The Enamel Channel Silver Plan

Learning How to Learn with the Enamel Channel

Information to help you get the most from your Enamel Channel experience.

One Wire Cloisonne´ Explorations

Beginner level cloisonne´ lessons that focus on the color instead of the wires. You do not always need to use lots of wires in your pieces. I enjoy making "one-wire" pieces because I get to play but see my results within a "cloisonne´" format.

Creativity and Layer Combinations

Do you want to create unique enamel layers that move beyond a simple gradation of transparent color? Ricky shows you how he has taught himself how to "think in enamel layers" to develop his personal enamel vocabulary

Enamel Science 101

Ricky examines some of the basic enamel principles and variables that need to be considered with most enameling projects.

Cloisonne´ Earring Collection #1

A collection of FOUR different enamel earring lessons.

Creative Color Layers 1: Beginners

Create, design, and express yourself with enamel color. Ricky breaks down his process into SIX types of layers and creates lessons and shows you how he creates of the different types of layers.

Creative Color Layers 2: Intermediate

Create, design, and express yourself with enamel color. Ricky breaks down his process into SIX types of layers and creates lessons to explore different his questions. Includes Copy, Experiment, and Play.

Ricky's Design Vocabulary

Ricky uses some of his finished enamels to demonstrate some of the different types of design questions that he asks himself while making his cloisonne´ jewelry. A 10 part series

Cloisonne´ for Intermediate Levels

Four Intermediate-level cloisonne´ classes in one exciting collection.

Drawing with Cloisonne´Wires Part 1-4

Ricky shows you how he prepares, bends, applies, and fires his cloisonne´ wires. Explore many "what if" questions about design, planning, practicing, and planning. Parts 1-4 (Forty lessons)

Red Enamel Layer Lessons

Before beginning a new project, I wanted to learn more about the Red enamel that I have. I created some exercises to teach me a little bit about what was possible and what I like.

Color Layers for Cloisonne´

Ricky shows a process for exploring new color layers, asking design questions, and then applying what he has learned to a new cloisonne´design.

Introduction to Foil Layers of Light

Create "layers of reflected light" by combining silver and gold foil within your enamel color layers.

Five Foil Color Samples Part 1

Ricky makes 5 different color samples showing a variety of approaches to developing personal vocabulary using transparent color and foils.

Five Foil Color Samples Part 2

Ricky makes 5 different color samples showing a variety of approaches to developing personal vocabulary using transparent color and foils. Part 2

Foil Patterns, Transparent Green, and Negative Space

Ricky explores questions about transparent enamel, foil, and negative space.

Introduction to Cloisonne´

A collection of lessons designed to provide a sound foundation for cloisonne´ beginning level students.

Visual Brainstorming for Cloisonne´

Creativity is often described as the ability to ask and imagine possible "What If?" questions. I've created an exercise, Name it and Change it, that helps students improve their ability to ask more and different "What If?" questions

Learn with Baby Steps

Use a baby-step approach to stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Enamel Color and the Color Wheel

Making your color samples is only the first step in developing a personal enamel vocabulary. Don't stop there; use your samples for more than just picking out the colors that you like.

Bezels for Enamels

In a series of Zoom classes, Ricky demonstrates some of his techniques for making bezel settings for his enamels.

Ricky's Design Questions #1

Ricky explains how his questions lead to his enamel vision and voice. Part 1

Ricky's TES Talk: Learning to Enamel

Ricky's online presentation for the Enamelist Society, 6/4/2022. Ricky speaks about how one teaches themself skills, how enamel artists Ruth Ball and Anne Besse-Shepherd apply these ideas, and his own handmade embossed foil enamel jewelry.

Introduction to Sifting and Firing

In this lesson, Ricky explores how enamel changes when it is heated. Do NOT try to make art or something "that you like"; instead, let your direct experience and observations to teach you about how copper, enamel, and heat interacts.

Problem-Solving: What does it depend on?

