Because it was cloisonne that inspired the style of my 2007 snowflake for Robert's Snow. I had thought about making it real cloisonne, but after researching the process I settled for an look-a-like painting. That is because real cloisonne is a multi-step, complicated process.
First there is the actual making of the copper objects--vases, hairpins, bracelets, etc.
Then someone traces the desired design onto the vase.
And then, someone painstakingly hand bends and lays the wire onto the vase to follow the design. Yes, every gold line in cloisonne is a hand-shaped wire. The wire has to be bent in right angles so that it does not curl up and it is stuck onto the vase with a special glue that will burn off during the firing process. This is eye squinting work, the use of tweezers and magnifying glasses is standard.
Then, the vase is painted with special paint--really colored powdered glass. Each outline of wire filled in meticulously. It is an extremely elaborate paint by number activity.
Then the vase is fired, the powdered glass paint melts onto the metal, creating a the shiny color and a lovely cloisonne object.
After seeing how beautiful it looks, I am almost disapointed that my snowflake was not real cloisonne. Well, maybe next time.
