And the Final Product is..........................

The arrowhead shard and the stringer stayed true to color but, as in the first piece, the two small squares were strikers and changed colors.   Once again, the glass provides an "in your face" reminder that it is all about the chemistry! 

Scrap pendant using two known strikers after full fusing.

In the art world, we were taught that color is all about reflected light.  The water lilies of Monet and the olive groves of VanGogh provide impressionistic examples used by teacher after teacher, beginning early
in the elementary school art room (thank God we had an art ROOM! with an ART TEACHER.)

Scrap pendant using two known strikers after full fusing.

Although I took a year of honors chemistry in high school, about the closest I got to color was when I grew crystals for a project about molecular structures.  The part about glass strikers that is still unclear to me is - why doesn't the glass change to its' final color the first time it is in a molten state?  Almost all of the sheet glass that is available to glass artists has been heated, poured and rolled into sheets.  Why doesn't the entire sheet "striker" the final color at that time? 

Scrap pendant using two known strikers before full fusing.

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The color of the striker is actually different, depending on the firing temperature.  The yellow square in the piece above, for example, would be a bright yellow (the color of the stringer,) when fired at 1150 degrees F (a low-slump temperature), be pumpkin orange when fired at 1375 degrees F (a tack fuse temperature), but turn a scarlet red when full-fused at 1480 degrees F. 

There is truly more to glass than 'meets the eye!"

Foundational Baseline, Flagpole OR Curtain Rod?

You'll notice that two of the glass scraps in today's example are the same as those pieces used yesterday.  Although we know now that the two squares are strikers and change color, these pieces were all assembled at the same time.  We'll have to see if the arrowhead-shaped piece is a striker, as well.  I have not seen a stiker stringer, only transparent and opaque, in .5mm, 1mm and 2mm diameters.

Scrap pendant using striker and mystery glass plus a portion of a stringer.

The focus in thinking about this pendant is about composition and orientation.  Because the stringer is rigid and runs the edge, it becomes very defining.  The other three edges will be rounded, transparent glass, so will take on the color of the background.  This, of course, will vary depending on whether the pendant is resting on white, yellow, green, black, etc. fabric or skin, in its broad range of tones. 

Scrap pendant using striker and mystery glass plus a portion of a stringer.

If this were a larger piece, hanging on a wall, for example, the two compositions above might be the most aesthetically appealing.  The top image show a strong base foundation, that runs parallel to the floor.  The second image makes me think more of a flag, with the stabilizing shape running vertically.

Scrap pendant using striker and mystery glass plus a portion of a stringer.

The third image may be more appealing as a pendant, with the horizontal, stabilizing piece at the top where the bail would anchor the glass to be suspended.

Of course, the first determining factor is based on the color and shape of the piece AFTER firing to decide if it is worth turning into a pendant or not!

A Hot Combo of Scraps

Below are two examples of of surprises that can be discovered while using scrap glass.   In the first example, I thought I was using orange, yellow and clear to create a pendant. 

Scrap glass pendant before firing.

After firing, it was such a relief to see that clear was actually clear but, as you can see, orange was really red and yellow was really orange when heat was added.  The red and orange glasses are called "striker" glass because it STRIKES or fires a different color than it begins.

Scrap glass pendant after firing.

Interestingly, in the piece below, the "tomato red" scrap begins red and............................

Scrap glass pendant before firing.

stays red - it "strikes" the same color.  If you look closely, you can see the ghost of the piece of freeform stringer in the fired piece.  What a relief that none of the pieces that appeared to be clear in the beginning changed to be a "reactive" milky white with the addition of heat!

Scrap glass pendant after firing.

When considering making each of these pieces into a pendant, it make aesthetic sense to take advantage of the opaque characteristics of the reds and oranges and place the bail behind these colors.  The top piece will suspend vertically and the bottom piece will probably suspend horizontally, with the red at the top.  

And the Fired Color is....................................

One of the challenges of working with scraps is the loss of the identifying marks and labels that indicate the before and after color of each piece.  Obviously, the before color is easy - not necessarily so with the after color, however. 

Another potential pendant - assembly is all scraps

These two pieces of colored glass appear to be orange and yellow.  Once they are fired, it will be interesting to see if they are yellow and orange or orange and pumpkin orange.  I am also hopeful that the clear glass that is  above and below the colored pieces actually fires clear.  If either is a reactive glass, then once fired that piece or those pieces will be milky white (see image to the right.)  I learned, the hard way that that is an easy mistake to make.

Another potential pendant - assembly is all scraps

It is possible that the orange in the piece above becomes red when fired, as well and the same clear or reactive problems could appear after firing.  I am sure that the freeform string piece is clear, however.

Another potential pendant - assembly is all scraps

In addition to the ".....is it yellow, orange or red???" questions with the flat scrap pieces, the yellow pieces of string, although appearing to be a different shade of yellow, could also fire to a wonderful Kodak (or taxi cab) yellow BUT could match the color it rests on instead of providing a visual contrast.

Another potential pendant - assembly is all scraps

After this piece is fired, the next decision will be to determine if it is pendant-worthy.  If yes, then  which way - vertically or horizontally, will it share it's best look!  The one advantage in hanging this vertically - I think - is that the orange glass not appear to be transparent.  That means that gluing a bail behind the orange will not allow the bail or the glue to show through.

