When it comes to glass fusion you are going to need a glass fusing kiln. There are a number of different types of kilns available and this article will provide you with some buying guidelines so that you make sure that you get exactly what you are looking for.
A glass fusing kiln is very important if you are planning on making any professional glass art. What the kiln does is help you to fuse your glass pieces together. These glass kilns come in different sizes and shapes. There are small kilns, medium kilns and large kilns.
The small glass kiln is of course the cheapest because if the size and it is also very practical for those looking to start a glass fusing hobby.
The medium glass kiln is better if you want to do fusing and slumping. It has a larger chamber and all you have to do is plug it in.
The large glass kilns are for those who want to create big glass pieces. These require that you have a lot of space and you should only consider buying a large glass fusing kiln if you have plenty of storage and you are going to be creating large pieces of work.
If you are planning on buying a glass fusing kiln there are a couple of things that you will need. The first is a pyrometer. This is essential. It is a gadget that allows you to measure the interior temperature of the kiln. It does not measure the glass temperate just how hot the air is inside in the kiln.
A kiln shelf is another thing that you should look for. This is not mandatory but it does help with your results. The shelf also allows free air to circulate and your glass is placed on the shelf.
Digital controls is something else that you want to have on your glass fusing kiln.
Prices for glass fusing kilns will vary so it is a good idea to take a look at the different prices and features before making your choice. If you are thinking about taking up glass fusing as a hobby then your first important purchase is going to be a glass fusing kiln.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Glass Fusion Techniques
Glass fusion techniques can be a bit daunting to some people, but if you follow a few simple rules you can master the art of glass fusion.
Glass is a mixture of sand, silica and a few more ingredients that I won't go into at the moment.
I suppose the first step is to think of what it is that you would like to create. I say create because that is what you're doing. You are creating a piece formed from two,three,etc...pieces of glass and heating them up to very high temperatures. You are not melting them together but softening them to a point and cooling the piece when you have achieved the look you want. But that is the kiln firing stage and I will go deeper into this at a later date.
The first thing I do when creating a piece is to draw a sketch of what I would like to create. Let`s say for instance I want to create a set of glass coasters. I would have a look at my stock of glass and set out the colours I want in the piece. Most coasters are around 9cm square. My first cuts are to make the four base glasses. This glass can be clear or coloured, whatever takes your fancy. I would normally cut a piece 18cm square and then into four equal pieces. Cutting the glass safely with the glass cutters and a set square, making sure that the piece has broken off cleanly from the sheet.
Next I would cut my top layer of coloured glass to the design that I sketched earlier, play around with some diffrent designs and colours. Adding frit or dichoric glass to the pieces can add some real sparkle to the finished project.
To view some of my completed glass fusion projects including fused glass jewellery you can visit my online store.
I will continue this post soon.
Until then...Good work comes from good thoughts.
One last word of advice for glass fusion techniques is... Keep your work clean and take care.
Glass is a mixture of sand, silica and a few more ingredients that I won't go into at the moment.
I suppose the first step is to think of what it is that you would like to create. I say create because that is what you're doing. You are creating a piece formed from two,three,etc...pieces of glass and heating them up to very high temperatures. You are not melting them together but softening them to a point and cooling the piece when you have achieved the look you want. But that is the kiln firing stage and I will go deeper into this at a later date.
The first thing I do when creating a piece is to draw a sketch of what I would like to create. Let`s say for instance I want to create a set of glass coasters. I would have a look at my stock of glass and set out the colours I want in the piece. Most coasters are around 9cm square. My first cuts are to make the four base glasses. This glass can be clear or coloured, whatever takes your fancy. I would normally cut a piece 18cm square and then into four equal pieces. Cutting the glass safely with the glass cutters and a set square, making sure that the piece has broken off cleanly from the sheet.
Next I would cut my top layer of coloured glass to the design that I sketched earlier, play around with some diffrent designs and colours. Adding frit or dichoric glass to the pieces can add some real sparkle to the finished project.
To view some of my completed glass fusion projects including fused glass jewellery you can visit my online store.
I will continue this post soon.
Until then...Good work comes from good thoughts.
One last word of advice for glass fusion techniques is... Keep your work clean and take care.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)