Torch fire enameling class


Last Sunday I attended a torch fire enameling class at Sydney Jewellery School, the day session  run by the delightful and very knowledgeable May Bartrum. May also covered kiln enameling so it was a full day.

These images show my first attempts at torch fire enameling. Not the prettiest! You dip the red hot bead into the powdered enamel - it took a while to get the knack of it as its challenging to get the powder to stick.

Some of the best results by the other students (mine were not so great) were totally accidental.It has sparked my interest to read explore further, so I look forward to the arrival of the book I've ordered from Amazon, Painting with Fire by Barbara Lewis, the guru on this technique.

Not sure if I'll get to do this again unless I move house - it's very hard to get a flame torch going when you live in a sprinklered apartment, and have the world's fluffiest and most curious cat.
I can, however, recommend courses at the Sydney Jewellery School - they have a very well equipped studio and a great calendar of classes.

Speaking of cats, I've changed my logo (see the header) - yesterday was a long afternoon, the logo being my first project teaching myself to use Adobe illustrator. Love to know what you think!

Comments

  1. Cinnamon Jewellery20 August 2014 at 04:17

    They look good for first attempts! I like the colours you used. I haven't tried Barbara Lewis's method apart from enamelling balled headpins but most of them cracked and chipped :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sasha + max studio22 August 2014 at 09:20

      Thanks Tracy. I found that some did chip too, not sure if it will be more practice by me. Getting a good coating was a real problem...!

      Delete

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