Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Abstract enamel pendant necklace with geometric rainbow cloisonne design

This afternoon I finished my second enamel pendant! I also tried my hand at making a cloisonne design:

While my last enamel piece consisted of cool colors -- blues and purples -- I went for bright, bold rainbow colors for this, and set them against the black background for good measure. I love modern art so I wanted to do something that was very colorful and geometric. My teacher said that it made her think of clowns. Uh ... I don't know if that's a good thing because clowns are a little scary and I was going for something classier than that, but I was aiming to make something that's fun.

We had kind of a frustrating enamel class otherwise. Something was wrong with the kilns so it took them 90 minutes to heat up to the necessary 1500 degrees F. In that time, I definitely could've started another piece. Still, the process of applying the cloisonne wire was interesting. You apply and heat the base coat, then add the wire so that it "sinks" into the enamel. You can then paint in between the lines of the cloisonne. I've always liked cloisonne jewelry and even visited a factory in China where they made cloisonne pieces. So it was fun to be able to make my own cloisonne stuff.

In other news, I'm all set for the next enamel class, which I'm taking with Fitzgerald Jewelery. I have to schlep to Brooklyn -- at night, no less -- but if it's a good class it'll be worth it. Plus, I'm happy to have six more weeks of enamel class right after this one ends. I actually feel like I'm good at this particular craft (unlike soldering) and want to keep up the momentum.

To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.

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