using enamels help?

[bubblefizz]

Ive tried using enamels, my enamels are in tiny little aluminium tins, but how do you work with 2 or more colours, whats your routine?
i just end up with enamal everywhere
do you transfer the enamel in to another bigger pot then apply with a sift/spoon or what?

[beads-on-toast]

i tend to roll

[*rowanberry*]

I pinch what ever colours i need into another pot, then either sprinkle or roll depending on mood. If sprinkling do it over a piece of paper with a crease in it - makes it easier for putting away. if that makes sense :-S

[bubblefizz]

I pinch what ever colours i need into another pot, then either sprinkle or roll depending on mood. If sprinkling do it over a piece of paper with a crease in it - makes it easier for putting away. if that makes sense :-S

That makes sense Claire Thanks!

[Richard]

I was thinking of grinding down frits to produce a powder, do you think that would work?

[HairyBeader]

I put the enamel in a shallow saucer and roll the bead in it, i did have a little sieve thing but the enamel travels, also even with rolling gently you can disturb the enamel enough to send it airbourne, whenever you are enemalling wear a mask i bought a few from beadysam, you don't want to start inhaling that stuff

HB

[Mary]

Richard, enamel is more than powdered frit. I read a good description somewhere - frit is glass with some pigment, enamel is pigment with some glass. It's much more pigmented than frit, that's why it acts the way it does. Powdered frit is good in its own way too.

[LesleyMac]

I have containers with mesh tops, I think I got these from Creative Glass, so you can store your enamels in them and also use them to sieve over the top of your bead.  They are about £2.00 each but well worth it I think.  I also bought a cheap little vegatable trolley from Waitrose, think it was about a tenner, my enamels are in the bottom tray and my frits are in the top, it is on wheels so I just pull it out from under the table when I want to use them.

My routine is to decide how many colour enamels I am using and spread out a sheet of paper for each, then I sift onto the bead over the paper and the extra falls onto the paper, after I am finished I pour it all back into the container, saves money, enamels are expensive so no point throwing any away.

Hope this helps.

[bubblefizz]

I have containers with mesh tops, I think I got these from Creative Glass, so you can store your enamels in them and also use them to sieve over the top of your bead.  They are about £2.00 each but well worth it I think.  I also bought a cheap little vegatable trolley from Waitrose, think it was about a tenner, my enamels are in the bottom tray and my frits are in the top, it is on wheels so I just pull it out from under the table when I want to use them.

My routine is to decide how many colour enamels I am using and spread out a sheet of paper for each, then I sift onto the bead over the paper and the extra falls onto the paper, after I am finished I pour it all back into the container, saves money, enamels are expensive so no point throwing any away.

Hope this helps.

Great tips!!
Im wanting to try the stencil effect, has anyone tried using stencils? it looks pretty straight forward, but bet its not