enamels on black base?

[bubblefizz]

Ive seen a few black based beads with enamel on them (i even saw some with red), buit when i try it, it doesnt show up at all
any ideas what i need to do?

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

Are you putting on enough layers?

[Les]

Some enamel colours are transparent too.... in powder form they don't look it, so it's best to test colours on a plain white bead, I find

HTH

xx

[Stacy]

I had a white which was driving me round the bend until i worked out it was a strange kind of clear.

[*rowanberry*]

Angie, I had a similar thing going on myself trying to put enamels on dark red - I was just putting on transparent colours and they werent showing - oops. When I switched to making sure i was using opaques they showed.

[bubblefizz]

oh right now i see  so it looks like im uising a transparent, will need to check the batch of enamels.
thanks ladies!

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

Taste em, its a good way of telling the difference


IM JOKING!!

[handmadeheaven.biz]

Taste em, its a good way of telling the difference


IM JOKING!!

hahahahahahahaha!!

[bubblefizz]

so when would u use transparent enamel?

[*rowanberry*]

so when would u use transparent enamel?

A coloured transparent you could use over whites, pale opaques and pale transparents. When I've made enamels blends I like to do half opaque/half transparent for good texture. As for the clear transparents, my brain cant think of a reason to use it - maybe in a blend? I dunno.

[bubblefizz]

Thanks Claire! 

[ebj]

Reds are known to be hard to work with - even on silver. Torching them is very, very hot so some burn out to black. For my silver work I use transparents - on copper beads I use mostly opaque and on lampwork beads I keep to opaque too, but generally over white. There is also flux in enamels which looks white in powder form but is clear and is used as a base or for counter enamelling on metals. I am no expert - am just leaning. There is a whole other world with enamell!