Creating a detailed and expressive enamel pin requires a deep understanding of materials, color behavior, structural integrity, and production constraints. For this project, HIPINS developed a 4.3-inch hard enamel pin titled “My Three Fierce Children,” featuring a female character surrounded by three dynamic dragon companions. This case study documents the design process, technical considerations, color adjustments, and craftsmanship solutions used to translate the artwork into a manufacturable enamel pin while preserving the illustration’s character and energy.

1. Concept and Design Overview

The original artwork combines a strong central character with sweeping movement, flowing fabric, and the dynamic silhouettes of three dragons. As a large-size pin (4.3 inches tall), this design allows for more detail than standard pins but also requires careful control of line thickness, enamel areas, and metal separation. The client selected hard enamel with printing, paired with raised gold metal lines, to capture the premium aesthetic and precise details.

The composition features:

• A female protagonist with long, wavy hair, dress folds, and a confident pose.
• Three dragons in varied positions: one perched on her arm, one flying above her, and one beside her legs.
• A mix of standard enamel colors, sandblasted translucent areas, and printed gradients.
• A solid backside silhouette with branded text for creators “My Three Fierce Children,” “RedbirdPins,” and “Michichocoleto.”

The challenge of the project was to combine color variety, gradients, and smooth transitions while maintaining the structural strength required for a hard enamel pin of this size.

2. Material and Technique Selection

Hard Enamel + Printing

Hard enamel gives a polished, durable surface with a premium feel, ideal for a detailed collectible piece. However, hard enamel alone cannot achieve subtle gradients or micro-details. To address this, the design includes controlled printing overlays, especially for:

• Gradient transitions in the dress and dragon wings.
• Facial details that require crisp accuracy.
• Fine hair strands that cannot be represented by metal lines alone.

Printing is applied after the enamel is polished, ensuring both clarity and consistency.

Raised Gold Metal

Gold metal lines create contrast against darker enamel tones and bring visual richness to the design. The gold provides:

• Structural borders for every color zone.
• Reinforcement around thin areas, such as the dragons’ wings and tail extensions.
• A defined silhouette that preserves detail even from a distance.

Translucent Sandblasted Colors

Some areas use translucent enamel combined with a sandblasted base. This technique allows depth similar to stained glass while still maintaining controlled color density. These areas were carefully reviewed to ensure that:

• The underlying texture enhances rather than distracts.
• Adjacent colors maintain visual clarity.
• Translucent enamel does not blend unintentionally with shaded regions.

Cutouts and Recess Rules

The artwork includes several marked cutouts, especially around claws, wing spaces, and inner dress curves. For production, small cutouts may be replaced with recessed areas to maintain quality and prevent metal instability. The team identified zones where cutouts were too small and recommended adjustments to ensure the mold could be safely produced.

3. Color Management and Adjustments

The supplied color chart includes a wide range of Pantone coatings, from skin tones to deep purples and gold-inspired hues. During review, several updates were made:

• Colors 487 C and 149 C were revised to 2388 and 1355 for better enamel consistency.
• Some sandblasted colors were removed or replaced due to compatibility issues with adjacent zones.
• Gradient enamel areas were converted to printed gradients, as hard enamel cannot achieve smooth transitions.

Maintaining color separation was particularly important because the character’s dress includes multiple shades that must complement the gold metal. Each enamel zone was measured to ensure it met minimum size standards.

4. Structural Reinforcement

A large enamel pin can deform during polishing or plating if not designed with internal strength. HIPINS engineers reviewed the mold layout and reinforced several areas:

• The connection points between dragons and character were thickened to prevent bending.
• Long, thin hair strands were consolidated into slightly broader shapes to ensure metal stability.
• Areas at the bottom near the dragon tail were strengthened to prevent breakage during handling.

The final mold design maintained the artistic flow while ensuring production feasibility.

5. Backstamp and Branding

The back of the pin features:

• A silhouetted version of the complete design.
• Text for “My Three Fierce Children,” “RedbirdPins,” and “Michichocoleto.”
• Clear marking of the mold positioning point at 3.0 mm thickness.

The backstamp was kept clean and minimal to match the premium look of the front artwork.

6. Pre-Production Sampling

For this project, the client requested “Enamel + Print sample” to confirm colors and printing alignment before full production. Sampling focuses on:

• Metal line accuracy.
• Enamel fill stability.
• Gradient printing sharpness.
• Translucent sandblast appearance.
• Alignment of printed facial details.

Sampling ensures that the final mass production will match the desired artistic quality.

FAQ

1. Why does a pin of this size require reinforced metal lines?

Large pins experience more stress during filling, baking, and polishing. Reinforced metal lines prevent deformation while still preserving the visual design.

2. Why were some gradient areas changed to printed gradients?

Hard enamel cannot naturally create smooth color transitions. Printing ensures clarity and maintains the original artwork’s shading.

3. What is the purpose of translucent sandblasted enamel?

It adds depth and variation, especially in wings or background areas. It creates a textured visual effect that contrasts with solid enamel.

4. Why were certain cutouts replaced with recessed areas?

Very small cutouts can weaken the mold or trap enamel. Recessed areas maintain visual depth without compromising structural integrity.

5. Why is gold metal recommended for this design?

Gold enhances contrast, outlines details cleanly, and complements both the character and dragon color palette.

Conclusion

The “My Three Fierce Children” enamel pin showcases the combination of artistic detail and precise engineering required to convert complex illustrations into durable hard enamel products. Through careful color selection, structural reinforcement, gradient printing, and balanced translucency, HIPINS successfully preserved the emotion and movement of the original artwork. This case demonstrates how thoughtful planning and collaboration can transform a multi-layered digital illustration into a premium collectible enamel pin that maintains both beauty and long-term durability.