Enamels for metal...?

Question

Need info on Enamels. The kind used on metals and such... I believe they are baked on then polished to reveal the glazed colors and what not... Any help would be appreciated! OR any advice on other coatings that are extreamly tough that can be used on metal sculptures etc that will give some texture and color...Thanks

Answer 1

how large are your metal sculptures? enameling kilns for the true enamel tend to be small. Maybe up to one cubic foot. Though you could fire them in any electric ceramic kiln as well, but getting much control over color on pieces with irregular thickness will be much harder than starting on small pieces. You have to get at least some experience on small pieces. Also you can't enamel all kinds of metal. At least Thompson enamel discontinued their line of lowfire enamels for aluminum. Silicon bronze can't be enameled. Steel can be enameled, but it can be extra hard to get a good first coat on.
What metal are you using? What techniques you can use depends on the scale of your artwork. It's shape, and the metal you use.
Also what do you want to achieve with your coat? Bright colors or protection? The traditional way to color an outdoor metal sculpture is to put a patina on. Then you seal the patina either with a lacquer and wax or just wax. Of course you can also use paints. For alu look up anodyzing.
On metal you typically don't apply texture with your paint. You texture the metal. You can do welding, stamping even with a die of your own design, embossing, needle scalers can give textures, you can hammer it. Use your imagination and try it out on a test piece.
Go and take some metal working classes and at least read some metal working books.

Answer 2

The best info you can get for enamels...Look up Linda Darty. She is THE master enamelist. Her book is considered the expert source in the metalsmithing world. There is too much involved in enameling to explain it all in a forum. Leaded and non-leaded enamels, kiln fired or torch fired, copper, fine silver, or gold, etc. These are all things you need to research. Best of luck. (Sarah Perkins is another unbelievable enamel artist).

Answer 3

For true enamels (glass based) see Thompson Enamels http://www.thompsonenamel.com/welcome/index.htm which supplies enamels matched to the expansion of various materials.
These need to be fired on at about 1000F.
For enamels like paints used on automobiles, that are baked at a few hundred degrees, look at paint automobile

Answer 4

as a sculptor , clay & stretched fabric wall reliefs I like aerosol . automotive paint's come in matt , translucient , candies & several home improvement stores have interesting textures to work with . tp. mullin popclt.com