Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Glitzy Ornament Bowl and Dish How-to



The magical thing about glass fusing is you can work with the same materials for years and all it takes to fascinate you again is the introduction of a new component. The round Christmas ornament is far from a unique design. But add a new twist, a little bling and amazingly you have a delightfully fresh version of an old favorite. 

At this hectic time of year, we’re all looking for fast and flashy projects that make great gifts. These easy to make ornaments are your ticket to wonderfully productive studio time. What makes these simple pieces so attractive is the paring of traditional holiday colors along with lively patterns. 

Making the Ornament Bowl


Begin by cutting a 9-inch circle of clear glass for the ornament base. Cut 2 clear pieces of glass to represent the bail of the ornament. Select your murrine and cut it into 1/8-inch-long bits with mosaic nippers. Choose your holiday colors and cut them into strips. Arrange the strips on the clear base. Separate the cut strips with twisted cane. For added interest, include a strip of murrine. 

Then, just for fun, rearrange your materials. Try different combinations until you have a pleasing pattern. I love this spontaneous type of assembly as it always produces a more dynamic design than I originally imagined. 


Using a 9-inch round paper pattern as a guide, draw the circle shape on the strips and cane with a marker. Cut the strips and cane to fit neatly on the clear base glass. Cut clear dichroic to represent the bail of the ornament. 

Cut narrow strips of dichroic on clear. Arrange the dichroic strips on the wide band of color to make the snowflakes. Be sure the dichroic coating side is down so it won’t scratch when the bowl is used. 

Place the assembled glass in the kiln on a primed or shelf paper lined kiln shelf. Stack the 2 clear bails beside the circle. Overlap the white and the clear bails with the dichroic bail to bridge the parts when fused.    


Making the Dichroic Ornaments

I plan to use these little beauties as festive spoon rests in the kitchen. The dichroic coating is fragile and will scratch if not protected by clear glass. When making functional art with dichroic glass, I assemble the projects differently. Unlike the first ornament, which was built on a clear base, the base of these small decorations will be made up of pieces. The pieces will then be capped with a single piece of clear glass to amp up the dichroic colors and protect the coating from scratches.  


Begin by cutting 4-inch circles out of clear glass. Cut 2 bails for each of the ornaments out of clear glass. Set the circles and bails aside. Cut a fun assortment of 4-inch squares of dichroic on black into strips. Rearrange the strips to make four unique ornament designs. 


Add a few twisted canes for a lacy effect. Turn any textured glass strips over. Using the clear circles as a guide, trace the circle shape on the back of the dichroic strips with a silver marker. Cut the glass and cane to match the circle. Turn the cut glass over and rearrange the strips and cane. Cut a bail for each ornament out of dichroic on clear. 


Place the dichroic and cane layer in the kiln on a primed or shelf paper lined kiln shelf. Cap the dichroic glass with the 4-inch clear glass circles. Stack the 2 clear bails beside the glass.


Full fuse all five ornaments using the guide below. 

If any of the circles are uneven, grind the edges as needed to improve the shapes.



Place the fused glass in slumping molds. Slump using the guide below.

I love including functional art in everyday life. And the kitchen, being the hub of family activity that it is, is a great place to enjoy personal, hand-made holiday decorations. 



Check out the Glitzy Ornament Bowl Video Here!


Happy Holidays!
Lisa

Follow my blog for more tips and tricks! 


Fusing Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1300 and hold 30 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 500F/hr to 1465 and hold 10 min.
Segment 3: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.
Segment 4: Cool to room temperature.
*As fast as possible

Slumping Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1265 and hold 10 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.
Segment 3: Cool to room temperature.
*As fast as possible

NOTE: Kilns fire differently. Test fire these guides in your kiln, adjust as needed.

Here’s the glass I used to make these ornaments.

