tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15521979818454271552012-03-07T07:43:24.630-05:00A blog of my experiments in warm glass. Includes full melts, pate-de-verre, fusing, and, I hope, much more. Well, that and mosaic.Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-41766457115140343742012-03-01T17:51:00.000-05:002012-03-01T18:08:10.056-05:00My burn drawings are showing starting today at <a href="http://www.fubar.lu/" target="_blank">Fu Bar</a> in Clausen, Luxembourg (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fu-Bar/105170416197832?sk=wall" target="_blank">you can find them on Facebook&nbsp;here</a>). I spent the afternoon hanging them, and all are welcome and encouraged to head down there and enjoy my work, a fantastic burger, and some local brew.Drawings can be purcahsed through <a href="http://www.ainsleyfrancis.com/shop.html">my website</a>, or in cash at the bar.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvQgpDqoViQ/T0a1JYBWvHI/AAAAAAAACsg/JN5oFb5W21w/s1600/Burn+for+FuBar+%231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvQgpDqoViQ/T0a1JYBWvHI/AAAAAAAACsg/JN5oFb5W21w/s320/Burn+for+FuBar+%231.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each profession has a way of speaking, words they use that outsiders don't understand (or don't understand the full meaning of,) acronyms, or ways of speaking that can be unintelligible to the untrained listener. These professional languages are interesting in that they serve to enhance communication within the in-group. They make it more precise, or more efficient, but at the same time they create a group of outsiders, who, because of not having learned the language, cannot participate fully in the conversation without the help of an insider.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The work available at Fu Bar is from a series titled "Secret Languages," that reflects on this idea. They are made on water colour paper, the mark is created by drawing hot glass, straight out of the furnace, onto the paper with a steel rod. The line quality is very calligraphic, evoking simultaneously ideas of language and landscape.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is for me, an interesting meditation on language and communication. This is a mark that glassmakers understand, they have seen it before, they know how it was made, but to an outsider, it can be mysterious.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each of the pieces is unique and cannot be replicated.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf94khrqDEM/T0a1Kgi_OaI/AAAAAAAACso/lKkrfoFVzDo/s1600/Burn+for+FuBar+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf94khrqDEM/T0a1Kgi_OaI/AAAAAAAACso/lKkrfoFVzDo/s320/Burn+for+FuBar+%232.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a map to help y'all get there:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=s_q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=fubar+clausen+luxembourg&amp;aq=&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=39.456673,68.730469&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=fubar&amp;hnear=Clausen,+Luxembourg&amp;t=h&amp;cid=5225955397156913807&amp;ll=49.619663,6.141701&amp;spn=0.019462,0.036478&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=A&amp;output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=fubar+clausen+luxembourg&amp;aq=&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=39.456673,68.730469&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=fubar&amp;hnear=Clausen,+Luxembourg&amp;t=h&amp;cid=5225955397156913807&amp;ll=49.619663,6.141701&amp;spn=0.019462,0.036478&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=A" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4176645711514034374?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-17636621381014192612012-02-27T15:59:00.000-05:002012-02-27T17:02:24.174-05:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2o2wywICYRc/T0vabZ3VJoI/AAAAAAAACtY/wEmvA-sPlNU/s1600/20120226_7775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2o2wywICYRc/T0vabZ3VJoI/AAAAAAAACtY/wEmvA-sPlNU/s640/20120226_7775.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><u><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(By the way, for those of you who might be concerned, this has&nbsp;absolutely&nbsp;nothing to do with the KKK, and as far as I can tell, it isn't even&nbsp;associated&nbsp;with the Scottish&nbsp;tradition&nbsp;that they were borrowing when they started to burn crosses.)</span></u></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Every year in Luxembourg, on the evening of the first sunday after Ash Monday, is the Buergbrennen. It's a ritual that has been happening here for a very long time. While it had begun to die out between the beginning of the last century and the 1930's, it was revived by the townships, who took over the costs associated with it, which had previously been borne by individuals.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most of the towns around Luxembourg build a giant bonfire out of all the old christmas trees from the holidays, which, by late February, are throughly dried out, so burn quire spectacularly. Traditionally the bonfire is in the shape of a cross, which is lit by the most recently wed couple in town, or one that is soon to be married. Here in Luxembourg City, it is lit by a whole bunch of kids from the local scouts and guides.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In Luxembourg, Burning Crosses don't have sinister connotations, the Buergbrennen is a joyful time for welcoming in the new spring, by burning winter in effigy. It symbolizes rebirth and change.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj0Pd3csTMU/T0vsk986V4I/AAAAAAAACtg/LCT-nB4w06Q/s1600/20120226_7744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zj0Pd3csTMU/T0vsk986V4I/AAAAAAAACtg/LCT-nB4w06Q/s320/20120226_7744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aside from the fact that the Burgbrennen is, I think, my&nbsp;favorite Luxembourgish holiday (you really can't go wrong with a three or four-story bonfire, waffles,&nbsp;and the last glühwein of the season), the symbolism of this season is particularly poignant for me, since this weekend, I am newly Luxembourgish! I received my certificate of naturalization in the mail on Friday evening, so, it's a good time to be thinking about rebirth, cleansing, and where to go from here.&nbsp;The title of this post is sort of the Luxembourgish national motto, normally "<i style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir_w%C3%ABlle_bleiwe_wat_mir_sinn" target="_blank">Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn</a>"</i><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-center;">&nbsp;which means "We want to remain what we are" above is is "I want to remain what I am," which now, happily, includes Luxembourgish.</span></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For those of you who want to see what written Luxembourgish looks like, here's lb.wikipedia on the <a href="http://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buergbrennen" target="_blank">Beurgbrennen</a>.&nbsp;</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also, Nidderaanwen builds a giant castle to set on fire, and has fireworks. Obviously I must go there to watch fire next year.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Spring, everyone!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B1nK6JrmUYY?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1763662138101419261?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-52842407491957317672012-02-06T10:57:00.001-05:002012-02-06T10:59:37.824-05:00So, I've been working on some production-y stuff lately, sushi plates with the bullseye reactive glass, which I really enjoy, but I feel I need to be a little more interesting with it. I'm enjoying the clean lines in contrast with the reactions, which have a very organic quality. I've also been doing some pendants with the French Vanilla and Dense White (0137, and 0313.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Mha-QMBCso/Ty_2-PPKI0I/AAAAAAAACSE/F63mn9crs3M/s1600/Reaction+Plate+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Mha-QMBCso/Ty_2-PPKI0I/AAAAAAAACSE/F63mn9crs3M/s320/Reaction+Plate+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hra5GCI7F5w/Ty_2_qL1NcI/AAAAAAAACSM/Cb9ni3hi95c/s1600/Reaction+Plate+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hra5GCI7F5w/Ty_2_qL1NcI/AAAAAAAACSM/Cb9ni3hi95c/s320/Reaction+Plate+15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cE0Un_ODIbk/Ty_36jhb4RI/AAAAAAAACSk/BLQz4vGNjHw/s1600/White+Pendants+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cE0Un_ODIbk/Ty_36jhb4RI/AAAAAAAACSk/BLQz4vGNjHw/s320/White+Pendants+01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, a few more tests of different reactions:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_toPIOC-aw/Ty_3hgd3baI/AAAAAAAACSc/NevkCrWX2Z4/s1600/2012-02-06+16.53.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_toPIOC-aw/Ty_3hgd3baI/AAAAAAAACSc/NevkCrWX2Z4/s200/2012-02-06+16.53.34.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Also, the engraving that I posted last week is now in an online show in the Contemporary Glass Society's Web Gallery. Horray! <a href="http://www.cgs.org.uk/GALLERY2moduleASP/GALLERYMOD_item.asp?imagename=image%2837%29.jpg&amp;sectionid=102" target="_blank">Check it out</a>!<br /><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5284240749195731767?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-46288832239486658282012-01-30T12:18:00.002-05:002012-01-30T12:18:55.153-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05-9jrgiBI/TybGyT99nAI/AAAAAAAACR4/_Zms8iXmwlM/s1600/ainsleyfrancis72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05-9jrgiBI/TybGyT99nAI/AAAAAAAACR4/_Zms8iXmwlM/s400/ainsleyfrancis72dpi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I've finally finished an engraving that I've been working on for quite a while now. It's a 20 x 20 cm tile, fused glass that has been wheel engraved. What do you think?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4628883223948665828?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-40865807132297916622012-01-23T18:49:00.002-05:002012-01-23T18:49:53.870-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been&nbsp;experimenting&nbsp;with bullseye&nbsp;reactive&nbsp;colours still, I'm making a few long plates, just to give myself a form to play in. They're beginning to remind me of maps with lines of latitude and longitude, so I think I'm going to keep working with that... but I don't really have much to say about it right now.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For anyone who follows this blog that is not a glassy person, and I don't know if you exist, glass can be interesting in that it doesn't look the same way before its been fired as it does after it has, so this one's for you. The optics change, and the size and shape of the glass you're using matters, sometimes when you want white, a really finely ground clear glass can work perfectly with the right firing, because the large comparative surface area of each particle can interfere with the light moving through the piece enough to make it look white. Or, here, you can sort of see a difference between a hotter fuse, on top, and a cooler one, below, with a similar application of the same powdered black glass. It shows better in real life of course, where in the top example, the image is totally melted into the base glass, and smooth, while the bottom example has a relatively significant texture, and is almost totally opaque, even though technically the glass is a transparent colour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VHefiuLtuGM/TQJHYnj4vSI/AAAAAAAACBk/5D_IJUhyBsk/s1600/20101209_6305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VHefiuLtuGM/TQJHYnj4vSI/AAAAAAAACBk/5D_IJUhyBsk/s200/20101209_6305.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wYkKYDrM8OM/TQJHZz7mTHI/AAAAAAAACBo/ZloXRAm5KTA/s1600/20101210_6306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wYkKYDrM8OM/TQJHZz7mTHI/AAAAAAAACBo/ZloXRAm5KTA/s200/20101210_6306.