A small mound of powdered enamel in deep cobalt blue, finely granular and softly domed.

Counter enamel is a glass-based material made from a mixture of crushed glass enamels blended into a coarse powder. It is formulated to fuse as a glass layer during firing and is typically used as a supporting enamel rather than a finished surface.

Composition

Silica, fluxes, metal oxides

Handling Notes

  • Counter enamel is typically applied to the back surface of metal to prevent the enamel from distorting or cracking during the heating and cooling processes
  • It is coarser and less refined than decorative enamel, so it should not be mixed with the colors intended for the front surface
  • Fire the counter enamel side first, as it serves as the foundation for all subsequent firings

Applications in Craft

Keywords

Provenance

Torched, Asheville, North Carolina. Acquired 2024.

In Use

Have you used this material?

Please contact Mellanee Goodman, Program Director, Curator, and Materials Specialist, to start a conversation about submitting your work for inclusion on this site.

mgoodman@centerforcraft.org