Enamel pins design ideas I love – from ready made to custom and DIY
Full disclosure: the only enamel pin I currently own myself is one from last year’s poppy day. That’s not say I don’t love the idea – and look – of them when I see them – particularly on youngsters like my god-daughter, who has an impressive collection. Recently I was on the hunt for a birthday gift for her and that’s how I ended up down a bit of a rabbit hole. Not the worst one I’ve been down by a long way.
We have been replacing some old gutters recently which meant a lot of research into guttering, soffits and facias. Trust me when I tell you that you really don’t want to know. Dull, dull, dull. On the other hand, there’s something very creative about enamel pin designs and those who make them, so this research was actually a real pleasure. More often than not, I discovered, they’re made by graphic designers who branch out and start selling them on Etsy – or similar. I’ve become more knowledgable than I ever expected to be on the subject.
Ideas, ideas, ideas
Over the last few weeks I’ve squirrelled away a sizeable selection of ready-to-wear handmade enamel pin design ideas. I’ve also discovered custom pin options (both for single orders and in bulk if you’re interested in becoming an enamel pin seller yourself as well as some DIY home kits. So I thought I’d share all of my finds with you in case useful. If you’d rather I shared my findings about guttering, soffits and fascias please just let me know…
My first step in all of this was to hunt for simple enamel pins design design ideas that caught my eye. Etsy was my first port of call and I found loads of high quality ideas:
Enamel pins design – Etsy finds
This is a treasure trove of ideas for high-quality pins
The Grey Muse is a great little shop selling a selection of beautiful and enamel lapel pins https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheGrayMuse and a very popular choice.
My favourites are the flower pins. There are so many beauties to choose from, including Forget-me-Not, Hydrangea, Hollyhock and Snowdrop, but if I had to pick just one, I think it would be Cherry Blossom https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1642582255/preorder-cherry-blossom-pink-v2-floral This, for me, is probably the perfect pin.
Little Paisley Designs is another top resource https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LittlePaisleyDesigns?section_id=24952538. Choose from a pretty collection of wildlife-inspired designs including flowers, animals and insects all based on watercolours by illustrator Eleanor Longhurst.
If you’re looking for more than one, the popular two pins deal would be a perfect choice. Each pin is a tiny work of art and comes with their own complementary colourful backing card. Worth knowing, too that if you spend over £35 and are based in the UK you’ll get free shipping.
Drawn to Nature sells lovely pairs of flower pin, including this Forget me Not and Daisy pin duo: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1483506114/floral-enamel-pin-pair-set-of-pins
Forget me not and Daisy duo
I had to include this Sparkly Cowboy Cat pin https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1507064656/cowboy-cat-sparkly-enamel-pin-golden by Velvets Art. There’s also a cute Hare design https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1375412257/hare-enamel-pin-gold-plated Made in hard enamel with gold plating.
Emma Carpenter is the artist behind this cute Daisy Cat enamel pin https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/813476448/daisy-cat-enamel-pin-cat-badge-floral
Kate Elford is a great place to find cute pins with heart-warming message like this Ha pea pin https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1033965106/ha-pea-a-happy-pea-of-positivity-enamel
Literary Emporium is another great source of inspiration https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LiteraryEmporium?ref=l2-about-shopname§ion_id=20157447
Also love this: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/756139283/hermia-though-she-be-but-little-she-is inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
And how beautiful is this Blue Tit pin by Shannon Mullin? https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1521907856/blue-tit-enamel-pin-blue-tit-pin-bird
Sticking with the bird theme, how about this Kingfisher design? I love the book cover feel to the backing card: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1379390151/kingfisher-pin-hard-enamel-pin-bird
Quinn’s Pins is a star seller on Etsy with 5-star reviews, so also definitely worth checking out for ideas: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/QuinnsPinsUK
NOTHS great pin finds
I’m slightly obsessed with Japanese aesthetics right now, so this collection really appeals to me. https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/2littleboys/product/inspirational-japanese-sayings-on-hard-enamel-pins?
I like the sentiment as well as the design of this Soul Sister pin by The Stamford Company https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/thestamfordstudio/product/soul-sister-enamel-pin
Hedgehog pin https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/karinakesson/product/hedgehog-enamel-pin
Working cocker spaniel pin https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/renandthread/product/working-cocker-spaniel-enamel-pin-badge
Wuthering Heights pin https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/lauracrow/product/emily-bronte-enamel-pin
This Thready Steady Sew pin is perfect for anyone who loves to stitch https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/oflifeandlemons/product/thready-steady-sew-enamel-pin-badge
Sparrow & Wolf have a great selection of enamel pin designs to choose from: https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/partners/sparrowandwolf/products
The more I looked into the subject, the more I realised that custom enamel pins are another really interesting area that I should also include. So I’ve pulled together all my picks: from ready made to custom lapel pins (including custom soft enamel pins) as well as enamel pin factory options and enamel pin maker kits. I’ll also delve into the differences between custom hard enamel pins and soft enamel custom pins.
I know how crafty many of you are, so as I mentioned, I’ve also included kits for making your own pin as well as inspiration from a few of the pin designers I love. Hope you find something you love – or will love to make!
Cloisonné pins – ideas
Cloisonné is an ancient metalwork technique that makes use of small, precious metal filaments and colourful glass enamels to create detailed designs. The metal wires are bent into shapes to create small cells, (partitions) of designs. Coats of finely ground glass enamel are fired into them until one unique piece of art is rendered. You can create a gold or silver finish depending on the metal used to create the partitions.
