"BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN"
Tursiops truncatus

Allan B. Heywood

999 silver repousse enamel panel
100 x 150mm x 10swgcopper base.
Firstly, a layer of highfiring white enamel was applied to the front of the copper base and fired. A heavy layer of counter-enamel was applied to the back and the piece was again fired. 999 fine (pure) silver foil was applied to the front, dusted with various transparent and opaque enamels and the panel again fired. Initial background details were begun using a technique involving the build-up of various enamel colours prior to firing; in this modification of a traditional technique the buildup is exaggerated and the raised areas collapse upon themselves in the molten condition, giving a raised, three-dimensional appearance.

The resulting face surface was ground flat; the dolphin, fish and kelp were formed from 0.2mm thick 999 fine silver sheet, embossed and engraved in the repousse fashion to impart dimensionality, and enamelled into/onto the face under a layer of transparent glasses, using a technique developed by the artist. Some preparatory seafloor and distance detail was built up at this stage to a height of about 2mm above the face and the piece refired.

The surface was lapped and refired. Details of shading, anatomy, and perspective were refined after each firing until the effect was satisfactory. The piece was reground between visits to the kiln, and the surface of the finished panel was hand-lapped with graded diamond hones, machine-polished and framed.


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