I've got a new ebook available to view on issuu.
You will find a total of 12 Efcolor cool enamelling projects (many of which have appeared on Hochanda tv) within this ebook. I hope you like it!
One of the projects you'll find in it is the Garden Plaque...
For this one you need to first enamel it with white Efcolor...
Then add another layer of white Efcolor with a very light dusting of light turquoise. Add some light green along the bottom edge with touches of dark green, mallow, mauve and light blue before reheating it...
Then you can stamp your flowers and grasses with assorted StazOn ink pads and the bird with black StazOn ink. Add a little cognac Efcolor for the body of the bird and once reheated and cooled add a touch of blue acrylic for the rest of the bird's body. To finish add a thin layer of transparent Efcolor to seal everything in...
Happy enamelling everyone! :)
Hi fi, how did you get your efcolor onto the bird without making a mess? At the moment i'm making efcolour rings with tiny thin coloured stripes using a stencil. They're not as perfect as i'd like them to be but will keep fiddling around. Also I take it that each layer you put on looks raised and doesn't melt into the previous layer. Sheena
ReplyDeleteHi Sheena, If I'm trying to be precise with where my Efcolor powders go e.g. the bird's body I will sprinkle a little over the area I want coloured and then use a fine brush to push the colour around or remove any excess I don't need before I 'fire' it on the stove. (The wings of the bird's body were coloured using a little blue acrylic paint rather than Efcolor which, when dry, is able to withstand the cool temperature needed to melt Efcolor powders.)
DeleteIf you're wanting to be super precise with where your colours go or are working on a 3D object you can use a thin coat Efcolor adhesive which will encourage the powder to stick where you want it and enable you to brush it off where you don't. (Also Wonder Tapes can withstand the heat so can be used with Efcolor too.)
Re the layers, as long as you have a nice thickish layer as a base you should find that most layers melt into the layer underneath. Occasionally I find, if I'm only adding a tiny amount of powder it can sit on the top. That can also happen if your stove isn't getting quite hot enough to allow the layers to melt into each other. If you want a super smooth finished surface you can always cover your piece with a thin layer of clear transparent to 'seal' everything in.
Hope that answers your questions! If you have any more don't hesitate to get in contact.
Happy Enamelling Sheena!
Fee x
Excellent in-depth answer. Thanks. I did try the efcolor adhesive but only a very thin layer of efcolor stuck to it. Putting a transparent layer on top worked well for me though it did turned my white efcolor underneath slightly yellow, is this normal? Hadn't thought about acrylics. That is an interesting option.
DeleteHappy to help Sheena!
DeleteYes, you are right, when you use the adhesive you only get a thin layer of efcolor (same thing with the Wow tape). However, you can always add more layers with the adhesive to build up the depth of colour. I've not been aware of the transparent turning the white yellow, although it can go a little cloudy if you apply it too thickly.
You can definitely use acrylics with Efcolor as long as you only apply thin layers of paint and make sure it's dry before you continue enamelling. You can combine other craft techniques such as napkin decoupage and embed elements including papers too. You just have to make sure that whatever you combine with Efcolor is dry (as you cannot wet pack Efcolor it will bubble if there is any moisture) and can take the heat of the stove.