Iced Enamels with Polymer

by Staci Louise Smith

Karen McGovern did a post on playing with the new Iced Enamels by Susan Lenhart Kazmer.  They are a cold "enamel" system, using some sort of embossing powders with resin to seal them.

Of course, I thought right away, how can I use them on polymer?

Though I really did plan to use them on metal as well.  

I could not wait for them to arrive.  Of course I tried them on polymer clay before metal, of COURSE I did.  Though I did metal as a quick second.

First I followed the instructions, Susan has a nice little video here, but I didn't like the look of the globbed on "enamel".  I wanted a crusty look, both on my metal and polymer.  Something more gritty.

Here is the "globbing" or applying a thick full layer of power on polymer (on the area's I wanted anyhow)

Here is what my first tries on metal looked, like

I mean, I don't NOT like it, but I was not thrilled

So, I kept playing......

For this black polymer donut, I used the German silver and I really bubbled nicely, and gave me a sort of raku'ish look I liked.  However, it just wiped off the polymer, so I used resin to seal it on.  I only put the resin over the "enamel" and a tiny bit over the edges, because I wanted the matte look of my black to remain.  I like it a lot, and now it doesn't come off.

So then I tried to over my already based coat painted polymer, and then put my crackle layer over top. (the donut has stripey circles painted on in the faux 'namel and the pink bead has one stripe at the top)

LOVE these.  Love them so much.  It is exactly what I was going for.  

The crackle layer was enough to seal it on (plus of course the actual sealer I use on top of that).  I didn't need to use any resin on these at all and they are soooo cool.  I love the texture it adds to the pieces.

My painting and crackle tutorial is available here for purchase.  Though it does not include how to use the iced enamels, it does tell you how to layer paints, alcohol inks and use a great crackle that works wonderful with polymer and doesn't take forever to achieve a great aged look.

Another polymer artist, Tammy at Paisley Lizard,  was playing with them as well.  Here is a link to her post. 

http://www.paisleylizard.com/2015/06/using-iced-enamels-with-polymer-clay/
 I loved that she mixed the powder in with the translucent.  Though it may not have given her the look she was going for, it sure did make some pretty beads.  Since I just bought a bunch of translucent to play with, this is on my list to try.  I have mixed other things into translucent and loved how it looked, but the iced enamels were pretty awesome too!  Instead of having to add color and something with particles, like chalks and mica, it is all in one for you!!!

I ended up making some metal pieces I liked as well with the Iced Enamels.  I liked them very much, but they needed the resin to really seal them well.  However, it was soooooo shiny, it not only didn't look like enamel, it was just distracting.

So I sprayed them with some matte sealer....and that made them funky, and matte, and turned the clear resin milky looking in spots.

So I think next time I will use a satin finish over the resin, so its not so shiny.  Anyhow, I don't hate them, and I am having a blast!

I can definitely see me using these........which is nice, because I can sometimes jump into things and then not end up finding a use for them in my work!

Anyone else use these?  What are your thoughts?  Your results?  Feel free to share your pictures of what you did with Iced Enamels on our Facebook feed in the comments.

... in the details

offering bowl - mjd 2014

-----

the air of winter 

may be biting, but in its

sting i feel alive. 

-----

my work over time has evolved into simpler things. my focus is upon solid craftsmanship and defining details. even my writing this year (because i felt like i was losing focus somehow) is being combined with some haiku writing - where the choices all matter - you only have 17 total syllables to work with. 

but in our work, this too is true. there are things you will always need - findings, texture, metal, beads or other materials. they are defining. 

bracelet bar - mjd 2015

-----

as i am me and

you are thee, there must be peace

for the sake of we. 

