Another workshop at Precious Metal Workshop in Edinburgh. This time on enamel – not as easy as it seems. We did test pieces on pre cut samples. I started a final cloisonne piece based on my Isle of May medal project, but only got as far as sinking the wires (and counter enamelling the piece)
Spent two days doing a workshop at Precious Metal Workshop in Edinburgh – chasing and repousse. The design is based on the mermaid’s tail from my Identity project.
Today we were bougeing- hammering the pot against a stake to minimise the hammer marks from the raising – you can see a line of bougeing where it is shiny near the bottom. The last stage before polishing, is planishing.
So I don’t have a finished pot and lid (yet) but I learnt sooo much
We carried on raising the pot, shaping it in at the neck, making sure that the lid fitted and caulking the rim. Caulking is hammering the rim to thicken the edge and then setting down so that it thickens evenly.
Today, a masterclass on spinning – which is metal latheing – we took a metal disc and pressed it against a wood former that was the right shape for the lid of our pot. It took a few moments to achieve what would take hours to raise. It takes years to be a master spinner, but we got an insight into the process (so I can talk to a commercial spinner and have an idea of what is possible).
Day 2 we raised and annealed, marked lines, raised annealed and marked lines. It was hard work, but every time the disc moved closer to the design shape a wee bit.
Day 1 at Summer School, we met Andy Putland our silversmithing tutor, were given the design we hoped to make in a week and a disc of gilding metal to make it from. We then started blocking the disc.
You can see some of Andy’s amazing work at www.padghamandputland.com
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