Pilque a Jour
Millenet in Enamelling on Metal states to use larger granules of enamels, consistant in size for plique to aquire a clearer transparent. Also he puts the Klyr Fire against the cell wall then adds the enamel.
Guild of Enamellers’ Bursary Award for 2010
The Guild of Enamellers is delighted to announce the winner of their annual Bursary Award – Bronagh Mullan who has recently graduated from Birmingham City University, School of Jewellery where her interest in enamelling was sparked when she attended a part-time course by a visiting tutor and practising enameller, Penny Davis. This motivated Bronagh to use enamel throughout her remaining jewellery projects at university, experimenting with opaque and transparent enamels.
The Selectors for the Award were particularly impressed by Bronagh’s rare gift for combining traditional enamelling techniques with modern technology such as laser marking and JewelCAD but all her jewellery is hand-finished. Using plique à jour she brings delicate colourful enamel detail to the more aggressive shapes in her work, harmonizing these two opposing styles to produce a balanced end product. Her passion for enamelling results in well executed detailed pieces in precious metal, incorporating enamel and stone setting in interesting positions.
Bronagh is currently working as a jewellery designer for a manufacturer in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Meanwhile in her own time she continues to experiment with enamelling and hopes to exhibit in the New Year. The Guild of Enamellers is proud to support Bronagh’s ambition to further develop her skills.
Plique a Jour Project
We had a workshop in Wildacers NC through the FSG, Fall 2009.
This is the project I demo in the workshop. We used foils to back our enamels.
This is a beautiful piece!!!! I’m a newbie to enameling but excited about learning.
Thank you for sharing your art and your expertise.
I look forward to being back often.
Angela in Austin, Tx
Angela,
Welcome to enameling. And thank you. It is a beautiful art and very additive! Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. Patsy
Pilque à Jour
What is Plique à Jour
Miniature stain glass window effect in jewelry. Frames of metal with no backing allowing the light to come through. Developed in France and Italy early in the 14th century. There are several methods of plique à jour, and I will show you the techniques I use.
This is how we usually think of pierced plique à jour. Most artists will use this method with the aid of Klyre Fire, a glue substance, to help hold in the powdered enamels before firing. This piece of plique à jour is created in 18k gold sheet of 22 ga. The use of gold gives you more strength and allows you to create jewels in a thinner gauge.
The Bird of Paradise Pendant is more involved. I want to show where you can go with pliqué a jour. Here I have chased the Bird of Paradise in 18k gold sheet of 16 ga. and cut away the negative space. I used 18k flat wire to make the leaves and soldered them in place with hard solder. With such large open spaces the use of foils aid in holding the enamel in, until fired, then removed. The stone setting took place before the enameling. Less worry of cracking your enameled piece.
This is a pair of cloisonné earrings with a drop of plique à jour leaves and a ruby. I would never get a stone cut like this much less be able to afford it. The leaves above the ruby is 18 ga sheet pierced and sawn out and filled with enamels.
This is a nice option when you have an unusual shape or maybe you do not have the color of stone you would like for your jewel on hand. This can be accomplished with creating a shape with 18k gold wire and soldered closed. The enamels in this case were laid in after the ruby was set. You can use Klyre Fire or back with foils to aid in holding the enamels in place prior to firing.
This enamel jewel of plique a jour is made of 18k gold sheet. The pedals have been sawn out and formed in a dapping block. The opens were pierced and filled with enamels using foil for support. And assembled after firing.