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| This is one of the fun new projects in my new video. |
I’ve been
busy designing and building all new projects for two new videos that will be
released in April 2019! During the project development phase I learned several
new things about glass fusing. I’ll share them with you.
I’ve been
working with glass for more than 30 years! It’s difficult to believe there’s
more to learn. I love this medium for its versatility. And also, because it
always welcomes the adventurous artist with new opportunities to be creative.
February was
my month to dig in deep, risk failure and come out at the end of the month with
renewed excitement for working with glass. I started by drawing a bunch of rough
sketches. Then I planned how to make the projects and took off running. I let my
natural curiosity guide me. The concentrated study yielded unexpected and
amazing results.
Once I got
out of my own way and stopped trying to control everything, the real journey of
discovery began. The rewards for taking a leap of faith were many. The new
techniques that sprung from my imagination coupled with reckless abandonment
yielded unique pieces of art that would otherwise never have been developed. Plus,
the experimental process brought unexpected surprises that will lead to the next generation
of techniques.
Here are some
of the things I learned.
1 You can
fire polish thick glass.
In the
past, I avoided reheating pieces thicker than ¼ inch above the slumping
temperature of 1265 degrees for fear I’d lose the square edge and the thickness
I worked hard to achieve. But I wanted to give a new, freeform project a shinny
edge. The random shape was cut with a saw. It had a smooth, but glazed finish.
The abstract shape couldn’t be polished on a flat grinder/polisher. I did test
firings with cutoffs. At 1345 degrees with a 5 minute hold the glass edge was
shinny and smooth. But I lost a little thickness, the shape definition wasn’t optimal,
and the square edge softened. I fired a second cutoff to 1300 and held it for 5
minutes. At this temperature, I liked the polished edge, I maintained the thickness
and the square edge was intact. Yay!
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| Here's a teaser photo of what's to come in my new video. |
2 You can
achieve a polished edge on thick glass without a grinder/polisher.
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| Before firing. |
Confession
time. I lack the patience it takes to polish thick glass on a grinder/polisher.
The first few grinding steps are not a problem. I can remove material and level
the edge with ease. It’s the polish step that makes me crazy. When I get to the
felt wheel, I feel like I’m stuck in the mud and getting nowhere. I put in the
time. But my results are always the same. I have cloudy corners. It’s
frustrating. I made several 4 inch x 4 inch x ¾ inch thick clear glass bases to
display my new sculptural pieces of art. I ground the edge with a 100 grit
wheel to level the edge. I put off the polishing steps as long as I could. Then
it occurred to me to apply the same fire polish technique to the glass bases that
I used on the cutoffs. I fired them to 1300 degrees and held them there for 5
minutes. It worked! I retained the desired thickness and attractive square
profile. Another yay!
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| After firing to 1300 degrees with a 5 minute hold. |
3 You can
un-slump something you hate.
I was
super excited about two projects. But after the initial slump I didn’t know
what to do with them. They went from prospective award winners to chunky,
awkward bricks in one slump. I let them sit on the table for weeks. I tried
different ways to display them. I tired to figure out how to capitalize on
their unique characteristics, colors and patterns.
In the
end, I decide to risk breaking them in order to make them into the real dynamic
pieces that they were intended to be. At the risk of having them crumble into
wet dish cloth shapes I placed them on primed ceramic kiln shelves and reheated
them to a low slump to flatten them out.
I was sure
the river rock piece would buckle and be rippled after the firing. I worried
the ribbon piece would break due to its size and weight. But they surprised me
and fell beautifully onto the shelf without any hint of stress or distortion.
I used a
conservative slumping program. I fired them at 300 degrees per hour to 1200
degrees and held them there for 20 minutes. I believe the low heat and slow
hold were the secret to my success. I later slumped the two pieces over
different molds and now am in love with them again. The take away is this, if
you hate it don’t settle, reshape it.
4 You can slump and tack in the same firing.
I
envisioned a gently shaped Dogwood tree flower with bright white petals and
spring green leaves. I wanted to create the curvy shape and tack fuse the glass
pieces in one firing. It was a little tricky to layer the glass and prop it on
the rolled up fiber paper. But the extra effort was rewarded. I’m happy with
the resulting shape and gradual curvature of the glass petals and leaves.
