I’ve been chasing my tail over this for about a year. Enamel on float, engraved. Last step, I hope is airbrushed, which is in the kiln now. There’s a sculpture in progress to mount these in.
I’m writing up the progress and have the photos of each step, so I can make a full show of it. Seems a long year, but then that’s the way I work.
‘HOME” IS IN RESPONSE TO THE BUSHFIRES THAT RAVAGES SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA DURING THE SUMMER OF 2019-2020. PROPERTIES WERE LOST, AND MANY ANIMALS WERE KILLED DURING AND AFTER AS THEIR FOOD SUPPLY AND HOMES WERE DESTROYED. HERE IS HOW THE PIECE WAS MADE, AFTER MANY TRIALS AND EXPERIMENTS TO FIND THE RIGHT PROCESS.
FIRST TRIALS WERE USING OIL PAINT, TO GET THE IDEA OF A FLASH TYPE OF COLOUR TO ENGRAVE THROUGH. SEVERAL LOW FIRING PAINTS, THEN ENAMELS WERE TRIED. IT NEEDED TO BE HIGH ENOUGH FOR SLUMPING FLOAT GLASS. EVENTUALLY EASY FIRE HIGH FIRE, OPAQUE WAS USED WITH THEIR SILK SCREEN MEDIUM AND AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF WATER. I BLENDED COLOURS, ‘CAUSE THAT’S JUST WHAT I DO. FIRST FIRE TO 500 deg.C FLAT WITH ENAMEL UPSIDE, KILN VENTING. SECOND FIRE 800 DEG.C ENAMEL DOWN ON A SLUMPING MOLD I MADE IN A WAVE FORM.
THE OLD TILE SAW HAS A THIN DIAMOND BLADE A REGULAR GRINDER, AND FLEX SHAFT DRILL FOR THE MOUNTING HOLES. TIME CONSUMING TO GET A CASUAL LEAF SHAPE..
AN IMPROVISED SPRAY BOOTH BECAUSE THE AIRBRUSH MAKES FOR VERY FINE SPRAY THAT IS NOT TOO HEALTHY. A LONG LEARNING PROCESS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR SUSPENDED ENAMELS BUT FOR FINE INKS. A FEW POINTS. BIG NEEDLE. HIGHER PRESSURE 40 PSI. USE ONLY SMALL BATCHES AND DON’T LET IT SIT OR DRY IN THE BRUSH. IT’S NOT REALLY SMOOTH, IN FACT A THIN SMOOTH LAYER WOULD FORM LOZENGE SHAPES WHILE I WATCHED.
I MADE 2 WAVE SHAPED CLAY MOLDS, THIS IS THE SMALL SLUMP MOLD READY TO FIRE. GREEN ENAMEL LEFT A YELLOW STAIN ON THE MOLD.
MY OLD STREET TREE LOG WAS CARVED TO RESEMBLE A BURNT LOG, THEN I ACTUALLY BURNT IT. BECAUSE THE ASH KEPT COMING OFF IT GOT A COAT OF FLAT VARNISH. THE LOCAL PLUMBING SHOP SOLD ME SMALL COPPER PIPE WHICH I CUT AND BENT, THEN SOLDERED TOGETHER BEFORE USING RED WINE VINEGAR WHICH COLORED IT WELL. THE ENDS WERE FLATTENED AND DRILLED.
DIAMOND WHEEL ENGRAVING THE LEAVES. THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS.
A PUNCH WAS USED TO CUT WASHERS FROM AN OLD TYRE TUBE, THEN DRILLED AND NUTS AND BOLTED IN PLACE. TAKES ANY EXCESS PRESSURE OFF THE GLASS.
