Sunday, 17 July 2011

Experiments in glass painting

Last time we went to Brenda's place, she mentioned that there was a place on Tennyson Avenue where we could fire some pieces of glass and fuse paint onto them for only $15. So I called up the good people at Victoria Glass-Smith's to set up a time to come in and paint the sections of glass that most needed the details. Thus it was that Saturday morning I convinced my boyfriend to join me (unfortunately, Hilary had to work) on a quest to Tennyson Avenue to use some paint Brenda had kindly loaned me to give our good Wheelwright a face, some hands, and folds in his clothing. We arrived and got set up, and the very helpful proprietor showed us how to mix the paint and get started. Pictures to follow, with comments following them:


These are the pieces we decided most needed painting. The details you currently see on the hands and face are all in the pattern below the glass. At this point they're just yellow blocks of glass.
I got started on the face and used the printout to trace on the image. I think I was pretty okay at sticking with the lines. The paint we're using is black, by the way. After it's fired it should be nice solid black lines, I hope.
My helpful boyfriend (those are his fingers there) got started on stripes on the robe with only a reference since we had erased the dark red in our pattern. I think he did a really nice job, considering. You can see the reference next to the glass he's working on. Unfortunately, the reference page is a smaller size than the pattern we went with.
Okay, there's the completed face. I put it on the blank paper beside the pattern so one can compare the two. I think I did okay. I guess it would have been more helpful to put them at the same angle. Oh well. The lead came should overlap with the black outline and blend in fairly naturally, if all goes well.
I did the feet without tracing. They look a little foot-like maybe.
Well, they look better when it's all put together. Doesn't he look nicer than in the first photo in this post? I was really excited when I saw the result.
Into the kiln he went to be fired overnight. The shop is closed on Sundays, so I'll be picking it up early Monday morning. I really hope it turns out and doesn't bubble or blister or anything. I know it's just one small section of the window and that we have hours and hours of work ahead of us, but seeing the painted "central" figure laid out on the pattern made me feel it was really coming together.
Until next time,
Jessica

1 comment:

  1. This looks great! I am so glad we were able to get this part of the project done (I was going to be a bit mopey if we couldn't). I'm just sorry I couldn't be there to help (mostly as moral support as I'm about as artistic as a rhinoceros). I'm so excited to see the result and make some more progress on the window!!!

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