A little bit about me ...

Let's start with the premise that I hate being in front of the camera!  But, when you're being ganged up on by your family and they're chiding you, you give in.  If you don't see anything else from this video than the fact that you can make beautiful torch-fired enamel work, just take it from me ... you can!  Be kind!  I'm no actress!





Please go here for more details about the eCourse.  :-)  Barbara

Painting with Fire Workshop eCourse

BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH DETAILS OF THE PAINTING WITH FIRE WORKSHOP eCOURSE, I'd like to thank everyone who helped me get the word out.  I sincerely thank you!

So, without further adieu, I'd like to congratulate LEA AVROCH for winning a seat in the online workshop!  Yay, Lea!  

PAINTING WITH FIRE WORKSHOP eCOURSE - $90

THIS IS AN EARLY SIGN-UP PRICE ONLY.  The regular online course fee of $99 becomes effective on March 8.  Sign up now to benefit from this discount.  Please read to the end of this announcement.


With this course, you can learn the Painting with Fire Method of torch firing enamel from the comfort of your own home.  This is a comprehensive course that will take you through such topics as:


:: types of enamel
:: safety
:: setting up your work station
:: recommended fuels and why
:: metals appropriate for enameling
:: the sweet spot of the flame
:: where to place the bead on the mandrel for firing
::: how to remove the bead so that little clean up is required
:: enameling delicate objects
:: surface decoration
:: understanding color
:: creating compound beads
:: joining metal pieces with enamel
:: creating and enameling wire shapes
:: how to conquer the persnickety head pin
:: creating "twisty tendrils"


I'll also share with you some of my favorite tools, including the jump ring jig, which I use to create jump rings of any size in any gauge and from any metal.


I've set up a Ning group for us.  If you haven't experienced a Ning group, all I can say is, "You'll love it!" It's easy to navigate and provides a very interactive way of sharing information.  If you want to give it a test drive before the eCourse, please join me at www.paintingwithfire.ning.com.  The Painting with Fire Ning has been in operation for just two years and we have 2300 members. This is a free site to members and is open to anyone who shares an interest in torch-fired enamel.  


For the eCourse, I've established a completely separate Ning group.  The word "Workshop" has been added to the name (www.paintingwithfireworkshop.ning.com)  It is a private group and only registrants of the workshop will be at the site. All participants of the PWF eCourse will  have their own page at the Ning where they can download photos of their work.  Everyone's photos unite in a group photos section where photos scroll across the homepage and greet you when you log on.  You'll find  a FAQ tab at the site, but the forum section can be used for questions and for sharing information.


The eCourse will be three weeks in length.  It will begin on April 2 and go through April 23.  However, the site, with all videos and the content we build during the workshop, will remain available to you through May 23.  I know that life can get in the way of our best efforts.   This is a self-paced course.  No  one should be fearful about not "keeping up."


New videos will be added on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week.  Each video will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes in length, give or take a couple of minutes.  On Wednesday evenings starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time, we will have an online chat where all of your questions can be addressed.


TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Painting with Fire Torch Firing Kit
In order to participate in the eCourse, you will need the Painting with Fire Torch Firing Kit, which contains the all-important patent pending bead pulling station. The kit has everything you need but the map gas and a heat resistant surface (i.e., ceramic tile, cement board, baking sheet, etc.).  The kit, which is available with or without a Hot Head torch, contains three 3 oz. jars of enamel (a white opaque, a blue-green opaque, and a blue-green transparent), mandrels, beads, vermiculite, bread pan, hose clamp, and C-clamp.


Map Gas
Map gas can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowe's, True Value, Ace, etc.  Look for a yellow canister.  Map gas, which ranges in price from $7 to $10, will give 8 hours of steady firing.  It is commonly used by plumbers to sweat pipes.


eKit
An eKit, which is available for $35, has all of the materials I use during the workshop demos. You'll have a mound of beads, copper shapes, mandrels, 6/20 enamel, liquid enamel, decals, a sifter, millefiori, etc. While your Torch Firing Kit contains all of the enamels you NEED during the workshop, I'll be working with a wide color range of enamels so that I can expose you to some of the beautiful colors of Thompson Enamel. If you decide to purchase additional enamels during the workshop, a 10% discount will be refunded to your credit card or paypal account following checkout at the website.


The Book
The book for this eCourse is, "Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: a Workshop in Painting with Fire," by Barbara Lewis (North Light Books, 2011). Signed copies of the book are available to students for the reduced price of $20.  However, the book can also be conveniently purchased  at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Create Mixed Media, etc.  I highly recommend that you purchase the book, if you haven't already.  It was named the Best Craft Book of 2011 at Amazon for a reason.  I believe it's a great reference book for anyone interested in torch-fired enameling.


Because I've been teaching this technique for several years, I've had the benefit of learning from my students.  I know what techniques may be more challenging and can emphasize different aspects of those techniques.  I love sharing the Painting with Fire immersion method of torching firing.  It is by far the fastest, easiest, and safest way to enamel anything that has a hole (bead, pendant, charm, etc.) Success in creating beautiful torch-fired enamel is at your fingertips!


Details for logging in at the Painting with Fire Workshop Ning!  The Ning site will be operational a week before the eCourse, at which time you'll receive an invitation to join following registration in the class.