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZ8BXe1NRCM/Tx3wqsk5-8I/AAAAAAAACRo/wJ7uzzRBG7c/s1600/2012-01-13+16.25.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qZ8BXe1NRCM/Tx3wqsk5-8I/AAAAAAAACRo/wJ7uzzRBG7c/s200/2012-01-13+16.25.48.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x03Ui254c0M/Tx3wRHZpWsI/AAAAAAAACRg/wReNElDZI6s/s1600/2012-01-15+19.34.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x03Ui254c0M/Tx3wRHZpWsI/AAAAAAAACRg/wReNElDZI6s/s200/2012-01-15+19.34.45.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The glasses I've been using recently are interesting because they have chemistry that interacts at the places where the glass touches at temperature. The first picture is how it looks before firing, white, cream, and clear, with silver leaf on the left piece. The second picture is the same glass, after firing (the shelf is white now because the red colouring in the kiln wash burns out at temperature.) The last picture isn't the same glass, but it shows the same types of reactions with differently shaped glass.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yo5yExYz9aU/TxvjsCuVAGI/AAAAAAAACQI/c5vW9Y_RWFs/s1600/2012-01-17+00.39.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yo5yExYz9aU/TxvjsCuVAGI/AAAAAAAACQI/c5vW9Y_RWFs/s320/2012-01-17+00.39.24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V6ud_PnPkQI/TxvjpDf606I/AAAAAAAACQA/_e7U0jEu18E/s1600/2012-01-17+09.54.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V6ud_PnPkQI/TxvjpDf606I/AAAAAAAACQA/_e7U0jEu18E/s320/2012-01-17+09.54.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />At temperature, the lead in the Dense White (Bullseye 0313) reacts with the Sulfur in the French Vanilla (Bullseye 0137) to create the grey interface reaction that you see above around the strips of glass, or below in the top left of the picture, around the white frit. The reaction of the Silver with french Vanilla is quite dramatic, I love the texture of the blue parts of it, and the ochre-coloured halo that it creates. Also, in the image below, you can see Turquoise Blue (Bullseye 1116) frit, which is a copper glass, over the silver and French Vanilla, which turns into a lovely rich brown at the interface, an creates a beautiful&nbsp;moroccan&nbsp;blue over the silver leaf.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Uhzs649VU8/TxvkBjqHB7I/AAAAAAAACRA/LRpJ-k_vEds/s1600/2012-01-12+11.26.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Uhzs649VU8/TxvkBjqHB7I/AAAAAAAACRA/LRpJ-k_vEds/s320/2012-01-12+11.26.49.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yeah, so thats what I've been up to lately, along with some engraving, as per usual. There are more pictures of some of the tests that I've added into <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BullseyeReactiveTestFiringJanuary112012?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCKXmlZGQtrCePA&amp;feat=directlink" target="_blank">the album from the last post</a>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4086580713229791662?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-69857924456994673132012-01-11T06:37:00.001-05:002012-01-11T15:55:21.606-05:00<br /><div class="p1">So, I did some tests with Bullseye reactive glasses a couple years ago, time for more... this time it’s French Vanilla, Dense White, Reactive Opal, and Reactive Ice, with a whole bunch of other stuff:</div><div class="p2"><br /></div><div class="p2"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jKuBUuwEqAE/TwyBq00lsaI/AAAAAAAACMA/7eSfptH9phk/s1600/2012-01-10+18.11.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jKuBUuwEqAE/TwyBq00lsaI/AAAAAAAACMA/7eSfptH9phk/s400/2012-01-10+18.11.21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="p2"><br /></div><div class="p3"><br /></div><div class="p1">Fired in a 100 tile mosaic mould on the following program:<br /><br /></div><div class="p1">222°C/H to 538°C for 00:30</div><div class="p1">333°C/H to 816°C for 00:10</div><div class="p1">AFAP to 482°C for 2:00</div><div class="p1">56°C/H to 371°C for 00:01</div><div class="p1">AFAP to 15°C</div><div><br />So, extra fun is that the dense white boils at this temperature, I should do a test firing with it to see what temperature works without it boiling:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wXOjg5Zlvw/Twy8pTIJ89I/AAAAAAAACMI/d0CUrv0JZ0E/s1600/2012-01-10+23.05.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wXOjg5Zlvw/Twy8pTIJ89I/AAAAAAAACMI/d0CUrv0JZ0E/s400/2012-01-10+23.05.57.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>So, I got is out of the kiln this morning, and here's what I got:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q77ugXQKdbA/Tw1vjXrHPyI/AAAAAAAACMQ/Y6Zzi0M4Ta0/s1600/2012-01-11+11.35.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q77ugXQKdbA/Tw1vjXrHPyI/AAAAAAAACMQ/Y6Zzi0M4Ta0/s400/2012-01-11+11.35.20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are some neat reactions! Horrah! and only a few of the dense white tiles stuck to the mold, which I was worried would happen with all of them. &nbsp;I'll try using it with fibre paper next time, and see if that helps with the sticking. &nbsp;There were no serious problems with Dense White used as an accent, just when it was used as a base, it sticks to the kiln wash like nobody's business (yes, now we know why Bullseye only makes it in flameworking rod now, and lists it as "<a href="http://www.bullseyeglass.com/dense-white-opalescent.html" target="_blank">Not&nbsp;recommended&nbsp;for kilnforming.</a>"</div><div><br /></div><div>For all the pictures, here's an album. I'm going to play more now. Below the jump is a chart of what was in which tile.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table style="text-align: center; width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 194px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BullseyeReactiveTestFiringJanuary112012?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCKXmlZGQtrCePA&amp;feat=embedwebsite"><img height="160" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-igCKMlOKcW8/Tw1w-XT4TIE/AAAAAAAACOs/mGIbjH5XV8Q/s160-c/BullseyeReactiveTestFiringJanuary112012.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0 0 4px;" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BullseyeReactiveTestFiringJanuary112012?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCKXmlZGQtrCePA&amp;feat=embedwebsite" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Bullseye Reactive Test Firing January 11 2012</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a name='more'></a><div class="p2">Here's a table showing what's going on in each tile, woot!:</div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />(FV) - French Vanilla</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">(DW) - Dense White</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">(SL) - Silver Leaf</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">(RO) - Reactive Cloud Opal</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">(RI) - Reactive Ice Clear</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">(CT) - Clear Tekta</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1116 - Turquoise Blue Transparent</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: center;">0305 - Salmon Pink Opal</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: center;">1137 - Medium Amber Transparent</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: center;">1305 - Sunset Coral</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1417 - Emerald Green Transparent</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1112 - Adventurine Green Transparent</span></div><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit;">1859 - Rhubarb Shift</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit;">Highlighted Colours are Frit</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table border="3" bordercolor="#000033" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 250px;"><tbody><tr><td>1<br />(FV)<br />Silver</td><td>11<br />(FV)<br />Silver</td><td>21<br />(DW)<br />Silver</td><td>31<br />(DW)<br />Silver<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Red</span></td><td>41<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: white;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">51</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RO)</span><br />Silver</td><td>61<br />(RI)<br /><span style="background-color: white;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">71</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">81</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>91<br />(CT)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span></td></tr><tr><td>2<br />(FV)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>12<br />(FV)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">22</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">32</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>42<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>52<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">62</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">72</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td>82<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">92</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Silver</span></td></tr><tr><td>3<br />(FV)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>13<br />(FV)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>23<br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">33</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>43<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">53</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">63</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>73<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td>83<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">93</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Turquoise</span><br />Silver</td></tr><tr><td>4<br />(FV)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">14</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td>24<br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">34</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Red</span></td><td>44<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td>54<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">64</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">74</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td>84<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">94</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Salmon</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">5</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">15</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">25</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">35</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td>45<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td>55<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">65</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">75</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">85</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">95</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Amber</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">6</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">16</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">26</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">36</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td>46<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">56</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">66</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">76</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">86</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">96</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Coral</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">7</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">17</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">27</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">37</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>47<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">57</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">67</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">77</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">87</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">97</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Emerald</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">8</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">18</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">28</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">38</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>48<br />(RO)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Cell</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">58</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">68</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span>&nbsp;<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">78</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;">88</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">98</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;">Adventurine</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">9</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span><br /><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">19</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">29</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">39</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span><br /><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">49</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">59</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span><br /><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>69<br />(RI)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td>79<br />(RI)<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span><br /><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Silver</span></td><td>89<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">99<br />(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="background-color: white;">10</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">20</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(FV)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">30</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">40</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">50</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">60</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RO)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">70</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">80</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(RI)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(FV)</span></td><td>90<br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(CT)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">(DW)</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rhubarb</span></td><td><span style="background-color: white;">100</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">(CT)</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-6985792445699467313?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-59203672997739891302012-01-04T13:49:00.000-05:002012-01-04T14:00:44.820-05:00<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">So, the holidays got in the way of working, as they normally do. I’ve pretty much done nothing but eat and visit for the past two weeks, as one does on the holidays. So, discipline, yeah, I have none. So much for blogging on Wednesdays. That’s obviously something that I should have started after New Years.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zbNftHiJO1s/TwSbhpFYYQI/AAAAAAAACL4/2jBThpIWahQ/s1600/2012-01-04+19.31.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zbNftHiJO1s/TwSbhpFYYQI/AAAAAAAACL4/2jBThpIWahQ/s320/2012-01-04+19.31.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="p1"><br /></div><div class="p2">I've read, in the glut of "how to keep your new years resolutions" things that have been showing up in the past week or so that it is better start one habit at a time, in order to be more likely to actually&nbsp;succeed&nbsp;in building and maintaining it. This is probably good advice, but sometimes I feel like I have so many bad habits that need breaking, and so many things I need to start changing about my life, that I want to start them all now. Probably a bad idea. So, today, I decided that I need to work on developing a habit of drawing. Yes, I'm an artist, and I don't really draw, or, don't consider myself very good at it. Mostly, I'm just out of practice, because I don't do it nearly enough. So today I recycled a lot of paper. Because it's all about practice, and I'm more likely to open my sketchbook and do something if opening it doesn't make me feel&nbsp;inadequate by forcing me to look at skills-that-are-crap-when-I'm-rusty. And, really, after a few hours of warming up, I'm not too bad at this drawing thing, and practice will definitely help. So, here's to creating new habits, like drawing every day, and here's to tools to help you do it. Like <a href="http://www.pixelovely.com/gesture/figuredrawing.php" target="_blank">pixelovely's Figure Drawing Training Tool</a>, which is damn useful for practice.</div><div class="p2"><br /></div><div class="p2">And to remind me that sometimes process isn't everything, and doesn't need to show (so I'm allowed to toss/burn/recycle/feed-to-the-cat my bad drawings) here's a quote from Annie Dillard's "The Writing Life" (italics mine):</div><div class="p2"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">When you write, you lay out a line of words. The line of words is a miner’s pick, a woodcarver’s gouge, a surgeon’s probe. You wield it, and it digs a path you follow. Soon you find yourself deep in new territory. Is it a dead end, or have you located the real subject? You will know tomorrow, or this time next year.</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">You make the path boldly and follow it fearfully. You go where the path leads. At the end of the path, you find a box canyon. You hammer out reports, dispatch bulletins.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: #fff3db; color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">The writing has changed, in your hands, and in a twinkling, from an expression of your notions to an epistemological tool. The new place interests you because it is not clear. You attend. In your humility, you lay down the words carefully, watching all the angles. Now the earlier writing looks soft and careless. <i><b>Process is nothing; erase your tracks. The path is not the work. I hope your tracks have grown over; I hope birds ate the crumbs; I hope you will toss it all and not look back.</b></i></span></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5920367299773989130?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-30510849738409235562011-12-14T17:09:00.000-05:002011-12-13T19:09:04.128-05:00<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Waiting1-07-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" height="268" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hYYaeSLjBWg/TufoqypF5mI/AAAAAAAACKY/HqVVLaVWSMg/Waiting1-07-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><br />I finally took good pictures of this one, which I engraved last fall while I was in Turkey. It is based on a picture that I took while I was at UBC while waiting for the bus one evening, in the temporary bus loop. The first time my mom saw it she said that the man the the background had been following her around in her dreams for years. He doesn’t anymore, he’s trapped now. I’m really happy with the way the street lights worked out, how abstract they are.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Waiting1-02-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" height="268" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AKOni-CLQNg/TuforVBo0RI/AAAAAAAACKc/Ty4rtMnDM3g/Waiting1-02-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Waiting1-03-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FQhDNFkD1Is/Tufor5TIIvI/AAAAAAAACKk/ZLQPnxKNEI0/Waiting1-03-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" width="268" /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Wating1-04-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" height="268" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D7awlDDlhzQ/Tufosh92EDI/AAAAAAAACKs/ah08xmtVwoA/Wating1-04-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><br />I thought I’d post pictures of this one now, since today I’ve been working on a kind of similar one, based on <a href="http://www.ainsleyfrancis.com/uploads/9/3/2/5/9325472/741276_orig.jpg">this picture</a> that I took a while back. Here’s the beginning of the process.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="PastedGraphic-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" height="300" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BVv5DglFf1g/Tufotow7JlI/AAAAAAAACK0/RtJvFMaH0zc/PastedGraphic-2011-12-14-23-09.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><br />I’ve been taking pictures of people in museums, I think the reflections of them in the cases that hold the objects that they are looking at are really interesting, and I particularly like this image. I’m beginning to get better at tonality, and the gradient, the finished one above is very high-contrast, and while the one I’m working on now is also, there is more middle ground, which is something I need to work on.<br /><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3051084973840923556?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-63835870051228845222011-12-07T05:40:00.001-05:002011-12-07T06:18:21.754-05:00So, it's been a while, and I think I should be posting more often, I'm going to attempt to make one post a week, every Wednesday from now on, so I can keep on top of what's going on, and maybe convince myself to work more, because when I'm working, I'm happy.<br /><br />So, here's some pictures of tiles I've been working on for a while, there are pictures of them up on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ainsleyfrancis" target="_blank">Etsy</a> and <a href="http://www.ainsleyfrancis.com/" target="_blank">my website</a>, but they're not here really (a few pictures a few posts back, but that's it) and they should be.<br /><br />It's called the "Tectonic Scars" series. I haven't written about them, really yet, so that's definitely on the "to do" list. Simply, they are 10cm x 10cm tiles, in red and white, engraved. Some (like those in the pictures below) use a silver leaf reaction bullseye reactive white opal to get the earth-toned patch.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CsSA2p7NA60/Tt9EILzrogI/AAAAAAAACI0/mTBjnOMTYp0/s1600/Tectonic+Scars+%25234+-+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CsSA2p7NA60/Tt9EILzrogI/AAAAAAAACI0/mTBjnOMTYp0/s320/Tectonic+Scars+%25234+-+01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-smGWRKeSj2M/Tt9EiA1Di6I/AAAAAAAACJE/t0VW_gdepLo/s1600/20111027_5761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-smGWRKeSj2M/Tt9EiA1Di6I/AAAAAAAACJE/t0VW_gdepLo/s320/20111027_5761.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been difficult for me to write about them because they have a lot of (maybe too many) layers of meaning for me, and I often feel a little guilty about sources of inspiration and the way those meanings can overlap. I started making these just after the earthquake happened in Japan in March, they are both a visceral reaction to that event, and an expression of where I was emotionally (for unrelated reasons) at the time. I was really not in a good place personally, and was reading letters over and over that I really should have deleted and forgotten. Reading old letters feels like cutting around old scars. It's a bad habit I have. So, I identified with what the earth was doing, mentally and emotionally; I felt like I was doing a similar thing. Shaking, grinding, tearing, trying to stand when the ground was not still, and causing a huge amount of personal destruction at the same time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This cut reminds me of muscle tissue (is not inspired by, just makes me think of), and the tiles have a feeling of being exposed and raw, like in focusing on a wound, everything that could have been healthy gets repeatedly cut away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, they come at an intersection of&nbsp;geography, biology, and inner turmoil; and I still haven't figured out how to write what I feel about them in a way that works.