One of the advantages I have in the selection of scrap assembly is that almost all of the scrapes are left over from a previous project I have worked on.  This narrows the range of possible colors.  When sorting through the community scrap container at the Art Center, the range is much broader and the risk is potential much greater!

Check back in to see the firing results of these scrap pieces! 

Fired Boot

The scraps of leftover glass I discussed yesterday included the blue boot shape, the clear, thick freeform stringer, the green thin stringer and the clear rectangle all are resting on top of.  As you may recall, the blue shape is actually the cut-away edge of a much larger piece.  This is the edge is created at the factory when the molten glass is poured, then rolled to a thickness of 2mm.

It is important to notice in this collage, that the clear glass is a rectangle with straight edges and corners that are 90 degree angles.

Scrap pendant using the edge of a blue sheet, freeform green and clear stringers, and mounted on a clear rectangle - pre-firing

Now let's take a look at the fired piece.

Scrap pendant using the edge of a blue sheet, freeform green and clear stringers, and mounted on a clear rectangle - post-firing

Check out the transformation as a result of heating these pieces of glass.  The basic boot shape remains, but the clear rectangle is no longer a rectangle.  The freeform green stringer has shrunk in length and is much less curly than when originally assembles, and the large, clear freeform stringer is barely visible.
When molten, glass more quickly reveals the properties of a fluid; the molecules pull together to form the smallest shape possible.  Of course glass also follows it "property rules," which include flowing to the thickness of 1/4 inch.  Because there was more glass in the "toe" of the boot shape, the fluid and glass properties helped this portion of the boot to be wider when fired.

Scrap pendant using the edge of a blue sheet, freeform green and clear stringers, and mounted on a clear rectangle - post-firing

When enlarged, it is a little easier to see the results of the fluid and glass rules.  Notice that where the bottom of the larger, clear freeform stringer crosses the bottom of the blue boot, there appears to be a gap in the boot sole.  In the spot, because of the placement of the stringer, the glass is thick here so.....when molten, the glass in this spot flowed more than the surrounding glass so that all could be 1/4 inch thick.

For those who are really striving for a specific visual or aesthetic effect, careful planning is essential when working with glass!

Instead of a pendant, I think this shape might be much more appealing as a sculptural piece, such as a doll or a brooch.  I'll have to sketch out some ideas now that I see it fired!  

Using Every Scrap

Since the Bullseye Glass Company had some legal challenges in Colorado, where they manufacture COE 90 glass, I have made an extra effort to use every scrap of glass I have.  Often along the edge of a sheet of glass, is an irregular edge where the molten glass has oozed to cover the rolling bed, but has not quite reached the edge.  In pieces that will be slumped for plates, bowls, and cups, etc., these edges must be removed - this also means they will have a minimum of 1/2 inch of glass with them so that the sheet will make a clean cut.

Pendant potential using scraps and leftovers of clear, aqua transparent, freeform clear and green stringers.

I almost cut this piece into smaller, 1/2 to 1 inch pieces to avoid the boot shape.  Let's take a look at different orientations to see if the image can be something else now that I have planted the idea of "boot."

Pendant potential using scraps and leftovers of clear, aqua transparent, freeform clear and green stringers.

So, does this look like a wave with a big crest?  How about an iceberg that has just flipped over in the ocean?  How about......a dead boot?

OK - let's try another.........................

Pendant potential using scraps and leftovers of clear, aqua transparent, freeform clear and green stringers.

  Does this one look like half of a blue martini?  Perhaps you see the neck and chin of a blue moose or the neck and muzzle of a dog on a leash.................or...................an upsidedown boot.

Let's try another......................

Pendant potential using scraps and leftovers of clear, aqua transparent, freeform clear and green stringers.

Do you see a golf club cover?  How about a gun cover?  Or.........a flat top, sideways boot???

Once this is fired, it may look complete different.....................If it does end up being a pendant, the next decision will be the orientation of the suspension and where to put the bail for threading the necklace chair.  Stay tuned!  Any suggestions???????

So Simple 2

As you can see, the earrings are wonderfully transparent, as well.  That means they also present the same simple aesthetic attraction and the same challenges when it comes to attaching hardware.

Earrings - transparent aqua with aqua and white streaky.

Using adhesive to attach a post to the back will make them functional, but the back of the post and the glue will be the visual feature, and not the color or clarity of the transparent glasses that have been combined.  Drilling a hole on one side turns them into dangling earrings, suspended by wires.  Attaching the hardware with drill holes makes a hole in the otherwise smooth surface, but does not detract from the image in the way attaching a post would.

Earrings - transparent aqua with aqua and white streaky.

There are actually four pieces to experiment with in this color-combo set; one vertical pendant, one horizontal pendant, and one pair of earrings.  IF everything comes out, as planned, it will be a fun set.  As I have learned from many previous trials, however......it's never done until it is DONE.  In these multi-step projects, there are many things that can happen, from conception and design to final product.

Earrings and two pendants - transparent aqua with aqua and white streaky.

If the final product is a "gotta have it" item, I have learned to have a plan A and a plan B and the materials available for both plans! 

Earrings and  Duel Pendant set- transparent aqua with aqua and white streaky.

With glass, even the best of plans....................................don't always end the way they are planned; not always a bad thing.  Glass is a good teacher of patience and always follows it's own rules - the trick is to know ALL of the rules!