Enamelling: Collaborative Assignment Stage 1

Our current class assignment for Enamelling is an exercise to expand the creative process by working collaboratively, where multiple creative minds work together often the partnership leads to greater objectivity in decision making whilst learning to become detached, or at least, less precious about the artwork.

The object of the assignment is to explore enamelling techniques in relation to form, whilst working within a collaborative process.

Stage 1: Each student must make a form which is then enamelled using the techniques being taught in class.

Hollowware formed metal object approximately 8cm in diameter 

This is my shape prior to the enamelling process. We are not allowed to disclose to the class what the intention of the form is, allowing for unrestricted creativity for the other students.

One side enamelled using pull through techniques

I then enamelled the shape, using a result I achieved (read: stumbled across by accident) whilst doing tests. 

Detail of pull through technique

The other side was undertaken in a similar fashion using the same enamels, but a slightly different application, to allow for the texture in the metal to show through.

Other side of copper form.

Detail of hammered metal surface under the transparent flux and enamels.

Stage 2: The object is them passed onto one of the other students. They then can transform 40% of the total enamel surface. It will be interesting to see what changes the object undergoes through being worked on by different people with different aesthetics.

Stage 3: The form is then selected by another student who has free artistic licence to decide how to best 'edit' the piece and make the necessary changes. All decisions must be justified.

Stage 4: The final stage of the assignment is when the piece is then returned to the originator, who then has the opportunity to finish off the piece, or to create a new piece based on the information gathered during the collaborative process.

Watch this space as the project progresses!