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An awesome thing: the panel including three tiles below was given to the Canadian Ambassador to Belgium as a gift this year when he came to Luxembourg for Canada day.</div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-6383587005122884522?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-13884413095595556822011-10-24T18:38:00.000-04:002011-12-07T09:53:25.300-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br /><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GohHv7ktqic/Tt994GSZdqI/AAAAAAAACJM/QbxqEayJal0/s1600/8670292_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GohHv7ktqic/Tt994GSZdqI/AAAAAAAACJM/QbxqEayJal0/s320/8670292_orig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Every Day You Play</div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><em style="font-style: italic;">Every day you play with the light of the universe.<br />Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water.<br />You are more than this white head that I hold tightly<br />as a cluster of fruit, every day, between my hands.</em></div><em style="font-style: italic;"></em><br /><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><em style="font-style: italic;">You are like nobody since I love you.</em><br /><em style="font-style: italic;">Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.</em><br /><em style="font-style: italic;">Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?</em><br /><em style="font-style: italic;">Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.</em></div><em style="font-style: italic;"><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;">Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.<br />The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.<br />Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.<br />The rain takes off her clothes.</div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;">The birds go by, fleeing.<br />The wind. The wind.<br />I can contend only against the power of men.<br />The storm whirls dark leaves<br />and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.</div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;">You are here. Oh, you do not run away.<br />You will answer me to the last cry.<br />Cling to me as though you were frightened.<br />Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.</div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;">Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,<br />and even your breasts smell of it.<br />While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies<br />I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.</div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;">How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,<br />my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.<br />So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,<br />and over our heads the gray light unwind in turning fans.</div></em><br /><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><em style="font-style: italic;">My words rained over you, stroking you.<br />A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.<br />I go so far as to think that you own the universe.<br />I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,<br />dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.<br />I want<br />to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.</em></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>- Pablo Neruda</i></div><div style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>From <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Pablo-Neruda/dp/0374299951">"The Poetry of Pablo Neruda"</a> page 14.</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1388441309559555682?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-35502473121372830862011-10-02T12:57:00.004-04:002011-10-02T13:00:14.223-04:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kv06mNJT0i0/ToiYMQhKk6I/AAAAAAAACIU/KoY10Ht4Txo/s1600/20111002_5698.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kv06mNJT0i0/ToiYMQhKk6I/AAAAAAAACIU/KoY10Ht4Txo/s320/20111002_5698.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658940268150952866" /></a><br />Horray! I have new stuff up for sale on etsy! (along with some old stuff)<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Check it out! at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ainsleyfrancis</div><div><br /></div><div>and my new Facebook Fan page! at: http://www.facebook.com/ainsleyfrancisartist</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3550247312137283086?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-1094066345611036002011-08-15T16:56:00.002-04:002011-08-15T16:59:29.565-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Here's something else that's finished. Fused, diamond wheel engraved bullseye.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "> <br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "> <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FC08kVLG8As/TkmIe9DP82I/AAAAAAAACHc/IeIXgjOoNio/s320/20110703_2458.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641190073623901026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyQhA0M3igM/TkmIfhiIT1I/AAAAAAAACHs/hK8Ogwq52dw/s1600/266671_10150240050568740_518183739_7491224_2274516_o.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyQhA0M3igM/TkmIfhiIT1I/AAAAAAAACHs/hK8Ogwq52dw/s320/266671_10150240050568740_518183739_7491224_2274516_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641190083417100114" /></a> <br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H0RSKRtOJ0o/TkmIfL5HzAI/AAAAAAAACHk/v1UWhvIAOVQ/s1600/20110703_2478.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H0RSKRtOJ0o/TkmIfL5HzAI/AAAAAAAACHk/v1UWhvIAOVQ/s320/20110703_2478.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641190077607955458" /></a> <br /><div style="text-align: center; "> <br /></div><div> <br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-109406634561103600?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-86202831595274241752011-08-15T16:42:00.001-04:002011-08-15T16:47:45.069-04:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1NKzD1T9dm0/TkmFRYJJzPI/AAAAAAAACG8/PVI_B_jIg-A/s320/20110815_2676.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641186541843369202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>The mosaic that I left behind when I moved to Luxembourg last fall is finished! Horray!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" > <br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E_EQR5_3LXw/TkmFR7LABGI/AAAAAAAACHE/8RGdLs6ZFUE/s320/20110815_2667.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641186551246357602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></span></div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVGK3W-GcZ0/TkmFSa5EAMI/AAAAAAAACHU/L_BqAtbsdWs/s320/20110815_2671.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641186559761055938" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDTfj24ITo/TkmFSD_gyDI/AAAAAAAACHM/aJUQ2j_tSUo/s1600/20110815_2669.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDTfj24ITo/TkmFSD_gyDI/AAAAAAAACHM/aJUQ2j_tSUo/s320/20110815_2669.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641186553614092338" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E_EQR5_3LXw/TkmFR7LABGI/AAAAAAAACHE/8RGdLs6ZFUE/s1600/20110815_2667.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1NKzD1T9dm0/TkmFRYJJzPI/AAAAAAAACG8/PVI_B_jIg-A/s1600/20110815_2676.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8620283159527424175?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-87024863772029649312011-01-26T10:46:00.000-05:002011-01-26T11:05:02.245-05:00Here's some process on a mosaic that I started in the summer, but had to stop because I didn't bring it with me. I just found the pictures of it. This one is on a fibreglass mesh, which I like using. Turns out they only sell it here in the spring. Apparently no one in Luxembourg ever needs to fix a screen door until spring time, and luxembourgish dogs never run through them in the fall.<div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-KaRko_-ojoruwoSad8ICQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmqRdFQk9I/AAAAAAAACE0/-cAN_Opz_AU/s400/20100729_1956.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SwanMosaicProcess?feat=embedwebsite">Swan Mosaic Process</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mu9HdDOqlcDH9AK-8hmqEQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmqSejXbDI/AAAAAAAACFA/acgomE-MAW8/s400/20100729_1957.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SwanMosaicProcess?feat=embedwebsite">Swan Mosaic Process</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HYgwS4RLqWsovANAGCzIqA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmqTIb70FI/AAAAAAAACEk/7Az-isc46yY/s400/20100729_1958.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SwanMosaicProcess?feat=embedwebsite">Swan Mosaic Process</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8702486377202964931?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-81675933006756819252011-01-25T13:20:00.000-05:002011-01-25T07:28:05.182-05:00Went to a local highschool to register for civics courses... failed at the registration, but the entire façade of the building is covered with a beautiful mosaic. For your viewing enjoyment:<div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J15vOyILpCoMWzgxIbK6mw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmpIP1VoiI/AAAAAAAACD0/2RDSpspwY98/s400/20110120_7592.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/AtheneeDeLuxembourg?feat=embedwebsite">Athénée de Luxembourg</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ofDSv5J3cp1PaQX-E2ma7w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmpJmUnBBI/AAAAAAAACD4/9G8pphGzQqk/s400/20110120_7593.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/AtheneeDeLuxembourg?feat=embedwebsite">Athénée de Luxembourg</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gII2ygq_G7gmMTgdI-bFlw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmpLJDl6FI/AAAAAAAACD8/DqhIDipfHfo/s400/20110120_7594.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/AtheneeDeLuxembourg?feat=embedwebsite">Athénée de Luxembourg</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/REsxvE3rwpagJqhiRs-jMg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmpMybELgI/AAAAAAAACEA/_UgFJLBq9-4/s400/20110120_7595.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/AtheneeDeLuxembourg?feat=embedwebsite">Athénée de Luxembourg</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I get home and download pictures and wonder how I manage to take so many detail shots of things without a single one of the entire object, decent or otherwise.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8167593300675681925?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-77877119858310723202011-01-21T10:32:00.002-05:002011-01-21T10:38:56.522-05:00Because i have an amazing life, I found myself in Paris at Opéra Garnier watching some incredible ballet on new years eve.<div><br /></div><div>also incredible are the mosaics inside.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s-F2lNLcHq-5KRCiDProRw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmnlvfgzgI/AAAAAAAACC4/mDjlpD19fFI/s400/20101231_7360.