Penland 2013, Day 3

In the studio today we were still in learning mode (therefore I have yet to create anything that’s actually wearable). Today’s lesson was on painting with enamel, both oil-based and water based versions. After the demos, we spent most of the day painting the little white enameled tiles we made yesterday with the various colors of “china paint” or “overglaze” that are available. The lesson was helpful in two ways. First, we’ll use these tiles as a reference when deciding which colors to use in the coming week, and second the exercise gave us experience firing the painted tiles, which requires less time and temperature than the sifted enamel (plus a whole process called ‘smoking’ where you dry out the oils that are used to mix the colors). At the end of the day I cut out some copper circles in preparation for a full day of enameling tomorrow.

Clockwise from top: Enamel color mixing palette and swatch in progress; Finished swatches, tubes of powdered pigment (0verglaze); Copper blanks; Powdered enamel colors I’ll be rockin’ tomorrow.