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What to do with vitrigraph stuff

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:52 am
by The Hobbyist
I'm sure many of you have taken a class where you played with the vitrigraph. Great fun isn't it? But what do you do with all that spaghetti when you're done?

I now have my own vitrigraph setup working and here is a piece I did this week. It's 10 3/4" across and 2 1/2" high slumped into BE's "Classic" mold. Spectrum glass.

Jim

Image

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:06 am
by Jackie Beckman
Wow - very nice Jim. You really have come along quickly. You didn't ask, but I know you enjoy honest suggestions - the piece exactly as it is with the omission of the small squares on the inside of the bowl would be even better. The rest is gorgeous - fantastic job, once again.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:26 am
by Phil Hoppes
VERY nice piece Jim. I especially like the reverse contrast you did on the back side.

Phil

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:42 am
by The Hobbyist
Jackie, that's how I was going to do it but then I decided it was too simplistic, same over same. So I added some squares and added the green to give it a bit more color.

I just don't have any idea which way to go, too much or too little.

Here's the cute little precursor. It doesn't have the double treatment but is simpler. Same glass, 5".

Jim

Image

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:48 am
by Jackie Beckman
Yes, but on the bigger one the squiggles are interesting enough on their own, and the contrast for the underside is so nice that it could have worked without the squares. But, it's still a very nice piece, Jim. You should be proud of it. Especially because it's so "free" in movement and that's usually hard for you. Nice job.

Jackie

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:08 pm
by gone
When I saw the title of your thread, I was so eager to read what people do with their vitrograph stringers! I misunderstood and thought you were asking how people store them. They take up so much room! Especially if you don't want them broken.
Jim, your pieces are beautiful. Great craftmanship as always.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 1:55 pm
by Terry Ow-Wing
I make a lot of torched freeform elements for my portraits - sometimes they get very 3-D. So when things are just too tangled I take my elements and slump them flat - usually on a kiln shelf under :wink: my firing shelf - this way I don't take a separate firing just for these elements.

-Terry O.
Els VandenEnde wrote:When I saw the title of your thread, I was so eager to read what people do with their vitrograph stringers! I misunderstood and thought you were asking how people store them. They take up so much room! Especially if you don't want them broken. ....

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:22 am
by gone
[quote="Terry Ow-Wing"]I make a lot of torched freeform elements for my portraits - sometimes they get very 3-D. So when things are just too tangled I take my elements and slump them flat - usually on a kiln shelf under :wink: my firing shelf - this way I don't take a separate firing just for these elements.

-Terry O.

Great idea, Terry! I'll do some tonight.

Re: What to do with vitrigraph stuff

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:42 am
by Linda Reed
[quote="Jim Wolverton]? But what do you do with all that spaghetti when you're done?

I now have my own vitrigraph setup working and here is a piece I did this week. It's 10 3/4" across and 2 1/2" high slumped into BE's "Classic" mold. Spectrum glass.

Jim[/quote]

Hey Jim - Great 'spaghetti' piece. I really like the reverse image... and great photography that shows both the inside blue on white and the ouside white on blue - that's a hard thing to convey. Good job!

The mirror photo thing is something I have never tried - but I know a lot of people do imagery on both sides of a vessel - (I do sometimes) it would be a good thing to learn how to photograph. Is it a mirror or a polished tile beneath the bowl? Anyway - good job!

Linda

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 7:57 am
by Greg Rawls
Can someone explain the vitograph system? Looks very cool, and I was wondering how it was done.

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:07 am
by Lori Love
Greg:

Check out the tipsheet on the vitrograph kiln at Bullseye Connection: http://www.bullseyeconnection.com/pdfs/ ... tes_02.pdf [I hope this works!]

lori

Re: What to do with vitrigraph stuff

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:33 am
by Marty
Linda Reed wrote: The mirror photo thing is something I have never tried - but I know a lot of people do imagery on both sides of a vessel - (I do sometimes) it would be a good thing to learn how to photograph. Is it a mirror or a polished tile beneath the bowl? Anyway - good job!

Linda
You could use any reflective surface- some of mine were shot on a large sheet of clear plexi (http://www.kremerglass.com).


Jim- that is a nice piece and I don't mind the squares (unlike someone else whose initials are Jackie Beckman! lol).

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 9:46 am
by Jackie Beckman
Jim- that is a nice piece and I don't mind the squares (unlike someone else whose initials are Jackie Beckman! lol).

Given the fact that the paparazzi is chasing him all over Danburry, I suggest you take his advise, Jim. (even though he's wrong :wink: )

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:42 am
by The Hobbyist
Thanks Marty, I need the support.

The photo emphasizes the top vs. bottom but in reality, when it is sitting on the table and you walk past it, the bottom is not readily discernable. Each time I have passed it in the last couple days I've remarked, to myself, that the squares look good. My wife, reading this over my shoulder, say "You can so see the bottom." She's 5' 2" and I'm 6' 5" so that may explain the difference in perception. haha

I will make some more and the next one will be "simple".

However, I'm on "recess" from glass for a short spell while I do chores.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Yes Jackie, even though I didn't originally post this for a critique, I do always appreciate the comments. I'll never grow without them.

Jim

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:41 pm
by gone
If I could post photos, just for laughs, I'd post a vitrigraph stringer project I did last year that was also a powder/ reactive color experiment. We nicknamed it the Fear Factor bowl because it looked like something really disgusting was in it.

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:59 pm
by PDXBarbara
Terry Ow-Wing wrote:I make a lot of torched freeform elements for my portraits - sometimes they get very 3-D. So when things are just too tangled I take my elements and slump them flat - usually on a kiln shelf under :wink: my firing shelf - this way I don't take a separate firing just for these elements.

-Terry O.
Els VandenEnde wrote:When I saw the title of your thread, I was so eager to read what people do with their vitrograph stringers! I misunderstood and thought you were asking how people store them. They take up so much room! Especially if you don't want them broken. ....
Why are brilliant ideas so CLEAR.... once someone else thinks 'em up? Brilliant, Terry. Thanks.
Barbara

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 2:59 pm
by PDXBarbara
Terry Ow-Wing wrote:I make a lot of torched freeform elements for my portraits - sometimes they get very 3-D. So when things are just too tangled I take my elements and slump them flat - usually on a kiln shelf under :wink: my firing shelf - this way I don't take a separate firing just for these elements.

-Terry O.
Els VandenEnde wrote:When I saw the title of your thread, I was so eager to read what people do with their vitrograph stringers! I misunderstood and thought you were asking how people store them. They take up so much room! Especially if you don't want them broken. ....
Why are brilliant ideas so CLEAR.... once someone else thinks 'em up? Brilliant, Terry. Thanks.
Barbara

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 3:01 pm
by PDXBarbara
Love it, Jim... especially the reverse/inverse effect. Thanks.
Barbara

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2004 7:37 pm
by Tony Smith
Els VandenEnde wrote:If I could post photos, just for laughs, I'd post a vitrigraph stringer project I did last year that was also a powder/ reactive color experiment. We nicknamed it the Fear Factor bowl because it looked like something really disgusting was in it.
Els,

I think this photo of you and Licha is a much better photo.

Tony
Image

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 3:41 pm
by Lauri Levanto
A few days ago someone posted abou "Hot Box".
The desription sounded like Vitrigraph.

1. Is there any difference?
2. Are both terms good to use?

-lauri with the dictionary