so, as i think i said, i recently got a kiln. it was a pretty big purchase. and especially to something i have never, ever done before. i was pretty much just hoping i liked it, and would find a way to get results i like.
i do have an end result, in mind. a goal of what i want to do…. getting there.
so i got the kiln, and a bunch of enamel colors. a good selection. both in opaque, and transparent. and a lot of copper bits to play on. and, i started to experiment, after reading a quick night or two of skimming thru the book i got.
it was enough to get me going. just.
i was pretty excited the first day. what a neat thing! sprinkle on some powered stuff, slide it in to the kiln, time it for 5 minutes, and pull it out! it’s like magic. the metal is red hot, and the enamel is molten. and funny colors. then it cools, and as it cools the colors morph in to what you were expecting. ( mostly, most of the time)it’s crazy. reds come out of what looked like black. blobs of browns become glowing aquas.
so, then the next day i tried some colors on silver pieces. and when they came out of the kiln, as the cooled, the enamel just popped off. WTF?!?!?!? hmmm. back to the books, and the drawing board. ask friends questions. what was happening. i kinda expected silver would be an easier metal to work on, than copper. go figure….. it’s not. you have to prep it more, i learned.
so i grind all the enamel off those pieces ,refinished them, and got them prepped properly. well, am working on getting them set for round two.some are done, some are not, lol.
i did do a couple silver pieces. some inuksuks. they look fantastic. but other things, still not thrilled with the outcomes.
so, back to copper. prep a bunch more pieces prepped to do. start playing. and oh my god it is so much fun. so exciting. i feel like a bad crack addict. it;s all i think about. ii want to play some more. and,of course i want to keep every piece for myself. they’re my new little creations! and soooo interesting! wonderful! colorful!
but…. sigh…. i posted them ALL to etsy. (www.andescruz.etsy.com) and now of course i wonder why they’re still there!?!?! lol.
so, now i need to make more…..
on my last day in the studio, i tried a ring. a copper ring, with enamel inside and out. it’s logistically challenging to get both surfaces coated. wholly crap it’s so awesome though. i love it. i must do more. you can see where this is going….. now, it’ll all be rings….. but hey, you gotta have something to match that wonderful pendant.
and then… ever still closer to the intended goal. i think i am getting the hang of it. getting a grasp. i got a couple more books, and have been reading them all, learning some of the details on why some of the things that have been happening,are happening. getting more info. learning more about the processes. so soon, i will start experimenting with the “goal” stuff. see how it works… and soon, you’ll be hearing all about those too.
but until then…… it’s rings. lots and lots of rings. lol.
andescruz
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