Techniques
How enamel paintings are made.
In Brief: Each enamel portrait miniature is painted in a sequence of thin layers.
Each layer is fixed by firing the piece in a Kiln at 750° C to fuse paint to the metal base. Miniatures may be fired anywhere between 10-30 times resulting in a jewel-like heirloom that will never fade.
Each layer is fixed by firing the piece in a Kiln at 750° C to fuse paint to the metal base. Miniatures may be fired anywhere between 10-30 times resulting in a jewel-like heirloom that will never fade.
Creating an enamel base from copper and glass enamel
Creating the enamel for the Presidential
Medal of The Hilliard Society of Miniaturists.
Copper sheet marked for cutting
Applying ground enamel to clean copper
Tracing a chalk or pencil line
Painting over with enamel paint
2nd of seven firings in the hand painting sequence
Applying gold lustre
The finished medal
Working a Memorial Portrait
The layer of hand painting has been dried
Firing at 750°C to fix the painted layer
Hot from the kiln. The colour change is dramatic but cools to original colouring.
