Painted, blasted, fused and slumped tray

[ct4mom]

Audrey I used to feel the same way and still some of it is greek, but you gotta try it if you get the chance it is so satisfying.
Kev I cant wait to see what you do to these they are pretty cool already.

[Audrey]

Di, we are retiring in a week, then I am going to start on making enough small items to start doing just a few craft shows or festivals (of which we have many around here) a year. My goal is this  fall. Perhaps I will grow into getting a kiln one day down the road, though I have no place to learn what to do.

[Judy K]

Mmmmmmm yummt warm glass. So satisfying!

I love how straight your lines come out. Are you using "flip and fire" to get such nice lines?

[Kev]

Actually Judy, this is the first time I tried putting the clear cap on top with the cut pieces below. My lines have never been so straight as with these 2 pieces. I was quite impressed with the results of these 2 pieces. I will be flipping them to the other side so the clear is the backside and will hide the few small bubbles to the back.

[Rebecca]

Di, we are retiring in a week, then I am going to start on making enough small items to start doing just a few craft shows or festivals (of which we have many around here) a year. My goal is this  fall. Perhaps I will grow into getting a kiln one day down the road, though I have no place to learn what to do.

Sure you do - right here on this board!

Rebecca

[Kev]

That's how I'm learning.

[Anne]

That's how I'm learning.

Absolutely, me too.  When I bought my kiln I was learning with a friend.  We hadn't been at it long when she decided to quit glass.  That's when I started checking out the forum and I'm really glad I did.  I've learned a ton from everyone here and I'm so thankful I found you!

[ct4mom]

Rebecca's right. I had no idea about fusing until this place and seeing all the fusers work I got hooked. It would have been nice to go someplace to learn as well but really between here and the warm glass sites out there you have all the information at your fingertips and if not just ask.

[Kev]

True dat Di!...LOL

[Kev]

Today's progress.

This piece was blasted. It didn't quite do what I wanted to do with it, but did learn that the resist does not stick well to the textured side of the glass, hence it was not carved as deep as I wanted it. Not sure what to so with it now..slump it, leave it and backlight it?

[Kev]

Today's progress.....

I'm trying a new technique on the black and olive tray which I call "Vitrintarsia" (Vitri -glass, Intarsia- inlaid)..someone may call it something else...anyway....I made a paste with enamel powder and Klyr-Fire and placed it in the depressions from the sand carving. The colors used are Chinese Red and Lemon Yellow...in the pic, the red looks pink and the yellow looks orange. My hope is the enamels will smooth out and fill in the carved areas, leaving a slight depression overall.

The red striped tray had black paint applied in 2 broad strokes...(this was a vision I had one night). Once it is fired, a design element may be blasted into the largest stroke, and the small block of black will be blasted away leaving Kanji lettering meaning "Harmony".

The little black blobs are pendants that will be blasted after the paint is fired on to leave a Pit Bull design I did for a client. The other pieces are a pair of earrings being fire polished to complete a set for another client. The red pendant just needed to be reshaped and fire polished.

I really tried to get a full load and do as much as i can at once. All pieces are in firing using a fire polish schedule.

Once the red tray is blasted, it as well as the Pit Bull pendants will be fire polished once more. After that, both trays will be slumped probably into a simple curve.

[Kev]

I peeked in the kiln window at peak temp and I think from what I could see that the enamel might come out pretty cool. The fire polish schedule removed the matt finish from the non enamel areas of the tray, which is fine with me, but did not take the overall surface to a smooth glossy finish...there is still a texture on it..and that's OK too. Maybe if I went higher on the temp instead of just 1325 it might have become smoother, but then I risked melting the fine lines of glass between the petals of the flower...a trade off.

[Kev]

Post firing....

The enamel worked pretty much how I had hoped for the flower. The next time I think I will mix the enamel to a thinner consistency and apply it with a fine brush.  I believe a bit of it might have burned off in the lettering and bars as you can see a bit of the base glass along the edge of the bar and within the lettering. I could reapply a 2nd coat and fire it again, but I like that it gives it kind of a worn look.

The brush strokes came out great. I think I have changed my mind and will apply the Kanji lettering in the broad stroke which will be sand blasted in to reveal the red glass. The small black area will be blasted away to leave 2 trees as in the pic of the design I will use.

[Becki]

Nice job.  I'm liking the way this is going.

[Audrey]

Very cool.

[Anne]

These came out really nice Kev. And the idea of doing the Kanju lettering with brush strokes should really give a nice effect.

[Kev]

Thanks guys.

If I don't like it, I can always blast off all the paint...nice to have options...lol

[ct4mom]

These are turning out great Kev. I love the way the flowers turned out another great experiment!!!

[Kev]

Thanks Di..I'm pretty pleased with that as well. I wanted it to be kind of "different" and not typically green stem etc...

[Judy K]

 

I love the piece with the flower. If you keep this up I am going to have to invest in a sand blaster. I love the texture and paint. The flower turned out very, very good!