Fern Leaf Fusing

[daffodildeb]

I'm on the mailing list for a glass studio where I used to live, and got these photos for an upcoming class. Unfortunately I no longer live in the area. Can anyone tell me how this is done?

[Barry Gitelson]

http://fusedglass.org/learn/project_tut ... ssil_vitra is a good place to start.

[chgriffin]

If I remember correctly, use Glass Line paints over real fern leaves. The recommendation was to vent your kiln until you reached 1000 degrees, then fire as normal. It was featured in one of the glass magazines. Hope this helps.
chrys

[Mike Griffin]

H haven't done it but I did read a process somewhere. The leaves (they may have been pressed and dried first) were sprayed with hairspray and powdered glass was sifted over. May need further applications of hairspray and powdered glass to achieve opacity and colour blending. Can't remember what happened next but sticking it down on a piece of glass, I'd place the leaf side uppermost, and burn the organic matter off with a slow climb to 500 deg C should do it. Cap it with clear glass and full fuse. Might need some experimentation.
Mike

[daffodildeb]

Thanks, Mike. So no paints or mica?

[Barry Gitelson]

Did you read the article that is linked above?

[daffodildeb]

Yes, I did, but I'm not sure that's the process. The plates in the photos are much brighter and clearer than the ones in the article.

[jim simmons]

Could this have been done with enamels instead of glass powders?

[daffodildeb]

That's what I've been wondering. My kiln and glass are still packed from my recent move--anyone willing to throw some scrap glass in the kiln just to test that possibility? Any color, any kind of leaf.

[JestersBaubles]

Yes, I did, but I'm not sure that's the process. The plates in the photos are much brighter and clearer than the ones in the article.

Well... he is fusing on black .

I wrote a blog post of my own experiences with this. If you use light colored glass, and make sure you are using opal frit, I think you'll get the intensity you're looking for:

http://jestersbaubles.blogspot.com/2010 ... -fall.html

Give it a try. There's not much to lose by experimenting.

Dana W.

[haleybach]

I have one somewhere not quite finished, if it turns up I'll post a photo.

I learned the method directly from the writer of the tutorial.

If you use a lighter opal (I used French Vanilla) and really get the powder application thick and even it will be just as vivid as the photo above. The powder you sift onto the leaf first becomes the outermost layer when fused so design accordingly. Use a sterdy leaf or figure out some way to strengthen it because it is tricky to transfer it after you add the powder. If it isn't, you need more powder. Hint: paint mixing sticks work well for some leaf shapes.

I'm not sure if the tutorial includes this or not. To get the clean edges it helps to mask and sandblast after you fuse it. Cover the parts of the leaf image you wish to keep with something, I think I used glue, and sandblast.

The look in the tutorial is intentional, it is irregular and imperfect like a fossil leaf.

[Valerie Adams]

I'm on the mailing list for a glass studio where I used to live, and got these photos for an upcoming class. Unfortunately I no longer live in the area. Can anyone tell me how this is done?

Have you considered asking the glass studio, or the instructor who's teaching the class? People are often willing to share if you are courteous and ask them directly.

[daffodildeb]

Yes, indeed. I said I'd be happy to pay for the course "hand out" and the response was that "it's on the internet."

[haleybach]

I should add, my husband and I have experimented with several ways to get a leaf look.

Glassline paints applied with a fine paintbrush, or with a needle tip bottle, did not produce super clean lines, although this was in part due to uneven application.

Glassline paint applied to a deep cut rubber stamp and carefully stamped onto the glass worked well but is limited by stamp availability. The trick is to apply a thin coat of glassline with a paintbrush directly to the stamp and let it set for a minute. In some cases stamping off first helps (stamp lightly onto paper to remove excess paint before stamping onto glass), this depends on what color you use as some are much thicker than others.

Glassline paint applied to a leaf and then transferred to the glass in a printmaking style by laying leaf on a hard surface paint up, while paint is wet, lay glass on top and apply light pressure. Takes awhile to learn how much paint to use and we never got a great image.

Cleaning up the image with a razor blade or exacto type knife after it dries helps with all Glassline methods.

Powder sifted directly onto glass through a stencil works if you are careful, I find the fossil vitra method gives me more control and is easier than cutting a stencil.

I've not played with enamels and warm glass yet.

[Don Burt]

Consider applying glass paint to the piece with a paintbrush? A fern is a whole lot of simple shapes in a simple pattern. Just take your time. Or ask a six year old to do it for you, before she learns to fear drawing and painting.
http://www.burtglass.com/fern_detail_2.jpg

[Cate G]

I have been doing this for a few years. I use hairspray and Thompson's enamels along with glass powder. I trace around the blank on the fiber paper and put the coated leaves (let them dry first) directly on the fiber paper. Put them glass up or down. If you are using a couple of layers of enamel/powder, remember that what ever glass is closest to the fiber paper will be on the top of your design. If I am using a lot of organic material, I use 1/8" fiber paper instead then flip and fire after. I always have to tweek the design a bit after anyway.
Cate

[Cheryl]

This is covered in Jody Walker's book, Prinntmaking Techniques on Glass. For sale from Brad.

[Paul Schulz]

i read the question on the fern leafs,,some thing i have tried,,,while i am very ,very new at using a kiln,,(note the devitrification), i used a water based wood polish, brushed over the leaf (after sandwiching it between 2 warm shelf's to get it flat)
then added two layers of fine flirts over both sides .the wood polish drys quite fast and very hard , if i use it on glass and add flirts i can brush it with a stiff brush when dry.,,the biggest problem i have found is air bubbles...but then i don't really know very much as yet about firing ,,as you can see