, but the finished piece usually doesn’t look exactly like the sketch.

Blue sapphire and fine silver necklace

Do you ever teach classes and where?

I teach weekend workshops of small groups of 5 or less at my home (in my kitchen). It’s usually a group of friends that all want to take the same class at the same time. I also teach a 15-hour course over six weeks at Appalachian State University’s Craft Enrichment Program.

Do you make a living at it?

Yes! I’m not Warren Buffett, but I earn enough to get me by. This economy is challenging, but I don’t think I need to go get another job, unless things get a lot worse. I’ve been at this long enough to know how to be the “ant” instead of the “grasshopper”.

Do you do custom orders?

Sometimes. It depends on what the customer wants. I really don’t like it when a person comes up with his or her own design and just wants me to build it.

What are you working on currently?
A batch is in the kiln right now. 4 rings, 8 hanging pendants, 4 toggle pendants, 3 toggle clasps, and 6 pairs of earrings.

Thank you Zoe, It has been a pleasure getting to know you.