Texes Art EC-12 Practice Exam

Champlevé is a metalworking technique where areas of the metal are carved out or recessed to create a design that is then filled with enamel. This method requires firing, as the enamel needs to be heated to adhere properly to the metal and become vibrant and durable. The enamel fills the carved-out areas, allowing for colorful and intricate designs.

In contrast, plique-à-jour is similar but does not have an underlying metal backing in the filled areas, allowing light to shine through, resembling stained glass. Filigree involves the creation of delicate designs with thin threads of metal, often twisted and soldered to form intricate patterns, but it does not typically involve enamel. Granulation is a technique involving the application of tiny metal balls to a surface using heat, rather than filling recesses with enamel, and it does not require the same firing process as champlevé. Thus, champlevé is definitively the correct choice for this technique involving enamel-filled areas that necessitate firing.