Lisa Vogt Art Adventure Blog

At this over scheduled time of year, we’re all longing for the peace and tranquility we associate with more studio time. Well here’s your excuse to log in more hours with your glass cutter and kiln. Don’t let these charming projects fool you; these flashy little beauties are fun, fast and easy to make. Plus, they make great gifts for any unexpected visitors that might drop in.

These darling plates are great for table decorations or for serving sweet treats. The dishes photographed here measure 10-inch by 10-inch. But these smart designs also look terrific in 12-inch or 8-inch sizes. Feel free to adjust the size to fit any slumping mold you may have.

To make these seasonal plates, cut a 10-inch by 10-inch piece of clear fusible glass for the base layer. Select your design and glass colors. Cut the design layer using the specific pattern you selected as a guide. Glue the design layer on top of the base layer with a small amount of fusers glue, or another appropriate adhesive. Set the project aside to let the glue dry. (I like to use a tiny amount of white Elmer’s school glue and apply it with a tooth pick.

This glue dries fast and when used in tiny amounts burns off without a trace.) Using the pattern as a guide, cut the accent pieces that make up the design you selected. Grind the cut accent pieces for a nice, clean fit. Clean the glass with water and then dry it with a towel. (I prefer to use water over detergents or other solvents that could leave reside that might burn onto the glass surface during fusing.) Tack the accent pieces to the design layer with fusers glue. Let the glue dry before moving to the next step.

For Cookies for Santa, Star of David and You’re a Mean One, select the appropriate power frit colors. Wearing a dust mask, sift your chosen powder evenly over the glass. Using a small dry paint brush or the tip of a pencil draw your message in the frit like you would draw in the sand. Remove any frit that might have fallen on the surrounding glass pieces with the dry paint brush.

Full fuse and slump per the guides below.

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 and then adjust as needed.

Serve. Celebrate!

Cheers!

Lisa

Follow my blog for more tips and tricks!

Artist Website www.LisaVogt.net
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk
Facebook www.Facebook.com/LisaJVogt

Author Website https://lisajvogtcom.wordpress.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/lisajvogt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lvogt_originalsinglass/

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.

Are you ready to take your glass skills and talent to the next level and make exhibition quality artwork?

Join me for four exhilarating, fun-filled days of fusing. You’ll advance your own personal design style, make multiple exceptional large scale pieces of art and gain the confidence and know-how to take control of your artistic future.

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

Get Ready for the Glass Craft and Bead Expo

Las Vegas, NV

April 3-7, 2019

Class Registration is Now Open

https://www.glasscraftexpo.com/

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!

Available here: http://www.lisavogt.net/shop.aspx?id=40

Check out my writer’s website.

Lisa J. Vogt

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.

Overlap the clear cap and the clear bails with the dichroic bail to bridge the parts when fused.

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNFPvN_uYsE&t=5s

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Lisa

Follow my blog for more tips and tricks!

Artist Website www.LisaVogt.net
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOifd7wukk
Facebook www.Facebook.com/LisaJVogt

Author Website https://lisajvogtcom.wordpress.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/lisajvogt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lvogt_originalsinglass/

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

Upcoming Events

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.