1. Easy
  2. Reader project 6 steps

Sgraffitto style enamel brooch

This simple piece was made using a precut blank. You can design any shape you like and you can also experiment with coloured liquid enamel over a base of another colour which has been fired.
By Sabre Gilmartin

Sabre Gilmartin has been making jewellery for several years and has recently turned to enamelling. She sells her work at fairs, markets, galleries and museums. Sabre recently won the Guild of Enamellers Kenneth Benton Award for original and innovative use of enamelling. This enamelling project is an ideal introduction to the medium and allows plenty of scope for creativity.

Designer Tips

  • Shiny paper such as from quality magazines is great to use as a base when sifting enamels

  • Always make sure your piece is completely dry before placing it into the kiln

  • Experiment with different wooden tools to vary the effect when doing sgraffitto

MATERIALS

  • Piece of copper to enamel .9 to 1 mm in thickness
  • Enamel for counter enamelling
  • Film canister or similar as a stand when sifting
  • Paper to catch excess enamel
  • Sifter
  • Trivet
  • Firing fork
  • Kiln
  • Liquid process enamel
  • Deionised water
  • Bowl and spoon
  • Glue
  • Cocktail stick or similar tool for sgraffitto
  • Slow cooker or heatproof bowl and burner for vinegar and salt pickle
  • Plastic tweezers
  • Supersoft flux enamel
  • Diagrit pad or carborundum stone for cleaning sides of the piece
  • Emery paper
  • Brooch or pendant finding

Step 1

Sift a thin layer of counter enamel on the back of the piece. Fire that layer at about 840°C. Repeat this step so that you have 2 thin layers of counter enamel. Two thin layers are better than one thick layer as a thick layer is likely to crack. When sifting enamel it is best to wear a mask to avoid inhaling the small particles of glass.

Step 2

Pickle the counter-enamelled piece in a heated mixture of vinegar and salt to remove the firescale. Use plastic tweezers to remove the piece from the pickle as metal tweezers will leave a deposit. Avoid touching the front of the piece with your fingers as skin will leave grease deposits where liquid enamel will not adhere. Allow the piece to dry.

Step 3

Use a small bowl or a plastic tub for the liquid enamel. Spoon a small amount of the wet process white enamel into the bowl. Using deionised or filtered water, dilute the liquid enamel to a consistency similar to single cream. Hold the piece by the edges and spoon on the liquid enamel swirling it about to get an even consistency. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Step 4

Using a small wooden implement such as a cocktail stick, scratch out the design you would like into the dried liquid enamel surface. Remove the excess enamel you have scratched away by first turning the piece over and then using a soft brush. Do not blow on the piece as doing so could send particles in the air which could be inhaled.

Step 5

Wearing your mask, sift on a thin layer of supersoft enamel flux. Fire the piece on a trivet at 840°C. Supersoft enamel will fire very quickly and can look nasty if over fired. Pull it out of the kiln to check if it has fired. Don’t look directly into the kiln as you can damage your eyes. It will cool to a lighter colour than it appears at first.

Step 6

Clean the edges of the piece using diagrit sticks, an abrasive sponge or an alundum stick followed by emery paper. You can then apply the finding of your choice to make the piece into a brooch or pendant. You can also choose to back the piece in your choice of metal such as pewter, tin or brass.

fashion tips

Pins such as these are very romantic. If you are making them as a gift they could be made even more personal by using charms or deconstructed jewellery that has been retained as a family heirloom. With chunky knits on trend this season choose necklines that have been knitted with frills or crocheted collars to retain the vintage theme.

Tweed jacket £35, blouse £18, skirt £18 Bonmarché

Suede frill platform shoes £45 Littlewoods

Teal beret £19 Accessorize

Resources:

Liquid enamel from: W. G. Ball Ltd, Anchor Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Web: www.wgball.com Tel: (+44) 01782 312286
All other materials from: Vitrum Signum Gresham Works, Mornington Road, North Chingford, London, E47DR
www.vitrumsignum.com Tel: (+44) 0208 524 9546

CONTACT DETAILS:

Tel: 07956 963531
Email: sabregilmartin@yahoo.co.uk Web: ww.sabrecollection.co.uk or www.sabregilmartin.com