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/OperaGarnier?feat=embedwebsite">Opera Garnier</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_fsc697XZWsRZH7_-hai9A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmnmxz5ZiI/AAAAAAAACDU/I3tdS1wuMbU/s400/20101231_7362.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/OperaGarnier?feat=embedwebsite">Opera Garnier</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CvBr1_TmicYH46pN8Zc1ag?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmnoihxywI/AAAAAAAACDc/F6l_z7A5xS4/s400/20101231_7363.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/OperaGarnier?feat=embedwebsite">Opera Garnier</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aw0ibSm6oGMmPZXFMtoWjQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TTmnqMsSueI/AAAAAAAACDk/_LAEQfVkldY/s400/20101231_7366.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/OperaGarnier?feat=embedwebsite">Opera Garnier</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>I was stupid and left the pretty camera at home.... what kind of crazy am I? So, you get treated to a few blurry pictures taken with Matthew's point and shoot.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-7787711985831072320?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-14328869922724211512010-12-10T10:25:00.002-05:002010-12-10T10:38:19.643-05:00The first non-test firing in the new kiln. Kiln works! Woot!<div><br /></div><div>Nothing complicated. Black powder on Bullseye Tekta.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_GXuhm9N0gkpihBBjcUXTA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQJHYnj4vSI/AAAAAAAACBk/30_O0Fy_JQg/s400/20101209_6305.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/DrawingWithFrit?feat=embedwebsite">Drawing with Frit</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>After Firing! not much different. except now it won't blow away!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fbmgYgXjHpkr2QOA7X9-2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQJHZz7mTHI/AAAAAAAACBo/5oPZihmaPhs/s400/20101210_6306.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/DrawingWithFrit?feat=embedwebsite">Drawing with Frit</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>This programmer works on Rate/Hold, so I'm using that now... and I still like Celsius better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Firing Program:</div><div>Currently Program 1 on Kiln</div><div><br /></div><div>1. 333C/H to 745C hold 00:10</div><div>2. AFAP to 482C hold 1:00</div><div>3. 55C/H to 371C hold 00:00</div><div>4. AFAP to 21C hold 00:00</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1432886992272421151?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-51746610407537203352010-12-10T06:59:00.000-05:002010-12-10T06:59:58.615-05:00This has nothing to do with things I've made, but Rome! Mosaics! Amazing!<div><br /></div><div>So, there were so many that were amazing, I'm only embedding a few pictures, but they all link to the albums they're in.</div><div><br /></div><div>Vatican Mosaics!</div><div>I love this sea Monster so much.</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W8-9IFhPJaGJkzMg7bpXoA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIL1_fmnqI/AAAAAAAAB6g/oPB8UIpcQMo/s400/20101018_5440.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MostlyVaticanMosaics?feat=embedwebsite">Mostly Vatican Mosaics</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Mosaic Graffiti!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lNFKrPaZ9AZVROE0aGD9cQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIMCN8mP6I/AAAAAAAAB7M/MhtpgPpthQ8/s400/20101018_5535.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MostlyVaticanMosaics?feat=embedwebsite">Mostly Vatican Mosaics</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Santa Cecelia's Church had stunning mosaics, alas, the best ones were behind a locked door, so pictures aren't particularly artful:</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MYWQg5Agp6fTj3o5MHx2ug?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQINe6enLaI/AAAAAAAACAU/lg4IwlfZ_iU/s400/20101019_5784.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SantaCeciliaMosaics?feat=embedwebsite">Santa Cecilia Mosaics</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Santa Maria Majore, also Amazing.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i0alAK2bInelVsvW7cQ9fQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIPsRvRwZI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/0k5zVqd82V8/s400/20101020_5736.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SantaMariaMajore?feat=embedwebsite">Santa Maria Majore</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, the Museum of the city of Rome:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BAAT1tCYxlmmRnKOeDCOzQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIQt1Z6hLI/AAAAAAAAB-k/BlrFYfdwdhQ/s400/20101021_6129.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MuseumOfTheCityOfRome?feat=embedwebsite">Museum of the city of Rome</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Again, I'm focusing on material-related stuff here... non-mosaic/glass is at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24100422@N06/">my flicker account</a>.</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5174661040753720335?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-23065012679291965302010-12-10T06:52:00.004-05:002010-12-10T06:55:06.201-05:00So, there were Mosaics from the Chora Museum and Aya Spohia in the last post, but the other great place for Mosaic in Istanbul is the Mosaic Museum, which is practically underneath the Blue Mosque (Sultanhamet Camii)<div><br /></div><div>Pictures! Click the link to see them all.</div><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: medium;"><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aLK-Px69_aoHURI-9ptSFg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQISwoTd9wI/AAAAAAAACAI/3rekB-Ajp5E/s400/20100907_2954.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/IstanbulMosaicMuseum?feat=embedwebsite">Istanbul Mosaic Museum</a></td></tr></table></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2306501267929196530?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-15133070741907776302010-12-10T05:46:00.003-05:002010-12-10T06:05:45.019-05:00I took an engraving workshop with Jiri Harcuba at the Glass Furnace, which is about an hour away from Istanbul Center, Turkey.<div><br /></div><div>I don't know why I don't have a lot of pictures of process from that workshop... oh well, obviously distracted. I'm in love with the little Merker Lathe.</div><div><br /></div><div>Process on Cameo engraving....</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7PiH3JWExtDdhLLpfuKeCw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEMotDNOI/AAAAAAAAB4k/BVp36auiFEY/s400/20100827_2323.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Fused schott glass, green on the bottom, grey in the middle because the brightness of the green offended me, and white on top.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XE_anuqoPlkkuXObjEArVA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIENrSuj9I/AAAAAAAAB4o/JWkAFF41AcY/s400/20100830_2160.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>This is currently in the kiln being fire polished a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jiri drew portraits of each of us, for us to do engravings based on.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nnVAOYYi47niAYgtMN8GNw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEO1forzI/AAAAAAAAB4s/1tZEhqq99n8/s400/20100830_2164.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>he also called us by what our names meant, rather than what they actually were.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chora Museum, which is an old Byzantine church that has been secularized. The mosaics are amazing!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t0jqnkNr2ck-DS30Qz0nPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEQF1yfII/AAAAAAAAB5c/7e_mUkqJKQ0/s400/20100828_2171.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZJL9ySCRU0K64RGEDEW4uQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIERQEJnKI/AAAAAAAAB5k/bDo8O2tUwyo/s400/20100828_2180.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nEywNUZZL1AYXaRYQOeE5g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIESowDjuI/AAAAAAAAB5s/iZklz4NP96k/s400/20100828_2181.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fwVpZ-xlfKEJIUxpT7kAvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEUB3hQfI/AAAAAAAAB50/qryzUsdG9Zw/s400/20100828_2191.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LJuyx1fcC-w_9NA8VlUSUA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEV5A9cqI/AAAAAAAAB5A/kncShImlmqE/s400/20100828_2201.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>and people think I'm crazy. The tiles, were, for the most part, smaller than the ones I use, and it was the entire inside of the church!</div><div><br /></div><div>Mosaic in Aya Sophia:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0TOpZHGxswqTbNmlsnykRQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEYls1KII/AAAAAAAAB5M/ka5dzsyIzvA/s400/20100828_2258.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>with the religion in the area changing from Christianity to Islam, all of these were plastered over. When Ataturk secularized the building, making it a museum, selective restoration began, attempting to restore and preserve the best examples in the building of both Christian and Islamic art.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/18ruFl-xPEqbwRiIrt7_IQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEavOs4bI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/qjWpZ-E-uvc/s400/20100828_2272.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not focusing on the Christian art here because of any preference for Chrisitanity, there were just no Islamic mosaics. There are pictures of the rest of the building, art, etc, on my Flickr account, if you want to check that out.</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xgwQ6ChUsx-Y9dwkB42MGw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIEb-4HWaI/AAAAAAAAB5U/WTiiQyOkHtQ/s400/20100828_2273.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Boat! We went for dinner on the black sea.</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ml1M0-bPdyGDUxYERWetsg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIIX1allVI/AAAAAAAAB58/srZXc8pcCxY/s400/20100902_2456.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Kiln casting class installation in process:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iZfwxmw9ig-h5Kvs96q9_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIIY9a6gWI/AAAAAAAAB6A/OiDR1CWTZyM/s400/20100903_2418.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>My room mate, Dana, hiding:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Zqrl7vta-WzwLmSo2CsMiA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQIIZz1g0VI/AAAAAAAAB6E/IRg799cUKWk/s400/20100903_2426.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/JiriHarcubaWorkshop?feat=embedwebsite">Jiri Harcuba Workshop</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1513307074190777630?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-36958174124104133882010-12-10T05:20:00.003-05:002010-12-13T17:17:42.320-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">The GAS conference was fantastic!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; font-size:medium;"><em style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></em></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; font-size:medium;"><em style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Shelly Muzylowski Allen demo:</span></em></span></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i31CT7dKWT_aVHBECOBEag?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-xseUkiI/AAAAAAAAB3c/iVv2Ty-YNYo/s400/20100611_1371.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>RISD Students protest Microwaves:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S8zsrfe-6AxLagC9RuSgbQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-1Zay3vI/AAAAAAAAB3s/4FrftrNjNHc/s400/20100611_1419.