Enameling Techniques
The history of enameling dates back more than 2,000 years, with some of the earliest known examples created by Mycenean artisans in Cyprus. Since the inception of the craft, a number of enameling techniques have developed, with each providing a slightly different style and finish. Artisans that practice the craft have a few options to create decorative enameled pieces.
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Basics of Enameling
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Enameling involves creating a design by firing colored, powdered glass onto a metal object. The combination of fired glass and metal provides a decorative finish. Enameled items commonly include smaller jewelry pieces, as well as larger plates and vases. Metals commonly used include gold, silver, copper and steel and the finish created will depend on the enameling technique. Creating a finished piece can involve using a single technique or a combination of two or more.
Cloisonne
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The Cloisonne technique involves creating a design on a metal object using thin copper, gold or silver wire. Firing the wire into a base layer of clear enamel holds the design in place, with the wire creating a series of clearly defined areas. Filling in the separate areas with different colored enamel and firing the piece for a second time creates the final look for the piece. The wire holds the enamel in place during firing, keeping the colors separate and avoiding them blending.
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Champleve and Basse Taille
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The Champleve technique involves etching or engraving a design into a metal object. The etched design creates depressions in the metal, with enamel then packed into these. The raised edges of the depressions keep the enamel in the etched areas separate during firing. This creates a final look of colored enameled areas, with exposed metal in between. Basse Taille takes the Champleve technique a step further by etching a decorative design in the depressions, with the design remaining visible through the enamel after firing.
Plique-a-jour
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The Plique-a-jour technique produces a final look reminiscent of a stained glass window. In this technique, a pattern is pierced through a metal object or a design created using only Cloisonne wire with no backing. Suspending the enamel in the open spaces using a water-based glue allows it to remain in place while firing. The final effect allows light to shine through the enamel, creating a decorative finished effect.
Grisaille or Painted Enamel
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The Grisaille technique starts with a layer of black or dark blue enamel fired onto a metal object. Using a brush to paint a design on this in white enamel creates a monochrome effect. The white enamel design is typically applied in layers, with each layer fired separately to create the finished design. Painted enamel reverses the process, with black enamel painted onto a white base.
Other Techniques
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Freestyle techniques provide a craftsman with freedom to create more unorthodox designs. The Limoges technique involves painting different colors on a metal without any separation between them. This allows the colors to blend at the edges during firing to create a decorative final effect. Other freestyle ideas include creating a finished piece using one of the standard techniques, and then bending the finished piece to break off some of the enamel and expose the metal below. The Raku technique involves removing a piece from the kiln and quickly placing it in a sealed container with combustible material, such as paper or wood shavings. Sealing the container allows that combustible material to smoke and this gives the finished enamel an iridescent quality.
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References
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