Glass is emotional, sensitive and wild. It has own rules. You break them, you break the glass. You follow them, the glass will follow you, your thoughts, your feelings, virtually effortlessly. Or so it would seem. But you will know better.
I love to share my knowledge and get involved with others. You dont have to be a glass artist. There is more art in every creating process than can be written down. Be open, be friendly, be yourself.
Thank you for posting this! I've been lampworking since 2004, but have been afraid of trying anything "off-mandrel". Your video gives me confidence! I still have many questions, but like anything else...time on the torch answers many of them. I'm amazed at how long you can keep the soft glass out of the torch...even letting it cool enough to touch...without the figure breaking! How do you do that? Perhaps because it is so thin? I am used to making beads, which are not so thin...so maybe that is the key. Anyway, thank you SO much for posting! xo
Hi Sheri, yes, beads are an entirely other thing. I learned to work off-mandrel professional and only learned about beads later after my graduation and tried it on my own. Its partly that the butterfly figurine is so thin (but it can break easily by tension) the other part is that you have to work in a direction while working with softglass. You work from center to outside, from back to front, but once a part is cooled down, you cannot touch it again with the flame or it will break. In the video I work body - back wing right- front wing right - back wing left - front wing left - antennas. You can also try first back wings the front wings, but I findd it more difficult to shape the wings this way.
Wow this butterfly is amazing. I have wanted to do glass art forever and will hopefully be able to do it soon. Lampwork is so amazing and beautiful. You are very talented and I hope that someday I will be able to do this amazing style of art too.
Thank you for posting this! I've been lampworking since 2004, but have been afraid of trying anything "off-mandrel". Your video gives me confidence! I still have many questions, but like anything else...time on the torch answers many of them. I'm amazed at how long you can keep the soft glass out of the torch...even letting it cool enough to touch...without the figure breaking! How do you do that? Perhaps because it is so thin? I am used to making beads, which are not so thin...so maybe that is the key. Anyway, thank you SO much for posting! xo
ReplyDeleteHi Sheri,
ReplyDeleteyes, beads are an entirely other thing. I learned to work off-mandrel professional and only learned about beads later after my graduation and tried it on my own.
Its partly that the butterfly figurine is so thin (but it can break easily by tension) the other part is that you have to work in a direction while working with softglass. You work from center to outside, from back to front, but once a part is cooled down, you cannot touch it again with the flame or it will break. In the video I work body - back wing right- front wing right - back wing left - front wing left - antennas.
You can also try first back wings the front wings, but I findd it more difficult to shape the wings this way.
A very beautiful design. This is you on the video?
ReplyDeleteWow this butterfly is amazing. I have wanted to do glass art forever and will hopefully be able to do it soon. Lampwork is so amazing and beautiful. You are very talented and I hope that someday I will be able to do this amazing style of art too.
ReplyDelete