In the first year of my BA I spent a lot of time in enameling building a metal wing which was in reference to my daughter. I don't think I was that pleased with the outcome, or possibly, pleased with the mark I received for it. Whatever the reason that was it for me and enameling, so fragile was my ego! I had forgotten just how much fun enameling is, it's layering and colour mixing at high heats with some really interesting results.
Here is the first piece I made which is a good lesson in how much details can be lost and how easy it is to burn the enamel by over-firing! Although when the copper was repainted it kept the color well, I also like how some on the texture below the blue layer started to come back through when I cleaned the plate up after the last firing.
Below, the white parts of the piece below I rolled on with a sponge roller which gives it a bark-like appearance, I like this in contrast to the red drips. The other colours got lost as they were not thick enough or due to over firing, I think the last two layers could have been applied at the same time to help retain some of the orange colour in the sieved enamel. I do like the result though even if it's a little dark in areas.
The bare copper works well against the enamel paint, I am trying to decide how this might be taken further, if this has a relevance to my practise? I do have lots of old snuff boxes made of enamel with pictures from the Victorian era covering them, what would they look if made today? And what would we keep in them?