What do you do when you don't understand why you got the result that you did? This happens a lot when you are learning to enamel and even after decades of experience. Watch Ricky problem-solve an unexpected result.

Sifting and Mindfulness

Learn some basic sifting techniques and begin to Pay Attention to your process. Ricky explores some of the many types of questions you might ask yourself as you apply and move enamel around on your piece.

The Sgraffito Heart Exercise

An introductory level set of lessons that encourage you to play with the "sgraffito" technique of scratching through an unfired layer of enamel color.

Design Questions in Ricky's Studio Classroom

Classes in Ricky's home studio have fewer students and more time is available for individual challenges. In these lessons, Ann explores design questions about two different projects.

The Science of Copper & Heat: Opaque White and Flux

Explore some of the science, techniques, and myths about enameling on copper. This is a recording from a "live class" to help students see and understand some enamel basics.

Experiment with Confidence

Learn to design experiments to answer your questions. If you understand the different principles that affect how your enamel and metal changes, and you can discover the variables, you can solve your problems!

Flash Your Fine Silver

Ricky shares techniques and tips for "flashing" his fine silver shapes and handmade foil. He uses either a firebrick and a hotplate kiln for this step. The purpose is to keep the silver highly reflective during the enameling process.

Cloisonne´ Silent Movie Collection

A collection of demonstrations with no audio explanations. Watch and learn.

Prepare Copper & Fine Silver for Transparent Enamel

I like to enamel on copper and fine silver. Ricky demonstrates how different metals may require different approaches to PREPARING your metal before adding the first layer of enamel onto the front.

Play with Cloisonne´ Design Elements

Ricky uses his Pink and Green transparent enamel to consider different cloisome´ design questions.

The "Spiral" Intro to Cloisonne" Project

One of Ricky's first teaching projects. Learn a basic cloisonne´process using both fine silver and copper as the base metals. Explore foils and gradations.

Prepare Enamel

Ricky demonstrates how he prepares his 80 mesh transparent enamel and his lump form transparent enamel (mortar and pestle).

Experimenting with Copper Preparation and Flux

Ricky explores different ways to prepare copper before firing a layer of flux onto the metal surface.

How I use my JoolTool

I use my JoolTool for grinding and polishing hundreds of enamels each year. It has changed this tedious part of my process into a fast, consistent, efficient, and even enjoyable step in my cloisonne´ process. I also use it in my bezel-making process!

Experiential Learning with a Torch

Using a torch, Ricky demonstrates the variable of "heat and your torch" when firing an opaque orange enamel layer onto a copper disc.

Tools and Materials

Here are the tools that I use when making my enamels.

Kiln Firing Basics

Fifteen lessons to help you develop confidence with your kiln. Ricky considers the many questions one might ask themselves while learning to use a kiln.

Purple Fantasy Landscape Demo

Watch Ricky as he applies foil and colors to a "Fantasy Landscape Enamel Pendant". (Silent Movie)

Make a Zentangle Cloisonne´

Zentangle designs offer a fun way to explore cloisonne´imagery and color. Ricky demonstrates both pink and green value gradations in this sample.

Heat Variables in the Kiln

When you are using a kiln to fire your enamels, there are more things to consider than the temperature and the time. Explore the variable of "proximity" to the heart source to develop more control over your firings.

Play and Experiment with Sgraffito

Ricky explores the technique of Sgraffito.

Create an "Enamel Canvas"

You can enamel with a torch instead of a kiln. Because the gas discolors the enamel, a few extra steps are often used. Watch as Ricky shows you how he does it.

Introduction to cloisonne wire bends

Ricky demonstrates some of the different approaches he uses to practice his wire-bending skills.

How I Use My Micro-Motor

I use a micromotor as an alternative to a flexible shaft. Most of the time I'm using a diamond burr (to carve enamel) or a diamond pad (to grind enamel).

The Silver Plan For only $16 per month, you get 47 beginning & intermediate level classes. That's about $4 per Class!

$20

$16