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Post by helens on Mar 4, 2012 12:35:00 GMT -5
I haven't been posting anything, so while these aren't normal cabs, here's some of the things I've been working on: Glass cabs for Donnie to wire (they are in pairs - 1 for her 1 for me, her pick): Some of the additional pendants for Chris (because his trade was too over the top): What carving I've been working on, Fire Agate: (one of Chris's - his fire agates are amazing, the windowing saves a TON of time) still needs polishing: Been working on this fire agate for weeks, almost ready for polish: I know, they aren't totally rock related:P. Thank you for looking:).
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Mar 4, 2012 12:47:41 GMT -5
Flippin' GORGEOUS!!!! I LOVE that last glass pendant. You do amazing work. Glass stuff like this makes me in awe. How do you do this sort of thing?? I think a tutorial would be awesome. Thanks for sharing. steve
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Post by mohs on Mar 4, 2012 12:59:35 GMT -5
rock'n lass heart of glass fine designs glass shines ed
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rockingthenorth
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2012
Posts: 1,637
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Post by rockingthenorth on Mar 4, 2012 13:04:08 GMT -5
Very nice Helen I'm sure yoiu will do great on them
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 4, 2012 13:04:30 GMT -5
Wow Helen That is some awesome work there. Of the first group of cabs I like thee two on the right as they have a lot of depth. Of the next group of three I like the first one best not to say that all poof the others i don't like i would buy any one of them. They are all Fantastic.. I would like to second the request for a tutorial Helen. I think we all on this forum would love to see the process that is involved. A person who were to create such a tutorial would most certainly be held the highest of esteem as a tutorial of that nature would be most certain '"sticky'd" to remain a permanent source of learning and enjoyment for all members old and new. Helen you will share the rarefied air of those renowned RTH'ers as Biker Randy and Mary Ann and Ralph just to name a few who stepped up to create their now famous tutorials and videos. You to can be held in such a high esteem if you so kindly took the time to create such a tutorial. Am I buttering you up enough LOL Stu Oh I almost forgot with all of my kissing up your Fire Agates are really great to So start on that tutorial ;D
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Post by helens on Mar 4, 2012 13:40:27 GMT -5
Boy, do you guys have me stumped on this one. Working in glass is like any other craft or art... there's a whole lot that goes before how to produce a finished product, such as the tools, how glass itself flows, the different COE of glass, and then how to manipulate glass, before you can get to any specific technique. I'm not sure how to do that... I can do a what you need, then basics, OR, I can hop ahead and assume you know what you are doing to get into implosion technique, which is what these pieces are. But both would take pages and pages, and there's a ton of info already online on how to do glass. Here is a link to an article I wrote for Beginning Boro basics, which was published in The Flow Magazine (the glassmakers magazine)... which was written for Soft Glass users wanting to convert to Borosilicate glass: www.theflowmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=355:theflowwinter2009helen-starkweatherbororodtipsfornewbiespdf&Itemid=66This appeared in the Nov 2009 issue of The Flow, but they made it available as a free download for people wanting to start Borosilicate glass, take a look, you can download it, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have ... this only touches on the basics. There ARE YouTube videos for working in boro, and I just did a quick search. This is basic implosion, that is speeded up so you can see the basic process in one short video: Every implosion technique is basically this... with each artist doing their own twists, and of course, glass colors have a huge impact on implosion time, bubbles, and effect, but that video is a very basic implosion technique for a single flower, and I couldn't make a better video (nevermind that I don't have a video camera:P). He does a different loop than I do, I do a pinch loop, he's doing a pulled loop. Nor do I use a frog unless I'm trying for explicit symmetry, and I generally don't. Also, I use a Scorpion torch right now, which is a bit smaller than his Cheetah. I used to use a Phantom, but my oxygen compressors won't put out enough oxygen to fully power the Phantom, so I downsized, since getting tanked oxygen was too difficult for me, going fully with compressors. So read my article, watch the YouTube, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it:).
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Post by talkingstones on Mar 4, 2012 13:45:49 GMT -5
These are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing them!
Cathy
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Mar 4, 2012 13:50:04 GMT -5
Beautiful creations, all of them. Glass is made from rock, so these are very appropriate! Makes me wish I could make agates...Thanks for sharing!
Bill
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Post by helens on Mar 4, 2012 13:53:00 GMT -5
And thank you guys:). Just wanted to note that to get to that download link, you have to cut and paste. It's a HTTPS link (security protected), which means you can't just click it, you have to cut and paste.
I have NO idea why their free tutorials are set up that way... maybe so others don't hotlink the articles without going to the site. Anyway, you can download the article, it's a pdf file.... tho I warn you that it's LONG, and if you don't already work in glass, it's probably hard to understand. But it um.. only touches on the basics.
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Post by helens on Mar 4, 2012 13:58:38 GMT -5
Bill, that is literally true. Glass IS made from rocks... sand, lime, and other rock components. And of course, obsidians and meorites ARE glass found directly in the ground. And opals are almost pure glass, with an extra H2O bonded between the molecules of SiO2.
I look at some of the picture jaspers... and I think... I can be an artist forever and never be able to come close to, let alone improve on some of nature's patterns and artwork. If you could blow up some of those little pictures inside rocks... some of those would rival the best art man's ever produced. It's neat:).
And thank you, I am hesitant to post glass pictures, because technically, it IS manmade, but I guess no more than jewelry made from rocks, or cabs made from rocks. But as you say... glass is just a refined form of rocks too:).
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Post by frane on Mar 4, 2012 14:04:40 GMT -5
Just awesome! Fran
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2012 22:19:49 GMT -5
Awesome Helen. I was down for a while and missed this. The creations post is for posting anything and if the guys can post guns you should be able to post art from stone. And your work is so beautiful I can not imagine anyone not wanting to view it. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!! Jim
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Post by paulshiroma on Mar 4, 2012 23:25:45 GMT -5
These came out great, Helen! Love the pendants. Paul
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Post by helens on Mar 5, 2012 0:37:46 GMT -5
Thank you guys very much:)!!
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Post by tntmom on Mar 5, 2012 0:46:38 GMT -5
Wow Helen!
Being a 100% glass lover from ob to goldstone to slag to amazing works of art...... I think I would faint holding one of your cabs in my hand.
Dang! Took my kids and a couple of their friends to a Chihuly exhibit at the Bellevue Museum a few weeks ago and that made me lightheaded.
I bow down to you! Glass artists are wonderful and such an inspiration and focus of awe to me!
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Post by roy on Mar 5, 2012 1:17:11 GMT -5
great work helen ! the glass that kicks a$$
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Post by helens on Mar 5, 2012 1:28:23 GMT -5
Krystee, I am in such awe of YOUR work, you let me know if you'd like to trade anytime and we'll do that:). YOU guys are such inspiration, I'm spending more time on rocks these days than glass! I originally thought I'd get inspired by the rocks... but you know.... looking CLOSELY at rocks, as I have said, I don't think I can do better. Nature has every artist beat hands down. All we can do is take off in new directions and try to come up with something else, because we just can't improve on the real deal. So anytime I can add to my new hoard of rocks, I am adding! Now Chihuly... he's amazing because of the sheer SCALE of his work. Glass is beautiful small... but it's MORE beautiful BIG, and boy does he go BIG!!! I LOVE his stuff, and my original 'thistles' were very much inspired by some of Chihuly's HUGE installations on a teeny scale (but the thistles can't be worn, they are very pokey and delicate because of their small size). Here's an example of a thistle I have online, but I've gotten pretty wild with the little spikey arms too:
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Post by helens on Mar 5, 2012 1:38:54 GMT -5
On the topic of glass... maybe you guys can help me with some suggestions?
I've been thinking about making some kind of interesting rock stand. A really nice stand to display a phenomenal specimen rock on, in glass.
All the glass stands I've seen are just basically a glass puck with a little punty sticking out on top. It holds the piece from the bottom usually by drilling a hole in the base of the specimen and gluing it to the glass stick. The other type I've seen all simulate acrylic or clear plastic stands... basically flat panel of glass with little punties pointing up on 3 or 4 sides... OR... the frame type (like a plate holder, basically a L... with a long part with 2 short legs in front).
If you could have a sculptural stand, made in glass, for a favorite specimen, and you could design it, what would it look like and how big would it be?
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Post by kk on Mar 5, 2012 5:39:45 GMT -5
Absolutely fantabolous. Love your work. The last one with the double flipper is to die for. LOL
Your Fire-agates come along well too. Do I see Mr. "Up-Seize Me" in the second Fire Agate ? LOLOL
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tfbc
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2011
Posts: 117
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Post by tfbc on Mar 5, 2012 7:11:57 GMT -5
Breath taking !
You touched on something in your last post ( on page one) Helen when you said "I can be an artist forever and never be able to come close to, let alone improve on some of nature's patterns " My feeling is that your ability to manipulate the molten glass, gives you the edge to mimic some of the beauties that the natural material offers us. I'm forever using my magnifying glass to oohh and aaahh over what my eye can't see clearly in the stone...now IMAGINE having tools at your disposal to mimic all that. OOOOhhh I have goose bumps.
I'm not a lampworker, but my brother is....and seeing the beautiful pieces you posted put my heart and head in a really nice place. Your work is astounding !
Mary
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