-----

there are days where components are my focus. they provide opportunities for practicing what i find to be important - creating texture, attention to details, attainment of satisfying patina, even what i choose to clean the pieces up with (sandpaper, steel wool, brass brush, nail shaping block, etc.). and figuring out if the addition of something really does add, or if it detracts and was just fun as an exercise in trying something new. 

this has taken me years - 

it's important - as you work, you find out what makes your work yours. there is no way to really know at the beginning, it takes time and mistakes and victories to find out. it takes listening to your heart and being attentive to what makes it sing. you can successfully execute a design, but is it something you want to do again or reflects your aesthetic? 

what are details that matter to you? what ones do you feel are key to your work? 

wishing you all a year filled with what you need - i think i speak for many when i say that 2014 was a bit of a brutal one. let's hope for something a bit gentler. 

texture boot camp -

mary jane dodd

piece of railroad track purchased at a flea market

this edition of texture boot camp is brought to you by a lipstick chicken, you know, a person who doesn't like to wear lipstick that looks like you are wearing lipstick (and so why struggle to find that perfect color at all, right?)... this aesthetic carries over into my work... as an admirer of the subtle i would like to show you how i add texture to my metal...

i find texture on things - like this old railroad tie... i was told how i could clean up the face - but why would i do that?

small bench top anvil

this anvil's finish did not hold up over time - but if you put metal on it and hammer, when you turn it over, you will find a lovely texture that is picked up by liver of sulphur or other patina...

with a pitted surface

did you ever mar the surface of a hammer? unknowingly, like before you learned that a brass head is better suited for striking metal design stamps? i did - and now i have a head that creates texture similar to the raw silk texture hammer...

'marred' hammer face

and finally i wanted to show you how i used patterned brass sheet - no rolling mill required!

tape the metal you are working with to the patterned sheet , hammer all over the surface evenly and...

viola!

my apologies on not having pieces finished with the patina to show the contrast - this was my first time down to the bench in almost 3 months and i don't have everything set up... 

All I could say was "WOW!"

by MaryAnn Carroll

Soooo.... I've been away for a while, but I'm baaaaack!  And with me, I'm bringing along Colin Duncan.  Let's all say hello to Colin.   Altogether now......"Helloooo, Colin!"

Okay, now that we've gotten the introduction out of the way, I had asked Colin to share a little bit about himself.  He so graciously did (on short notice I might add).  Not only that, there is even more to learn about Colin so, be sure to check out to other places that I've made easy to access throughout this post.  Personally, I enjoyed the YouTube videos....  And somehow, when I was visiting his youtube, I came across an absolutely hilarious BBC clip.  It has absolutely nothing to do with jewelry, but it will make you laugh.... and if it doesn't, well.... I'm raising an eyebrow ahead of time right now... scratching my head.....and saying, "hmmmmmmm???"

Seriously though and getting right to the point.....

How long have you been doing what you do?

Around the mid 80's I left college and was looking for a way to make stuff that didn't require a big investment. I started gluing small components together to make wearable things. (I'd kind of like to start doing it like that again) I saw that I needed to learn some jewelry techniques that could handle the different types of material. The first pieces using this particular mixed metal technique were buttons. I made a small metal dish and melted some brass around steel machine screws and filed the lumps back to reveal the cross sections of the screws. Thereafter I up-scaled the process.

What got you interested in this type of art?

Maybe it's a deeply inbred Calvinist thing, but I much prefer to reuse materials and objects, rather than get new materials and make from scratch. I hate to too see the mountains of waste which are churned out. It's not a strictly ecological impulse - it's more to do with finding beauty in the obsolete, or that which was never meant to be seen; machine parts, for example. I have never been able to close the circle between 'art babble' and my work

After my filling my head full of pseudo intellectual art babble at Art College, I felt the need to get some making skills, so I did a Welding for Art night class. Thereafter I was lucky enough to get a job teaching in the same place. I had a class of (slightly dangerous) kids one of whom put it it very well, "This is brilliant, you get to play with fire!" Be afraid.

Now for a little viewing of some of Colin's fabulous work.......

.

Click HERE for his Fire Torch Technique

A Better Look at one of Colin's Brooches by clicking HERE

A bangle worn on the wrist by clicking HERE

Here are a few other places to find Colin Duncan:

JUST CLICK

HERE for Colin's Etsy Shop.

HERE for website with the many other works by Colin

HERE for Colin's facebook page

HERE for the book that he has appeared in written by Heather Skowood.

And.....if you are not ready for those daily activities just yet.....take 2 minutes out for a good laugh....

by clicking HERE

Those are all of my clicks and comments...... How about yours?