wanted: photo showing use of Bullseye 0146

Mary Kay Nitchie · Post by **Mary Kay Nitchie** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:25 pm

Greetings--

From now until December 31, 2003, I would be interested in seeing a variety of photos of artwork that exploits the reaction that causes Bullseye 0146 steel blue to turn a grey metallic color. I have heard that some people fuse it and cap parts of it so that parts stay blue and parts turn metallic on a final, low temp firing. I've seen this in test firings, but not in finished artwork.

Post your piece or send me an e-mail, if you have an image handy.

Unless you are reading this in 2004 or later--by then I will have moved on to other topics of interest. (Those archives have a long life and I have a short attention span!)

Thanks!

Mary Kay
@ BE

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 5:21 pm

Hi Mary Kay... Here's one I did a couple years ago before I had my own kiln... I was still hot on the squares following my initial B.E. class with Christy. It's fun to play with this effect. let me know if you have questions...
xxoo
Barbara

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 6:13 pm

Trouble posting the photo.... try this:
http://www.pbase.com/image/1547528
Barbara

Cynthia · Post by **Cynthia** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 6:29 pm

Not my magless, but one from the 2003 exchange. I don't think the picture is a good representation, but I believe this mag is made with steel blue, clear and dichro.

IN the description of the technique used, this person's wasn't there.

Don't know if this helps as an example, but the one I recieved from the exchange is really deliscious. the contrast of the steel blue compared to the blue as it fires where it's capped is really striking...Barbara's piece is a better illustration of that.

Ron Coleman · Post by **Ron Coleman** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 7:16 pm

Steel blue without the silver coating. The frosted rim detail was silver but I didn't like the look so I took it off.

Used an overspray of Ferro Frit #3419 to seal the glass and prevent the silver. French Vanilla frit detail.

Ron

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 12:32 am

Paul corrected my photo-posting technique... here's the photo I was trying to post earlier for Mary Kay...
Thx, Paul.
BB

Mary Kay Nitchie · Post by **Mary Kay Nitchie** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 1:25 pm

Hi Barbara, Cynthia and Ron--

Thanks for the examples! it looks like using clear glass on top is a good way to exploit the effect and that clear sheet glass, frits or stringers will do the trick. Barbara, it appears to me that you did two firings: One to fuse it flat and a second at a lower temperature to get the metallic surface. Is that right?

Mary Kay

PDXBarbara · Post by **PDXBarbara** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 2:36 pm

Mary Kay Nitchie wrote: One to fuse it flat and a second at a lower temperature to get the metallic surface. Is that right?

Mary Kay

Hi Mary Kay...
I'll look thru my log for info (I think I still was "logging" on scraps of paper...we'll see.), but as I recall i simply fused & slumped. I think I got the metalic going during the fuse. I was probably using the basic schedule that I learned in my first class with Michael Agee at Clines.

The blue is retained by triangles of clear sitting atop the steel blue. The metalic triangles are just pieces of the steel blue sitting on atop the black. The basic layup was simply squares & rectangles of the black & steel blue.

I've been told that the steel blue will return to blue if temps are taken high enough, but I haven't played with that. However, some of the metalic triangles have blue peeking thru...& I've always wondered about that.

I'm gonna rummage in my old-stuff box & see if I still have this piece. If I do, I'd be glad to run it over to you for a look-see.

xxoo, BB