Another winner.
5 Powder
size frit still fools me even after all these years.
I love
frit, all of the sizes and all of the colors. I use it to fill in gaps, add
visual texture and add intricate patterns to my work. I like to use powder size
frit to make delicate patterns on my projects. I choose powder size when I want
gradual color transitions and clean, sharp edges.
But
working with power size frit is tricky. It looks lighter in the jar than it
actually is, so it’s difficult to tell how strong the color really is. If I’m
unsure of depth of the color, I look at the same color in sheet form or in a
larger frit grain size for confirmation.
The other
thing about power is it looks strong in thickness and in color when you pour it
on your project. But is sometimes disappears after firing, taking the design
with it, and that’s disappointing.
I applied
white power to a palm leaf tray to add veins. I thought I applied it thick
enough to show. After firing the pattern was gone. I wasn’t going to let that stop
me. I added powder frit to the palm leaf again. But this time I used medium
opal blue powder. I re-fired the glass and was happy to see the pattern was visible
after the second firing.
I later
used that same medium blue opal powder on a purple glass flower. I thought, it
worked on the green opal glass, it should work on purple. Nope. I was wrong. It
disappeared. So much for experience.
I didn’t
add more frit this time though. I decided after the flower was draped, the frit
would barely show on the wavy shape.
I learned
you can’t trust powder size frit to give you the look you want. If I were to
offer advice, I’d suggest using a darker color powder frit, that is an opal
glass color, on a lighter color opal or wispy type sheet glass. That
combination appears to deliver more reliable results.
6 Even
with 30 years of experience you cannot always predict the firing outcome.
Surprises
make this medium so exciting. I was sure that I would love these little
butterfly bodies. But they came out short and stubby instead of thin and
delicate like I wanted. I layered thin clear on thin dichroic glass and fired
them to a full fuse temperature. The results were disappointing. Oh well. They’ll
show up as something else in a new project in the future. If there’s one thing
I’ve learned, it’s this. Every mistake is an opportunity to make something new.
You can reignite
your passion for glass and increase the complexity of your work. To achieve a
higher level of artistic freedom and growth believe in yourself. Trust your instincts
and never stop learning. Wherever you are in your artistic journey, you’re
doing great. Keep trying and challenging yourself, new ideas are on the
horizon.
These
techniques, plus many more are highlighted in detail in my two new videos due
to be released in April 2019.
I
experiment so you don’t have to.
Happy
fusing!
Lisa
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
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Author
Website https://lisajvogtcom.wordpress.com/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/lisajvogt
I Hope to See YOU in Las Vegas!
Glass Craft and Bead Expo
Las Vegas, NV, April 3-7, 2019
Register today class size is
limited.
There’s
still time to register for these two classes!
TH-08 - Painting with Frit
NEW SU-01 - Gallery Quality Fused Glass Made Easy
Fusing
for the Adventurous Webinar
It’s LIVE! I come to YOU!
April 11, 2019
Get ready to push boundaries, challenge trusted techniques and
enjoy the thrill of limitless possibilities. Join me in this comprehensive
hands-on webinar and learn how easily you can put tried and true methods to use
in unlikely, innovative ways to create original art.
You’ll learn how to successfully employ different techniques to produce dramatic effects and take your work to an exciting, new level of sophistication.
You’ll learn how to successfully employ different techniques to produce dramatic effects and take your work to an exciting, new level of sophistication.
Beginner and advanced fusers alike will find inspiration,
motivation and renewed artistic freedom from the combination of techniques
shown. In addition, you’ll receive a detailed outline with project specific
guidelines and Lisa’s custom firing guides.
Armed with your newfound skills, you’ll be eager to experiment and incorporate these techniques to turn your creative visions into reality. You’ll have the burning desire, and the cool confidence, to take your passion to greater heights.
Armed with your newfound skills, you’ll be eager to experiment and incorporate these techniques to turn your creative visions into reality. You’ll have the burning desire, and the cool confidence, to take your passion to greater heights.
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.
