White is White ... Except for When It's Not!

Thompson Enamel produces 9 different white enamels, which gives the enamelist some nice variety.  So, if you're looking for a more translucent white, you can find that with 1040.  If you're looking for a very opaque white, you can find that with 1055 and 1060.  But, if you're looking for one of my favorites, you'll find that with 1020, which is also very opaque.

While I like 1055 and go to it often, I find 1020 to be much more reactive to copper when torch-firing the enamel.  To me this means that with just a little over-firing, you can get gorgeous blue-green freckles peeking through the surface of the white enamel.  If you've got a big lampworking torch like I do, I can over-fire enamel all day for special effect, with very little effort.  If you have a smaller torch, the fact that 1020 is so reactive will make a big difference.

Today I took a break from packing for Art Retreat on the Prairie to play with some Titanium White.  Here are the results ...

I really got into decorating #1.  You know the old joke, "How many artists does it take to do a painting?  The answer is "two."  One to do the painting and the other to shoot him when he's done."  Yes, it's easy to continue to play with color because it's so addictive! 

#2 was simply several layers of 1020.  When you over-fire enamel, it pulls away from the edges, leaving you a rusty, crusty frame around the piece ... which I LOVE!  This piece is sans decoration now, but will probably get a ceramic decal!  

#3 is given the same firing technique, but is decorated with Flame Orange and Raspberry (transparent).  

Speaking of 2836 - Raspberry ... if this is one of your favorite colors, please know that it is currently unavailable and will not be available for AT LEAST a month.  There are issues with the availability of the ingredients that go into make the glass.   Now for the shameless plug ... We have some in stock. 

One of the perks of being a Thompson Enamel distributor is knowing what's available, what's in the pipeline, and what's dried up like a cracked river bed ... at least temporarily.