This is a small sculpture (3-1/4″ tall) inspired by chakra images I found through Google. The figure was built in the flame and annealed. The decal images are applied to the figure at room temperature, and then fired onto the surface in the flame, and annealed a second time.
This piece has some issues. I am happy with the form itself. And, it is exciting to have so many decals on one piece. I was bummed at the bottom of the legs in the center. I placed the piece in the kiln face down, and propped it up under the legs right there, with a piece of glass. This created some type of reduction environment in the kiln, and trapped carbon in the surface of my piece. Destroyed the mauve, and orange flowers. (I also broke the tip of the knee. You can see the crack.)
The lily on the lower belly area, and the roses on her knees and head, are photographs taken of flowers in my garden. The lily flower has more pinks and reds than what you can see here. I call this the “mauve issue”. The mauves take the place of those brilliant reds, and pink colors. I am excited to share the new reds I will be able to have in the next coming months. This “mauve issue” will be stepping aside very soon! (Art is such the timely process!!)
The pinks on this next borosilicate bead really popped out. I was surprised. I expected it to be even more mauve than the soft glass. Nope. The yellow centers, and the pollen really came out beautifully. The image does become transparent in some areas, when I apply it to clear glass. I am excited to test out etching the enamel on the borosilicate beads this week. The borosilicate does not etch, but I am pretty sure that the enamel will develop a nice matte finish that will add a bit more contrast to this decal.
The decals on soft glass polish smooth with the surface. The images on the borosilicate stay slightly raised, giving texture to the glass. I feel I have only touched the surface of what I can do with the decal medium. This is only the beginning.
Sheila Morley has a blog at wordpress. She is an Autocad Engineer, and an Artist who works in her home studio in Michigan.
dee says:
beautiful Sheila!
September 9th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
New Chakra Goddess & WATCH ME CREATE POST! « Art talk with Sheila Morley says:
[...] New post at the team blog…all about those decals. An amazing medium. [...]
September 9th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Watch Me Create » Different glass, different results; with decals | glassetching says:
[...] posted here: Watch Me Create » Different glass, different results; with decals borosilicate, came-out, enamel, image-does, pollen, some-areas, test-out, the-borosilicate, [...]
September 9th, 2009 at 7:22 pm