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Mirrors are fun!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nCbPYb33yeWB4G4M1lu5ZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-2s6xYWI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/tFRUI9Ix9II/s400/20100611_1431.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Mike, Jen, Will and I did a demo at the Juicy Lucy Mobile Studio! Mike sculpted one of his monster heads!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/z6pGnssEEXEMzV5Z8aejGg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-5P8y1sI/AAAAAAAAB34/bQSM4Z34ldQ/s400/20100612_1349.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s3smx0p6ACyMo8B0w8tIjg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-6HYvGiI/AAAAAAAAB38/shFmqmcmpE8/s400/20100612_1356.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to sign the stage with "sheridan" using hot glass... it sort of worked.</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pwGIQRkxYoaJidpvCJHrhg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH-7Y7sv7I/AAAAAAAAB4A/RXC3HjNPRwc/s400/20100612_1358.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAS2010Louisville?feat=embedwebsite">GAS 2010 @ Louisville!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3695817412410413388?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-14999728451781473812010-12-10T05:01:00.003-05:002010-12-10T05:15:30.132-05:00GAAC Conference!<div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZcRDP33jFrIGseRFsSCCiA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH8uir_t8I/AAAAAAAAB1A/60qyhf0Hfbs/s400/20100527_1269.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Lucio Bubbaco Demo!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I-X2R0Dsv6NNC5p1raN7PQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH8vuKH0iI/AAAAAAAAB1E/9UdlNfAgh3A/s400/20100529_0939.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite#5548994123822256914"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH8wXsn0xI/AAAAAAAAB1w/Uhhsykh4zFI/s400/20100529_0950.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: medium;"><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/41wUrO2zZBj1tv8T03BBOg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH8xfNyiuI/AAAAAAAAB14/yUO2pHoKcz4/s400/20100529_1004.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Glass Fashion Show!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HmG8wVFZsxzgn0OMDoBs9w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH8zxfhnPI/AAAAAAAAB2U/SAjp5SAxykg/s400/20100529_1138.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nDXNCzSNb9J1tvvusEC6qQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH82sS-nSI/AAAAAAAAB2s/C4vBKsDX_lY/s400/20100529_1210.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Y4lqQFLfV7L0fqyKihLBZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQH84TY5GSI/AAAAAAAAB3I/mbl-wLqjSXo/s400/20100529_1246.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GAAC2010?feat=embedwebsite">GAAC 2010</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1499972845178147381?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-23299001696729234522010-12-10T04:50:00.002-05:002010-12-10T05:00:53.291-05:00So, since disaster stuck, we made more stuff! So, disaster can be a good thing, since we get to learn more!<div><br /></div><div>Sculpting human faces!</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RLbrDf21Q0Y3PH8YpC1vFg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHyvxlw5NI/AAAAAAAAByk/kOVsFzlxs8Q/s400/20100512_0744.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/IreneFrolicPortraiture?feat=embedwebsite">Irene Frolic Portraiture</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Making wax copies!</div><div><br /></div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wrrND4vJT9cPhq96qEeO1w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHywr1dUNI/AAAAAAAAByo/C6Nr1mQkTUw/s400/20100513_0903.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/IreneFrolicPortraiture?feat=embedwebsite">Irene Frolic Portraiture</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>I will never need to use PoYo again... squeeze a ton of cheap, available at any hardware store, 100% Silicon Caulking into a bucket of soapy water, and you can mold it with your hands into a large flat patty, and squish it over your form to make a cheap, fast and wonderfully detailed silicon mold. No horrible sticky silicon, no days and days of mold making. You can do two layers for larger forms, if you like. Just make sure it's thick enough to have some stability. you can also use bits of sponge in places like under the chin of this guy to create support and volume without increasing curing time. These molds were useable within a couple of hours!</div><div><br /></div><div>Crystal Kiln!</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SjLrjwtX7fabqWbaYXgHpA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHyxnrCI0I/AAAAAAAAByw/O_wNjNzbqCc/s400/20100514_0855.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/IreneFrolicPortraiture?feat=embedwebsite">Irene Frolic Portraiture</a></td></tr></table> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Mine had apricot and olive green gaffer crystal.</div><div>Firing Schedule:</div><div>1. 5:00 to 95C</div><div>2. 29:00 to 115C</div><div>3. 35:00 to 550C</div><div>4. 40:00 @ 550C</div><div>5. 43:00 to 800C</div><div>6. 49:00 @ 800C</div><div>7. 49:01 to 440C</div><div>8. 66:00 @ 440C</div><div>9. 81:00 to 400C</div><div>10. 95:00 to 316C</div><div>11. 100:00 to 150C</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>System 96 Kiln:</div><div><table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KVvxLHJc2B9Ac0YCuWxqVw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHyyy1hPGI/AAAAAAAABy0/ifTGhj3Cdnw/s400/20100514_0856.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/IreneFrolicPortraiture?feat=embedwebsite">Irene Frolic Portraiture</a></td></tr></table></div><div><br /></div><div>No firing schedule for that one, because I'm in Europe, and one of the things I forgot to bring was my notebook for this kind of stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2329900169672923452?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-2299647814924545172010-12-10T04:10:00.005-05:002010-12-10T10:25:21.037-05:00Oh little Kiln Blog.... you have been so neglected.<div><br /></div><div>But it's not like I haven't been doing anything at all. I've just been being a flake. So, I guess I'll re-cap. These are going to be really really photo-heavy.</div><div><br /></div><div>First! Irene Frolic! Woot!</div><div><br /></div><div>I took a summer workshop with Irene Frolic back in May, we were working on lost wax casting in gaffer crystal. Pictures!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cgziPMaNAqXNuuxcHJt6rA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHwy_8BTGI/AAAAAAAAByU/HStQJ7Z27RY/s400/20100503_0470.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>How to make very smooth bowl shapes in wax! Horrah! make sure you fill the balloon with cold water first, just blowing it up doesn't work.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bUjrYgZ_D_xbUfAyILZc3A?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHwz4_zJNI/AAAAAAAABz0/LSDWg0UHmog/s400/20100504_0660.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Venting! Because everyone loves venting!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bDi84dsAsIX5Kn2OLtOGIQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHw0o84vuI/AAAAAAAAB0A/YHe6kBs49dA/s400/20100505_0591.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Goosberry Goblet!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZEoFXmDp4l79SO4Saep3Lw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHw1Z8_n9I/AAAAAAAAB0I/13m87fZ1law/s400/20100505_0593.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Closeup of gooseberries!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/A2zuzT_VHLO4ltXK5RTiPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHw2GEYKHI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/tJ10W7JrmOA/s400/20100506_0718.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Steamer of awesomeness. I hope they're using this thing at Sheridan now.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BRTs33n8lFhr93J0lQu0Gg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHw2-TahYI/AAAAAAAABxk/DMkaZPmxOTg/s400/20100506_0721.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Tiny individual goose berries.... silicone cupcake molds are great.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ML1ZhuFnlaeO7aNpOsMnYg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHw7lh-b-I/AAAAAAAABx4/NdOsgDBUoXs/s400/20100512_0732.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Disaster!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UtH-WeLThvdcH77B31RWJA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzWhSd7vI/AAAAAAAABy4/GazArsZMrGw/s400/20100513_0871.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The little gooseberries survived!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eVbv4A_f7rVjgxYxWSWsxw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzYKcLUWI/AAAAAAAABzA/joxxq_U8omI/s400/20100513_0874.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As did separated goblet bowls. Though I did manage to break the clear on in my kitchen later in the summer.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ba8GwnEF64TP5cCWhahVYA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzY3ZoLFI/AAAAAAAABzE/CltiD-rRovA/s400/20100513_0876.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Colours! pretty!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wrPzsWDR-6n3CVxuAhRLAQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzaSKGATI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/c5Tp1sZAAmo/s400/20100513_0895.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Extra Disaster!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UrOx3hNPTo8t9bNJV-_Qbw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzckkt67I/AAAAAAAAB0g/ZHFg62tKn8w/s400/20100513_0910.JPG" height="400" width="268" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W-r_yUBbu6kZmaWAbSJa0w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/TQHzb727rII/AAAAAAAABzQ/tQIZtPDw0cM/s400/20100513_0908.JPG" height="268" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At least the disaster is photogenic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Believe it or not, there are more pictures than are in the post, you can see the whole album by clicking on one of the pics.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-229964781492454517?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-18197653522231996612010-04-17T21:29:00.000-04:002010-04-19T10:53:51.069-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; "><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/-hddMAB9fLS97H2bmxQFSA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8xtwcbGY3I/AAAAAAAABv8/6Up2UAS-x9Q/s400/DSC00043.JPG" /></a></span></div><div><br /></div>Fired on April 11th on the same schedule as the last one:<div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-size:13px;"><div>1. 2:00 to 90C</div><div>2. 18:00 to 100C</div><div>3. 23:00 to 600C</div><div>4. 25:00 @ 600C</div><div>5. 25:01 to 840C</div><div>6. 30:00 @ 840C</div><div>7. 30:01 to 515C</div><div>8. 45:00 to 515C</div><div>9. 70:00 to 390C</div><div>10. 85:00 to 50C</div><div><br /></div><div>Kiln was down and unloaded at 50C on April 17th.</div><div><br /></div><div>All but one of the hand prints filled:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre; "><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/PHSAZniDwezhl90U6COovw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8xtxRJZH4I/AAAAAAAABwE/0-qQ_x4rH3w/s400/DSC00045.JPG" /></a></span></div></span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1819765352223199661?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-50742195617692057732010-04-11T18:31:00.005-04:002010-04-16T09:32:48.604-04:00<div>If I want scissors, maybe I'm casting them in resin, not glass?</div><div><br /></div>Fired April 6th on the following schedule:<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-size:13px;"><div>1. 2:00 to 100C</div><div>2. 12:00 to 150C</div><div>3. 22:00 to 650C</div><div>4. 26:00 @ 650C</div><div>5. 26:01 to 870C</div><div>6. 36:00 @ 870C</div><div>7. 36:01 to 515C</div><div>8. 46:00 @ 515C</div><div>9. 66:00 to 400C</div><div>10. 78:00 to 20C</div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Out April 11th, and de-molded on the same day.</div><div><br /></div><div>These ones worked better, there was more of the straight side of the scissors in this kiln, but even the bent one flowed better in this kiln than in kiln #3. Kiln #2 had just gotten a new element, maybe that had something to do with it? Other than the difference in kiln, and there being more straight scissor halves in this kiln, the molds were the same, the program was the same and the kiln was loaded in the same way, so I'm a little baffled.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rebecca's molds were shorter than Luke's, that might have made a difference?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/T_BWSuYzUpzgz3xp4H_99g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8ROGYhrYNI/AAAAAAAABmk/IYYBTKoOg84/s400/20100412%20-06.JPG" /></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:11px;">This is the bent handle scissor from this kiln:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/59GVovS2419VSSQBssr0KQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8aPJ6mZzrI/AAAAAAAABug/icJYo_R4bZw/s400/Process-0002.JPG" /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;">It really didn't work that much better than the ones from the earlier kiln:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/XaQHfOopIbcRBC_oxNNaTA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8ciOh2cWlI/AAAAAAAABvA/2DfX0142QUo/s400/Process-0001.JPG" /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;">There are more pictures here:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKIln2?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8RODcEdH7E/AAAAAAAABvE/DNEFhknuWqA/s160-c/ScissorsKIln2.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKIln2?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Scissors, KIln #2</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5074219561769205773?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-28508759897556049382010-04-11T10:08:00.004-04:002010-04-16T09:35:06.697-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;">Here's a picture of some earlier hands that are finished, and now in the show at the OCC.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/Mp2wpPLPSYjbC6-lpEgB1g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8hkzY4y0WI/AAAAAAAABvM/NBEGRd8D0Rc/s400/Gestures.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div>Fired on April 6th in Kiln #1 on the following program:<div><br /></div><div>1. 2:00 to 90C</div><div>2. 18:00 to 100C</div><div>3. 23:00 to 600C</div><div>4. 25:00 @ 600C</div><div>5. 25:01 to 840C</div><div>6. 30:00 @ 840C</div><div>7. 30:01 to 515C</div><div>8. 45:00 to 515C</div><div>9. 70:00 to 390C</div><div>10. 85:00 to 50C</div><div><br /></div><div>Unloaded on April 11th.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><table style="width: auto; "><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/u75eVQXYWhey_Ucwg54vWg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8ROLhsQjhI/AAAAAAAABnA/ONr4u8l_jeA/s400/20100412%20-02.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right; ">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHandsKiln1?feat=embedwebsite">More Hands! Kiln #1</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>In this one I decided to try making molds with more than one hand print in them, these prints were smaller, and I thought that it would be a massive waste. This worked out quite well, all the molds filled completely, and it just took some creative sawing to get the hands off the reservoir. That might not be feasible in the future if I don't have a diamond saw. oh well.</div><div><br /></div><div>All the pictures from this firing can be found here:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHandsKiln1?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8ROHdYBFZE/AAAAAAAABnA/Da-Iqsd2BWs/s160-c/MoreHandsKiln1.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHandsKiln1?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">More Hands! Kiln #1</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2850875989755604938?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-1703782123004143972010-04-10T13:30:00.001-04:002010-04-15T10:46:55.228-04:00<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/kgZcIB27vU0dMTKQJLtIPg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8RODN43CsI/AAAAAAAABmY/XisVmBRKP9c/s400/20100412%20-03.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKiln3?feat=embedwebsite">Scissors, Kiln #3</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div>So, since I was stupid with the last molds, this is a "too many part" mold making technique. I invested my waxes in a two part mold, using vasaline as a resist. They came apart well, though some of them I made too thin ad they broke... that's ok. I separated them and steamed the wax out, then wired them together and hand built a mother mold to hold them together. Then I built a massive reservoir and attached two of the molds to it, and poured a second mother mold over that. Horrah! I used a lot of vasaline to create a gap, and shaved away parts of the space between the original two-part mold to deliberately create fins, in hopes that the glass would flow better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Were fired on April 4th with the following schedule, which I stole from Jesse's sandy screwdriver:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. 2:00 to 100C</div><div>2. 12:00 to 150C</div><div>3. 22:00 to 650C</div><div>4. 26:00 @ 650C</div><div>5. 26:01 to 870C</div><div>6. 36:00 @ 870C</div><div>7. 36:01 to 515C</div><div>8. 46:00 @ 515C</div><div>9. 66:00 to 400C</div><div>10. 78:00 to 20C</div><div><br /></div><div>The molds were still wet when I checked them, so I added 8 hours to the drying cycle when I checked at 380C. I unloaded the kiln on April 10th, and let the molds sit for a few days.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/ehDRUxvTetpeeicMlJ8heA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8aPJNMiaMI/AAAAAAAABuc/X5OQbBmIXoM/s400/Process-0001.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKiln3?feat=embedwebsite">Scissors, Kiln #3</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div>None of the molds worked... In the picture above the are the three on the left and the one on the far right. They all worked better than the last time I fired scissors, though. I'm not really certain why they didn't work, since some of the ones from the next firing (the two really finny ones), which was exactly the same, did work. maybe the built-in fins were not so apparent in these molds. The straight half of the scissors did tend to work better anyways, so I'll put success rates down to easier flow in the ones that didn't have a bent handle.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pictures of this firing are here:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:11px;"><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKiln3?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S8RN-XbbuqE/AAAAAAAABug/k5e4K-i--qA/s160-c/ScissorsKiln3.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsKiln3?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Scissors, Kiln #3</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-170378212300414397?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-11473515540752367782010-04-06T10:03:00.007-04:002010-04-15T10:46:43.328-04:00<div>So, this is a mold making entry, because I never fired these... I was having a stupid day.</div><div><br /></div><div>I decided to try the scissors again with the giant reservoir option. These molds had six parts each in them, but I bent the vents, so I couldn't get them out... also, i steamed them for about 6 hours and couldn't be sure the wax was all gone, so I didn't think it would be a good idea to fire them. humbug.</div><div><br /></div>All the pictures of this non-firing are in the following album:<br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsNthAttempt?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NeraWERNE/AAAAAAAABkk/b-bYe-GkmVo/s160-c/ScissorsNthAttempt.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/ScissorsNthAttempt?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Scissors, Nth Attempt</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1147351554075236778?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-46353859850337107022010-03-31T10:03:00.015-04:002010-04-15T10:46:32.931-04:00<div>This firing was in Kiln 2, with hands on both the bottom level ad the top, and three first year molds on the top shelf.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Kiln was Fired March 19th, and unloaded on March 26th on this schedule:</div><div>1. 3:00 to 100C</div><div>2. 15:00 to 150C</div><div>3. 20:00 to 650C</div><div>4. 25:00 @ 650C</div><div>5. 25:01 to 870C</div><div>6. 32:00 @ 870C</div><div>7. 32:01 to 515C</div><div>8. 45:00 @ 515C</div><div>9. 71:00 to 390C</div><div>10. 84:00 to 20C</div><div><br /></div><div>All my molds worked out well... one of the first year molds was way over full... the glass ran out of their mold, off the shelf, into one of my molds, out of my mol, off the bottom shelf, and onto the element.... so Kiln 2 is out of commission for now...</div><div><br /></div><div>Now for all that polishing. horray.</div><div><br /></div>All the pictures I took of this firing are in the following album:<br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHorrahKiln2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNLkg43tmNnEtwE&amp;feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NcFMxvhQE/AAAAAAAABkQ/OJvyo9uQn8c/s160-c/MoreHorrahKiln2.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHorrahKiln2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNLkg43tmNnEtwE&amp;feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">More! Horrah! Kiln 2</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4635385985033710702?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-78335452056132593232010-03-25T10:03:00.002-04:002010-04-15T10:46:12.400-04:00<div>Here's another full kiln one of hand pressings, fired on the same schedule on March 19th:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-size:13px;"><div>1. 3:00 to 100C</div><div>2. 10:00 @ 100</div><div>3. 16:00 to 650C</div><div>4. 19:00 to 875C</div><div>5. 26:00 @ 875C</div><div>6. 26:01 to 515C</div><div>7. 36:01 @ 515C</div><div>8. 46:00 to 390C</div><div>9. 57:00 to 20C</div><div><br /></div><div>This was unloaded on March 25th.</div></span></div><div><br /></div>All the pictures of this firing are in the following album:<br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHandPressings?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NcGhQF29E/AAAAAAAABiw/j6vQvnciL3w/s160-c/MoreHandPressings.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/MoreHandPressings?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">More Hand Pressings</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-7833545205613259323?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-62702306809974126622010-03-03T10:03:00.002-05:002010-04-15T10:46:01.954-04:00<div>Here's more Hand Pressings, fired on february 27th in Kiln 1 on the following program:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. 3:00 to 100C</div><div>2. 10:00 @ 100</div><div>3. 16:00 to 650C</div><div>4. 19:00 to 875C</div><div>5. 26:00 @ 875C</div><div>6. 26:01 to 515C</div><div>7. 36:01 @ 515C</div><div>8. 46:00 to 390C</div><div>9. 57:00 to 20C</div><div><br /></div><div>They were unloaded on March 3rd.