JEWELRY Enamel jewelry making jmdEnameling jewelry jmd 2 min read

Enameling Jewelry: 12+ Inspiring Techniques for Classic, Experimental & Trendy Enamel Jewelry

Join us at Maker Festivals Colorado, the ultimate crafting extravaganza in Loveland from April 10-13, 2024, where the beloved Yarn Fest evolves with an exciting addition of beads and jewelry artists!

There are 12+ enamel jewelry-making techniques in How to Enamel Jewelry, divided into three categories: classic, experimental, and trending. The classic section covers age-old enameling techniques like champlevé, cloisonné, and basse taille. The experimental techniques bring enamel jewelry-making into the modern world with fun techniques anyone can do at home. These include torch enameling, using glass threads and stencils, enameling on metal clay, using liquid enamels, raku, enameling on copper mesh, maximizing enamel on other textures, and using rubber stamps with enamel. And for the serious enamel jewelry fanatics like me, How to Enamel Jewelry covers trending enameling techniques and surface treatments like decals, graphite and crayons on enamel, fusing with enamels, and sgraffito.

After just flipping through the pages of How to Enamel Jewelry, I was so inspired to embellish metal with colorful surface treatments, especially rubber stamps and graphite. Here are some of the techniques I found most inspiring–and the ones I can’t wait to try.

raku enameling samples

Raku Enameling Jewelry

These raku enameled pieces by Helen Driggs exemplify what I love about enameling. Just look at all those colors! And patterns and designs that are so random and organic, it seems insufficient to call them patterns; they’re more like intriguing bursts of color. It would be nearly impossible to make enameled jewelry like this that isn’t one of a kind.

enameling on copper mesh

Enamel Copper Mesh

Sandra Kravitz artistically crumples copper mesh to create an interesting base for enameling in her copper mesh pendant. I love the texture and dimension that is so easy to create when using copper mesh under enamel, which also makes it really easy to create double-sided reversible masterpieces. Plus, it’s almost foolproof–who can’t crumple?

using stencils in enamel jewelry making

Stenciling with Enamels

Color-swapping in Eugenia Chan’s stenciled earrings is a quick and easy way to tie pieces together. The texture on the larger pieces is what I sometimes refer to as “lagniappe” in jewelry. The dimples provide just enough extra design to make these earrings really interesting and stylish.

rubber stamping for enamel jewelry making

Rubber Stamping for Enamels

I am a paper crafter from way back, and I love finding ways to use my rubber stamp stash in jewelry making. I’ve used them for etching and for creating unique heat patinas .Now I use them in enameling, thanks to Jo Ann Wadler’s cool tutorial. Any rubber stamp you have, love, or make can be used to create crisp designs, repeated patterns, words, etc. on your enamel jewelry-making projects. Oh so many possibilities! I can’t wait to do this.

chased metal with enamel

Chasing and Other Textured Metal with Transparent Enamel

Tom and Kay Benham’s chased pendant (above) pops under transparent enamels, as do Arlene Mornick and Anat Silvera’s metal clay rings, below. Transparent enamels combine eye-catching color with textures we love in metalwork for truly artistic results.

combining metal clay with enamel jewelry making

 

In addition these cool techniques, you’ll get a rundown of enameling tools, supplies, and basics in How to Enamel Jewelry. I also noticed a really great bonus about this publication. Within all of the jewelry projects, you can learn about beyond-basic techniques like chasing and repoussé, metal clay jewelry (including how to make a metal clay ring band), soldering and riveting, etching, and others. You’ll also enjoy plenty of enamel jewelry eye candy!

Get How to Enamel Jewelry today–or choose it along with other products when you create your own enameling bundle and save big!


Learn all about torch-fired enameling and kiln enameling jewelry with these resources!

  • Advanced Metal Clay Series: Faux Cloisonné Enameled Jewelry Using Art Clay Online Workshop with Jackie Truty

    $39.99

  • Torch-Fired Enamel Basics Video Download

    $24.99

  • Basic Jewelry Enameling: Torch Fired Tutorial with Pauline Warg Video Download

    $24.99

  • Explorations in Jewelry Enameling Video Download

    $24.99

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