How about this beautiful Monarch Butterfly design by Cami Monet? https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/735392235/monarch-butterfly-enamel-pin-butterfly
This hard enamel cloisonné pin is by Justine Gilbuena and would be a great gift for anyone heading off travelling… https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/702733421/camera-enamel-pin-camera-floral-pin-film
Love this Mint design https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/558388314/mint-hard-enamel-cloisonne-pin
Custom lapel pins
Etsy has a pretty good selection of custom products:
Custom book enamel pin https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1529339748/custom-mini-book-lapel-badge-pin-or – you can order 1
design your own rosette pin https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1109573141/personalised-design-your-rosette-award – you can order 1
design your own speech bubble https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/848372477/personalised-design-your-speech-bubble
all 5-star sellers according to etsy buyers looking to order their own enamel pins
Types of enamel pins
Soft enamel
To create a soft enamel pin, one layer of enamel paint is applied to the recessed areas of the pin. Once this is dry, the pin sits slightly lower than the metal walls of the pin to give it a ridged finish. Soft enamel pins are a cheaper option to produce. Soft enamel is the most popular choice for creating enamel pins and a favourite for beginners. It generally has more colour options, with richer and more vibrant colours available. Using enamel paint you can customise this type of enamel pin to your heart’s content.
Using soft enamel also lets you get more texture detail into your design, including borders and edges you can actually feel. However, soft enamel pins are also much less durable than hard enamel pins and they can be scratched easily. From a pin production perspective, they can be easy to make but have durability drawbacks.
To create a soft enamel pin, one layer of paint is applied on recessed areas of the pin’s surface. The slightly higher metal between these recessed areas give the pin a rigid finish. These enamel pins are often cheaper to produce.
Hard enamel
Hard enamel is much more durable and rugged than soft enamel but can be more expensive and generally has more restrictions when it comes to coloring. These pins can appear subdued and less vivid than soft enamel pins but you will get a smooth finish. Additionally, hard enamel pins use a clear coat of resin on top which creates a textureless, smooth surface. Hard enamel is a good choice if your pins will need to withstand the elements and if long-term durability is important to you. For example, if you’re targeting customers who want to hang their enamel pin on their outdoor back back for example, this type of pin might be a great option.
How to order custom enamel pins to sell
If you’re considering having your own designs made up into enamel pins, I’ve looked into some options offering a great product and simple ordering process. Depending on the turnaround time you need, many offer an option to make a rush order. You’ll need your own design (I have some suggestions of places you can find free design ideas as well as options for those in need of full design services. There’s plenty of choice when you’re looking to find a lapel pin manufacturer. Here are a few of my finds that might be be a useful starting point.
Enamel Pin Factory will help you create your own soft enamel, hard enamel or eco enamel pins.
The minimum requirement you’ll need to bring your designs to life is a PDF file of the design you’d like to get produced.
You can either draw and colour a sketch of your idea on a white piece of paper and scan it as a PDF file or, if you know your way around one of the many graphic design software options out there (such as Illustrator or Photoshop), you can send them a digital file of the art you’d like to get made into a pin. Canva is another way to create digital designs and is free to use, unlike Illustrator or Photoshop. There’s always a proofing process so you can check your design before it’s finalised and made into the final product. Free shipping on orders over £100 in the UK.
Wizard pins is US-based and has great reviews. They can work with a scanned original drawing or illustration, so it’s great for anyone without photoshop or illustrator skills.https://wizardpins.com/en-gb/collections/all-custom-pins Standard shipping is free for US orders.
Tips for creating your own designs:
Avoid shading
Use bold lines and strong colours
Keep it simple. Remember most pins are only 1-2 inches in size so it’s a small canvas. The fewer lines and details the better.
Enamel pins design: which enamel type?
To create soft enamel badges, one layer of enamel paint is applied to the recessed areas of the pin. Once this is dry, the pin sits slightly lower than the metal walls of the pin to give it a ridged finish. Soft enamel pins are a cheaper option to produce and are ideal if you’re creating pins for promotional events. Although they are hard-wearing, they’re less durable than their hard enamel counterparts.
To make a hard enamel pin, the enamel paint is applied in multiple layers to the recessed areas of the pin. The paint sits level with the raised metal walls and the surface created is smooth and flat. The paint is then set at a high temperature and polished until it’s glossy, this gives it an exceptionally durable, hard-wearing finish.
Eco metal pin badges
Enamel Pin Factory offers an Eco metal option for your enamel pins design. These badges are made here, in the UK, and produce a significantly smaller carbon footprint than enamel pins manufactured in China. Unlike enamel pins, these metal pin badges are made from stainless steel and brass, which can be infinitely recycled, and are printed in full colour using VOC free inks.
Bio-resin is a polyurethane monomer made from corn and soybean by-products. Corn and soybeans are both available in abundance and reduce our dependence on petrochemicals. Enamel Pin Factory say that their Bio-resin performs and lasts as long as regular PU resins, whilst being significantly kinder to the environment.
They also offer backing cards that are made from recycled card stock and clear display bags made from vegetable starch (biodegradable and compostable).
I hope you found some inspiring enamel pins design ideas. Do keep me posted with how you get on – would love to see your creations!
Information
There are some enamel pins design makers in our Directory:
