Sand Casting at Liquid Glass

[Pat from Canvey]

We made casts on days 2-5 and here are my 4 with the sand brushed off and the glass washed. I haven't done any coldworking on them yet. I couldn't get my head around using Bullseye glass and letting bits cool down so most of my figures either cracked or looked atrocious as you can see from the inclusions in the casts. Now that I'm home in the quiet and calm, I hope to do better. I didn't like the effect that using powders produced so used only a little in one of the casts to create a bit like sky.

This was meant to be a little like seaweed and the copper inclusion just to see how it looked.

This was a turtle and a fish, both looking a bit melted and swimming down rather than accross the piece.

Two trees and a rather odd figure with a little powder used to make sky. We made trees to start using clear bridges accross pieces to hold them still while working on other parts. Needless to say, my bridges kept making my trees fall apart and my joints were cold so kept cracking again. I gave up on using bridges but think I learned enough to be able to use them successfully in the future.
Finally, was meant to be my signature piece but by that time I'd burnt my finger quite badly so just stuck with my practice pieces for making very secure joins in glass. The pieces were impressed in the sand first of all then carefully taken out and put into the kiln to warm. After the first pour of glass, they were replaced asymetrically with another pour put on top. Simple but I like the effect. Some people did much more intricate pieces but I tend to prefer simple.

[sparrow]

Oooh, Pat, you picked them up, didn't you? I'm so excited, they look great. Can't wait for postie now!

[Black Heart Beads]

They look great Pat. I hope your finger is feeling better now.

I just had a call from liquid glass and I'm going to pick up my casts tomorrow evening. My final cast has a crack on the mermaid but I'm still excited about seeing them.

This is my final piece whilst still red hot.

[sparrow]

I just had a call, too - my final piece is fine, but my skyscrapers cracked - still, they're sending it on

[theflyingbedstead]

Ohhhh - they do look wonderful all together Pat with the light shining through! 

Everyone's final pieces were amazing, and Sam your mermaid and fish looked fantastic HOT so I am eager to see how they look all cleaned up and sparkly.

Please post photos of all of your finished pieces everyone!

I have just had THE PHONE CALL too - how bloomin exciting!!!!

I have left my remaining murrini bundles and hopefully Tom will be pulling them this or next week, and I'll go down to pick everything up when they're done.

[garishglobes]

Oh dear, I'm in the cracking pile too, round the marble. The wierd thing is, as far as they can tell the piece I did with the wasps on Weds. is fine, its just the final piece with the fish that has cracked - and that's the one we took extra care heating the marble on. 
Still looking forward to seeing them though
Sam, I am sorry to hear about your mermaid - that was such a lovely cast.
Can't think why the skyscrapers cracked, they didn't have any big bits in them, did they? I hope your final piece was ok, Sabine.

[theflyingbedstead]

I wonder if all of the cracking that happened with our final pieces had anything to do with the new but wetter sand?  What a terrible shame.  We all spent soooooo long on the last pieces too.    I hope that they are not very noticeable...

[Black Heart Beads]

Not sure if it was the sand as I dried mine off a bit before making the mould and my test mermaid piece also cracked, unfortunately only after I had cast the final one.

Would be nice to know why especially as several of us had the same problem.

[SallyB]

I have absolutely no idea how you made these but they look amazing.

I like your first one best Pat.  It reminds me of the gymnastics on tv when they throw those ribbons on a stick about.

The mermaid and little fish is amazing.

All the cracking incidents must be very disappointing.

Sally
x

[GlassOcean]

Wowsers, they are amazing, I can only imagine how much fun you had!

[Dragonfire Glass]

Amazing - can't wait to see the rest 

[sparrow]

I talked to Charlotte about the cracking - she says mine looks like temperature cracking (I guess the piece overall was huge, but individual skyscrapers were quite thin, so we think they might have cooled quicker than we'd thought...but she said the others look like incompatibility cracks......tbh, I liked my hand best, so I really, really hope it comes out 

[theflyingbedstead]

So do I Sabine...fingers crossed for you.  I am gutted for those who had cracks in their work as it was such a pleasure watching everyone make their pieces.

[Lloki]

WOW, they look fantastic (& huge!), looks like you guys had a lot of fun - apart from the burns of course
Very, very impressed

[Redhotsal]

Yes, they are look fantastic - what a wonderful course and great achievements! You must have a show and tell of all the finished work on here!