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Parent Category: Projects from Journal Back Copies

Category: Projects 2008

Enamelling with Children

Kathleen Kay

What better way of spreading the joys of enamelling and encouraging future members could there be than capturing the enthusiasm of children? The long summer holidays approach and young friends, neighbours, nieces, nephews, grand children and even junior church and youth groups could all be ready for joyful stimulation.

You may have lots of ideas of your own, but here is something really simple for starters that could result in a permanent, prominent achievement to adorn any wall at home or in clubroom. The pictures illustrated here are from enamels produced by "Special Needs" children using standard, stamped-out copper shapes, and lead-free enamels simply dry sifted. The group worked together using identical petal shapes, one per child, with the same, chosen colours and the same method in order to maintain similarity. We first fired a layer onto the front; next counter enamelled; then a second layer onto the front. The number in the group achieving successful pieces would determine the number of petals for a flower. Should you not want to risk young children or your kiln, take control of the actual firing yourself. It's still exciting for young enamellers to watch the pieces going in and coming out of a kiln.

As ability and confidence develop, shading the top enamels or scribing lines into the powdered surface can be introduced. The finished petals can be laid out to determine the diameter for the centre ofeach flower. Frits or beads, embedded in the top sifted layer will produce a textured, tactile effect.

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