This is an enamelled piece that I made as a response to a recent work, and as a test piece for my works for the Heat Exchange project. Thus it has some faults, but has also proven to be quite instructive in determining what I’m after, especially in terms of the shape of metal substrate I’m seeking to use for my current works-in-progress.
I’m going to analyse it, for my own reference, (something I guess I would normally do, but not ‘out loud’ like this), starting with the faults, as I see them.
– The edges need better finishing – I’ve ordered some diamond abrasive pads and would ideally smooth the edges to be consistent. I actually like the black frame line too – but I think I have to work at making it a little more consistent also.
– The line of dark dots down the centre – these were intentional as they mark holes in the metal that the enamel has covered, and were kept to match the work that this piece was responding to. They seem out of place in this work however, so I would not be working to cultivate them if I made this piece again. (Having re-read this, and looking again at the image, I’m now wondering about my Descartes connection, and what I have drawn so far. In some instances maybe they will stay…)
– The clarity of the drawn image – It’s not clear what it is, and I think this results from the choice of image combined with its use in such a tight area.
The things that I like about this work
– The shape and its potential omni-directionality
– The graphite drawing – there is something very beautiful about the overall materiality. Several people have mistaken it for mother-of-pearl, which is interesting. I made another brooch on the same day, but the markings in graphite are less interesting/evocative.
– The combination of sandblasted metal + enamel – Shiny versus matte. Contrast is good.
That’s a lot of feedback, from one small piece, 105mm x 10mm.
I’m in the process of drawing patterns, that I will have laser-cut in stainless steel. This is the first time I’ve made these drawings with enamel in mind. It’s a long process, so it still feels like I’m a long way from doing any enamelling.
Melissa Cameron
Melissa is a jewellery artist from Australia living in Seattle in the US. Her works can be found in the National Gallery of Australia as well as the Cheongju City Collection in South Korea. Her enamel works typically display subtle enamel incursions amidst precise laser cut stainless steel layers.
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Hi Melissa, have you tried a product from Thompson in America called P3? It is a finely ground black enamel that can be used in very fine detail and its results are a bit more predictable than graphite. You can apply it with a brush, pen or paint it all over in a very fine ‘slick’ and draw back through it to revel the enamel underneath.
Hi Barbara, no, I’ve never heard of it, so glad to hear about it from you. The drawing back into it sounds interesting – I’m guessing it would be less thick than a regular black liquid enamel, so you could get finer lines. Will have to get some and try it out. Thanks for the heads up!