Dawn Meaden-Johnson

May 15, 20161 min

Enamelling for Jewellery

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.

Read more about the main four techniques here..

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

COURSE: Enamelling: An 1-Day Introduction

COURSE : Enamelling: Advanced Techniques

COURSE : Enamelling Troubleshooting or "Tips of the Trade"

Make a general enquiry

Best wishes,

Dawn Meaden-Johnson

Founder of The Bespoke Jewellery Training Company

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