one thing I learned a long time ago... with anything I want to do, there is ALWAYS an easier way to do it. Even back in Jr. High math, I had a math teacher tell me (after we had a test where we had to show our work as part of the test) that even though I got the right answers to the questions, the way I did was like coming into the house through the roof when the front door was open.
I don't remember the teachers name, but his comments have stuck with me all these years. So I have no doubt that there is an easier way. I've done the fiber paper route (and have more ideas to use with this technique). I've made a whole bunch of frit waffers and plates that I used several of the same designs of the dog profile where I cut a pattern out of 1/4" fiber paper, filled it with frit and fired it. I've also used a lot of what Richard La Londe shows in his "Fused Glass Art and Technique" book (I'd love to take a class with him) and also what Michael Dupile teaches on his DVD's (another guy I'd love to take a class with). I've done the frit on glass and then flipped and fired technique. And because I didn't have a grinder, I wasn't happy with the results. I will be digging a few of them back out once I get the grinder though.
While the fiber paper was easier and re-usable, I really want to learn casting. And I really want to do deep casting as much as open faced casting. But there's no way I'm going to try and create a big mold and hope to do something like I've seen on here anytime soon. I know it's not easy and remember, I do things even harder than most people do.
So I'm combining some of the things I have learned so far, (like working with frit), some templates I've already created and the desire to figure out mixing and creating molds and doing open face casting . All in the hope that I'l learn enough so that the first time I try doing a real casting I won't have a big glass dissaster on my hands and in my kiln. And if nothing else, all of you with years of experience and knowleage get to shake your heads and have a good laugh (I know some day I'll laugh too) and the other newbies get a chance to see how not to do it. And hopefully, some day I'll be able to get all the neat tools that so many of you have that makes this so much easier. I've got so many things on my wish list that I'm going to run out of Christmases and birthdays before I get it all.
Thanks Faye for following my progress and for the comments.
Mike