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Cloisonné: enamel in cells

· 1 min read · Techniques

Illustration: Cloisonné: enamel in cells

In cloisonné, thin strips of metal soldered on edge form cells (“cloisons”) that are filled with colored enamel. When fired, each cell becomes a small piece of glass.

Steps of the technique: Bend the cloisons, Fix, Fill, Fire, Repeat, Polish
Summary of the steps

How it is done #

  1. The design is drawn and wires or strips of metal are bent along the lines.
  2. They are soldered on edge to the base.
  3. The cells are filled with enamel and fired.
  4. This is repeated until full, then sanded and polished until the wires and enamel are level.

History #

It is ancient: the Byzantines brought it to great refinement, and in China (jingtailan) and Japan it developed on vessels and jewelry.

Look #

Crisp metal lines separate fields of intense color, resembling stained glass.

Care #

It is durable, but a hard knock can chip the enamel.

Step by step #

  1. Bend the cloisons. Form thin strips of flat wire following the design.
  2. Fix. Solder or glue the cloisons to the base.
  3. Fill. Fill each cell with wet enamel.
  4. Fire. Bake; the enamel sinks.
  5. Repeat. Add layers until the cells are full.
  6. Polish. Stone down the surface and polish the cloisons.

Tools and materials #

Common mistakes #

  • Cloisons that shift while filling.
  • Colors mixing between cells.
  • Not washing the enamel: it looks cloudy.
  • Over-firing: the cloisons burn.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.