art of laying enamel upon metals, as gold, silver, copper, &c. Enamel ornaments for trinkets, in almost endless variety, may be produced by the aid of the blowpipe. The enamel is usually first drawn out into threads, or reduced to thin laminae, to facilitate the process of fusion; and by the same means the enamel may be laid upon metals. Very elegant ornamental work may be thus produced. Enamelling also signifies to paint in enamel.

Painting in enamel is performed on plates of gold or of copper, but seldom on silver, as this metal is apt to occasion imperfections in the surface of the enamel. Copper is the metal most generally used for this purpose, enamelled with the white enamel, on which painting is executed with colours which are melted in the fire, where they take a brightness and lustre like that of glass. This kind of painting is particularly prized for its peculiar brightness and vivacity, which is permanent, the force of its colours not being liable to be effaced or sullied with time, as in other painting, and continuing always as fresh as when it came out of the workman's hands. This method of painting is almost entirely confined to miniature; larger works being liable to certain accidents in the operation. The most perfect kind of enamelling is practised on plates of gold, the other metals being less pure. Copper, for instance, sometimes scales with the application; and silver turns the yellow white. To obviate the cracking of the enamel, the plates are generally made a little round or oval and rather thin. The operation is usually commenced by laying on a couch of white enamel on both sides of the plate, which prevents the metal from swelling and blistering; and this first layer serves for the ground of all the other colours. The next step is to draw out exactly the subject to be painted with red vitriol, mixed with oil of spike, marking all parts of the design very lightly with a pencil. After this, the colours (very finely ground, and mixed with oil of spike somewhat thick) are to be laid on, attention being given to the mixtures and colours which agree to the different parts of the subject; for which purpose it is necessary to understand painting in miniature.

When the colours are all laid, the painting is to be gently dried over a slow fire to evaporate the oil, and the colours are afterwards melted to incorporate them with the enamel, making the plate red hot in a fire such as enamellers use. Afterwards, the painting may be retouched; and is then to be committed a second time to the fire, and so on till the work be completed.

Encaustic, and Escaustum, the same with enamelling and enamel.