Over, Under, and In Between: Layering Vitreous Enamel with Barbara McFadyen
Join Barbara McFadyen in this exciting workshop designed to take you through the ins and outs of underglaze, overglaze and how to use the various options out there. Discover the depth and beauty of enamel as you learn to layer color, pattern, and imagery into unique and lasting pieces while exploring exciting enameling techniques. Working from personal sketches or printed images, learn how to incorporate drawing and painting techniques into layers of vitreous enamel. This class will allow you to use enamel as a dimensional canvas, while learning the basics of what transparent enamels, opaque enamels, and painting materials can do to create depth and luscious surfaces.
Starting with copper sheet, demonstrations will be given on firing base and undercoats at the same time, making a set of your own fine mesh sifters, transferring your designs, resists for areas, as well as stenciling methods and materials. An in-depth exploration of underglaze and overglaze materials will be covered from pencils, crayons, watercolor cakes, and pen work to china paints, oils, and various techniques to use these materials to get the effects you want. Students will come away with working samples that can be informative for future works or enameled pieces designed to be incorporated into jewelry.
If you've been curious but overwhelmed at the array of choices out there, this is the class for you!
Techniques covered include:
- Choosing base coat colors and how that affects layers
- Making sifters and how to use various mesh sizes
- Firing both sides at the same time
- Stoning surfaces and why that matters
- Layering enamels and achieving depth
- Enamel surface options
- Transferring images and designs
- Blocking out areas when working
- Underglaze pencils
- Graphite pencils
- Underglaze paints
- Fine Line Black
- Water and oil mediums
- Sponging, wipeout, and stamping methods
- Stencils- creating and using dry or wet
- China paints- mixing, shading, storing
- Pen work
- Drawing techniques
- Brush techniques- wet dry, damp
This class is available as a live online workshop. Please check this page for times and formats available.
A kit of materials is included with this class and will be mailed to you.
Recordings of this class are available for 30 days from the final class session.
Tools for this Class
This is a list of tools online students need to practice the techniques shown in class. A list of tools with recommended suppliers for the best prices will be sent to you after registration. If you have questions about the tool list, please contact us.
- Infrared safety classes
- Nitrile or latex gloves
- N95 Dust mask
- China paints
- White and lavender overglaze paints
- Palette knife
- Ceramic tile or plate
- Blue tack
- Wipe out tool
- Round sable watercolor paintbrushes
- Filbert brush
- Crow quill pen and nibs
- Glass etching liquid
- A-5 oil
- Pen oil
- Stabilo black pencil
- Black underglaze pencil
- P-3
- Amaco Underglaze Semi-moist paint kit
- Graphite pencils
- Red Resist
- Glass brush
- Fine mist sprayer
- Kyrfire
- Liquid form Black enamel
- 1030 White 80 mesh enamel
- 2020 Clear 80 mesh enamel
- 1996 Black 80 mesh enamel
- Design stencils
- Scriber
- Exacto knife
- Sharpie
- Tracing paper
- Blue painter's tape
- Small pad or block
- Pumice cleaner
- Scothcbrite pad
- Alundum stoone or DiaPad
- Palette with lid
- Paper towels
- Containers for water
- Kiln
- Firing rack
- Firing fork
- Leather or heat resistant gloves
- Trivets
- Magazine pages
- 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Brush cleaning soap
- Old iron or hot plate
- Sketchbook/notebook
A computer, phone, or table to use the free Zoom app for class.
Read what students have to say about our online classes on the testimonials page.
Prerequisites:
Students must have prior enameling experience and be comfortable with the basics of enameling: sifting, kiln firing, preparing metal, base coats, and stoning. Enameling 1 or similar experience.
Instructor:
If a class is online, or is a combination online and in-person session, all students receive a link to a recording of the class demonstrations. In-person only workshops are not recorded. For staff instructor classes, students have access to the recordings for one year. For guest instructors, access is 30 days.
If a kit is included with the class, online students will have them mailed to them. Kits for in-person students are delivered at the beginning of the first class. More information about the kit is included with the supplies list which is emailed after registration.
International students may be charged an additional amount for shipping, because of the increased cost to ship abroad. Also, shipments to other countries may incur a tariff payable by the student. International students are welcome to contact us re: these costs and options for their materials. Please be sure that the address with your payment is the correct one for shipping.
If this class is offered online, it uses the Zoom app/website. Through Zoom, you’ll be able to see demos and follow instructions, ask questions and interact with your instructor. Zoom is easy to use and free for students to use for class, and works on most devices, like phones (iPhone, Android, etc), tablets (iPads, etc), and computers (Mac or PC).
Your instructor is also available during free Zoom office hours for questions and help.
For classes that include work time, online students work at home or in their studio. All of our recommended tools and the kit materials are chosen to be home studio friendly. Links to preferred vendors are provided in the supplies list sent after registration. Some classes, like our short demo only classes, don't require tools or materials to attend.
There are no requirements regarding COVID at this time.
As always, we clean and disinfect shared tools and benches after each class.
If you have tested positive for COVID, have symptoms that could be COVID, or feel ill, please don't come to class. Contact us for more information.
And now the fine print. Payment in full for class fees is due at the time of registration to reserve your place. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. Checks and cash are accepted only if you register at school. If you mail a check, your registration is not processed until it clears and the class may fill during the wait.
If the workshop is canceled by our school for any reason, all class fees will be refunded, or you can transfer to another class, or you can keep a credit on account with us for future classes or purchases,
Students can cancel, receive a credit or refund, or transfer to another class up to 21 days before a workshop, whether it is online or in person. No cancellations are accepted after the 21-day deadline, however, we will do what we can to try and sell your place to a qualified student. If we can sell your place, you can receive a refund less a $50 cancellation fee, keep a credit on account with us, or apply your fees towards a transfer to another class.
If you can’t make it to class, you may send a participant who has the necessary prerequisites in your place. Please call or email us immediately with any changes in the student participant information. If a class includes an online section, your class will be recorded and you can watch later to make up a class you miss.
Students must be at least 15 years old to attend a class, and students under 18 must have a legal guardian sign our liability waiver form. We have had younger students attend classes, on a case by case basis. If you’re interested in enrolling your child, please call or email us.
If you sign up for a class and fail to have the required prerequisites as listed in the class description, you are still subject to the 21-day cancellation policy, listed above.
Lodging and meals are not included for in person classes.
If you don't come to class, there are no refunds, credits or transfers.