Glitzy Ornament Bowl, 9 Inch Round
Oceanside Glasstile Spectrum and Uroboros Glass - System 96®
Clear, 100SF, 1 Sq. Ft. for Base
White, 200SF, ½ Sq. Ft for Design
Dark Green, 220-76SF, ¼ Sq. Ft for Design
Flame 60-602-96, ½ Sq. Ft. for Design
Twisted Cane, Assorted colors, 17 for Design
Murine, Red, White & Green, 1 for Design
CBS Dichroic on Clear, Scrap

Glitzy Ornament Dishes, 4 Inch Round
CBS Dichroic on Black
Assorted colors, 4 – 4 Inch x 4 Inch for Base Layer
Clear, 100 SF, 1 Sq. Ft for Second Layer

Ceramic Slumping Molds
1 – 10 Inch x 10 Inch Square
4 – 4 Inch x 4 Inch, Square




Advanced Glass Fusing 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop
February 5 – 8, 2019
Join me for this intense workshop held in my private studio.
Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.

This is the turning point experience you’ve been waiting for.

Take the next step and raise your artwork to an exciting new level of sophistication. Join me for this comprehensive advanced technique, artistic awakening and skill building workshop. You’ll love the intimate one-on-one instruction, building multiple large scale projects, the creative momentum you gain working for four consecutive days and the well-appointed classroom.
 

Get Ready for the Glass Craft and Bead Expo
Las Vegas, NV
April 3-7, 2019
Class Registration Opens Wednesday, November 18, 2018
Join me for an exciting week for fun and fusing! Here’s my lineup of classes for 2019.

WE-16 - Fired Up! Fusing for the Adventurous
TH-08 - Painting with Frit
FR-18 - Breaking Through – Making Exhibition Quality Art
NEW SA-22 - Sculptural Fused Glass Art
NEW SU-01 - Gallery Quality Fused Glass Made Easy


 

Learn at home at your own pace. Instructional Videos are here!


Check out my writer’s website.



Monday, November 19, 2018

Dichroic Dishes How-To



Happy Holidays! 

Here’s a quick, easy project that delivers fun and flash. Enjoy making a set for family and friends or for yourself. 

Some girls never outgrow glitter! And I’m one of them. 

These flashy dishes are a terrific way to get the most out of those wonderfully delicious 4” x 4” pieces of dichroic glass by CBS. I love the free-play assembly of these dishes too. 

A lot of my pieces of art are pattern driven. They take substantial time to plan, layout and fit. It’s rewarding to see an intricate design come out as planned. But sometimes it’s fun to design off the cuff and let the glass inspire the way the project gets assembled. Another plus to this freestyle method is the design that develops is often different, sometimes even better than my original idea. 



To make these fun and fast dishes:

1.    Cut 2 pieces of clear glass to 6” x 6”. Cut 4 pieces of clear glass to 4” x 4”.

2.    Using a strip cutter cut several different 4” x 4” patterns of dichroic glass into ¼”, ½”, ¾” and 1” strips. 



3.    Select complimentary twisted cane. Cut the cane to size.

4.    Using a pencil, trace around the clear squares on a prim ed kiln shelf or on shelf paper. 



5.    Mix up the dichroic pattern strips and lay them out on the clear glass squares. 

6.    When you have combinations you like transport the glass to the kiln. Arrange the strips and cane on the kiln shelf inside the pencil lines.



7.    Cap the dichroic glass strips with the clear glass squares. 

8.    Fire the glass to a full fuse temperature.

9.    Slump the fused glass into a shallow mold.

These dishes are a beautiful compliment to any décor. 

Enjoy!



As seen in Advanced Glass Fusing DVD

Check out the how-to video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UM5WpBO-o8

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving enjoying family, friends and fusing.

Lisa

Follow my blog for more tips and tricks! 


New for 2019



Advanced Glass Fusing 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop
February 5 – 8, 2019
Join me for this intense workshop held in my private studio.
Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.

This is the turning point experience you’ve been waiting for.

Take the next step and raise your artwork to an exciting new level of sophistication. Join me for this comprehensive advanced technique, artistic awakening and skill building workshop. You’ll love the intimate one-on-one instruction, building multiple large scale projects, the creative momentum you gain working for four consecutive days and the well-appointed classroom.


Learn at home at your own pace. Instructional Videos are here!




Check out my writer’s blog.