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The pictures of this firing are here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsKiln1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJeD1Y_pyJqVVA&amp;feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NcIfxWyoE/AAAAAAAABj8/2EnfTFtS2zU/s160-c/HandPressingsKiln1.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsKiln1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJeD1Y_pyJqVVA&amp;feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Hand Pressings Kiln 1</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-6270230680997412662?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-83984404487700477902010-02-24T17:17:00.006-05:002010-04-15T10:45:49.451-04:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.designhopetoronto.ca/images/10_art/francis-lg.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NWxmvseVI/AAAAAAAABiE/U4dSMZD51f4/s400/0224001224.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NWxmvseVI/AAAAAAAABiE/U4dSMZD51f4/s400/0224001224.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;font-size:100%;color:#666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div>This is a firing of five hand pressings, using the lost wax method. The molds were made on Friday February 19th, and were 60% Silica, 40% Plaster.<br /><br />They were fired in Kiln #2 at 23:10 on the following program:<br /><br />1. 1:00 - 100 degrees<br />2. 12:00 @ 100<br />3. 13:00 - 150<br />4. 18:00 - 600<br />5. 18:01 - 855<br />6. 25:00 @ 855<br />7. 25:01 - 515<br />8. 32:00 @ 515<br />9. 47:00 - 375<br />10. 57:00 - 50<br /><br />The vent was pulled @ 779 degrees, step 5, 10:45pm Feb 20 (sat). As it was coming down, it was vented 1/2" at 63 degrees. The kiln was opened @ 31 degrees on Wednesday, February 24th at 12:25.<br /><br /><div><i>edit: April 12... These pieces are up for auction in support of <a href="http://www.designhopetoronto.ca/">Design Hope Toronto</a>'s fundraiser for Edmond Place in Parkdale this friday, April 16th.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.designhopetoronto.ca/images/10_art/francis-lg.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 153px; " /></span></i><div><br /></div><div><br /><br />All the pictures of this kiln are here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/DesignHopeKiln?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NWvtjz8ZE/AAAAAAAABiE/4oWPiK-UW1k/s160-c/DesignHopeKiln.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/DesignHopeKiln?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Design Hope Kiln</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8398440448770047790?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-39521179394317255262010-02-13T10:03:00.003-05:002010-04-15T10:45:36.247-04:00<div>This is a test to see how the text that I had previously fired onto the sheet glass slumped into a form.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fired on February 11th in the Mercedes on the following schedule:</div><div>1. 1:00 to 125C</div><div>2. 4:00 @ 125C</div><div>3. 5:00 to 515C</div><div>4. 6:00 to 750C</div><div>5. 8:30 @ 750C</div><div>6. 8:31 to 530C</div><div>7. 11:11 @ 530C</div><div>8. 16:30 to 400C</div><div>9. 19:30 to 20C</div><div><br /></div><div>I took them out on February 13th.</div><div><br /></div>Pictures of this firing are here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.ca/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/EnamelSlumpingTest?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/S7NWuHSngbE/AAAAAAAABh0/qU_zIKnapDY/s160-c/EnamelSlumpingTest.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/EnamelSlumpingTest?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Enamel Slumping Test</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3952117939431725526?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-40952332504684996482009-12-14T09:00:00.003-05:002009-12-14T10:27:59.140-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWRBLxPnKI/AAAAAAAABcU/jWESfgxMbZ4/s288/DSC00490.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWRBLxPnKI/AAAAAAAABcU/jWESfgxMbZ4/s288/DSC00490.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yesterday, during my blowslot, I did some tests, firing enamels that had been screen printed directly to sheet glass and firing decals onto previously blown forms.<br /><br />I set up all of them in the pickup box and sent it up to 560 C, full speed. The sheet glass tests were all set up on a pastorale.<br /><br />Firing decals onto blown forms:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyZM4ct3fQI/AAAAAAAABdw/aRJq7pBf2EM/s288/PC140002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyZM4ct3fQI/AAAAAAAABdw/aRJq7pBf2EM/s288/PC140002.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The decals I made worked alright. I only used the parts that hadn't smudged completely, and they came off the decal paper alright, except in some cases where drips of the cover coat had gotten around to the reverse side of the paper, which fused the decal to the decal paper in that place. <br /><br />I put the decals on both the inside of the glass and the outside. They fired on properly in both positions.<br /><br />Firing enamels on sheet glass on pastorale:<br /><br />1. a small test, one layer, enamel up.<br />2. 3 layers, enamels facing up.<br />3. enameled sides facing each other.<br /><br />I fired them all in the glory hole until the enamels glowed.<br /><br />In all the tests I did with the sheet glass, the enamels seem to have fired on properly wether they were exposed to air or not, which I think means that in kiln casting, I wont need to have a separate firing for curing the enamels, and one for fusing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyZM4cgj_FI/AAAAAAAABd0/rMKj85VaTng/s288/PC140003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyZM4cgj_FI/AAAAAAAABd0/rMKj85VaTng/s288/PC140003.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4095233250468499648?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-32646833655718659202009-12-13T11:35:00.004-05:002009-12-13T20:44:10.084-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVKa8hMOI/AAAAAAAABPM/yVU1rcpC3gI/s288/DSC00448.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVKa8hMOI/AAAAAAAABPM/yVU1rcpC3gI/s288/DSC00448.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This is a frit-tinting test. All the clear used was System 96.<br /><br />I tested four colours, Black (G50FP), Crimson (G178FP), Olive Green (G31FP), and Gold Brown (RW215#2) as well as clear.<br /><br />The three clear test were as follows:<br /><br />1. 45g clear furnace pellets.<br />2. 40g clear frit made from blowing furnace.<br />3. 23g clear powder, very fine. (This is 23g because it was so fluffy that I couldn't fit more than 23 g in the mold.)<br /><br />The colour tests were as follows for each colour:<br /><br />1. 1g colour, 39g clear frit, this is 1/40 colour<br />2. 2g colour, 38g clear frit, this is 1/20 colour <br />3. 4g colour, 36g clear frit, this is 1/10 colour<br />4. 10g colour, 30g clear frit, this is 1/4 colour<br />5. 16g colour, 24g clear frit, this is 2/5 colour<br /><br />I mixed the colour and clear by weight, and added some water, shook the mix so that the powder would evenly coat the frit, and poured it into the mold.<br /><br />Here is a picture of the molds before firing:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVRnUEHFI/AAAAAAAABPo/-bIaGcnYqvA/s288/DSC00455.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVRnUEHFI/AAAAAAAABPo/-bIaGcnYqvA/s288/DSC00455.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />These molds were fired in Kiln #5 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 5:00 to 125 C<br />2. 15:00 to 150 C<br />3. 22:00 to 650 C<br />4. 27:00 @ 650 C<br />5. 27:01 to 875 C<br />6. 34:00 @ 875 C<br />7. 34:01 to 520 C<br />8. 43:00 @ 520 C<br />9. 61:00 to 390 C<br />10. 70:00 to 50 C<br /><br />The kiln was fired at 13:00 on Wednesday December 9th, 2009.<br /><br />Here are the results:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQ17A7TsI/AAAAAAAABcM/kDCtXqbYq9g/s288/DSC00489.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQ17A7TsI/AAAAAAAABcM/kDCtXqbYq9g/s288/DSC00489.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The black was very strong, it is relatively hard to tell the difference between 10% colour and 40% colour, and almost impossible to tell the difference between 25% and 40%.<br /><br />In proportions above 25%, the gold brown reduced, showing greens and blues that were quite lovely, but definitely not brown.<br /><br />The green and red stayed true to colour, and there is noticeable difference between each of the different ratios of colour to clear. When there was less colour, the colouration was less even, most of the pigment concentrating in one place in the test.<br /><br />For the clear tests, the pellet was almost clean, the frit had quite a few bubbles, and the powder was white and almost opaque.<br /><br />The pictures associated with this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FritTintingTest?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVIrW0qyE/AAAAAAAABPo/aCIGsKV9sHs/s160-c/FritTintingTest.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FritTintingTest?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Frit Tinting Test</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3264683365571865920?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-73579351086185855862009-12-11T21:48:00.006-05:002009-12-13T21:36:01.380-05:00Yesterday evening, Amanda and finally got into the print studio to do some silk screening.<br /><br />I had gone in on Monday to shoot a screen, but it didn't come out very well, so we washed it out (easy!) and re-shot it, this time with both my images and hers. <br /><br />Both times the screen was shot we used plain laser printer print-outs saturated with vegetable oil to make them transparent. I think that the images that didn't work weren't good because they were not dark enough. They were text and line drawings that were quite fine, and they came out clear on the screen where I had traced over them in india ink pen, but not where it was just the computer print out. I think they would have worked out better if they had been on a truly transparent ground, or if they had been darker or bolder lines.<br /><br />The second screen turned out great, Amanda had a river map, a road map and a suburb map, and I had some text from Pablo Neruda's "ode to the atom" and my swan images (the ones from the photo sand blasting tests.)<br /><br />I had already mixed Reusche "Best Black" high-fire enamel on Monday morning, at a ratio of 2:1 decal medium to powder by weight. This time it was smooth, since I first mixed it with a palette knife, and then with a glass muller for 15 minutes.<br /><br />We did some test prints with normal printing ink, and after finding that we hadn't completely screwed up the screen, we printed enamel directly onto sheet glass. For each of them the glass was clean, and we flooded the screen before printing. They all went well for a first try at screen printing for both of us, but we could definitely get better detail with more practice. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQijz0xxI/AAAAAAAABb4/iVcHqVjHk08/s288/DSC00484.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQijz0xxI/AAAAAAAABb4/iVcHqVjHk08/s288/DSC00484.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />We also printed the images onto decal paper (which is paper impregnated with gum arabic,) those also worked pretty well.<br /><br />We also wanted to try to silk screen sandblasting resist. Andy suggested something called "tool dip," normally used to coating the handles of hand tools, but when each of us asked about it in hardware stores, they staff didn't know what we were talking about, so we weren't able to try that, instead we used Weldbond white glue.<br /><br />Printing glue doesn't work so well, it seems to degrade the photo resist, so the image was not particularly clear. We thought that we might get a thicker layer of glue if we flooded the screen more times, but that just made the image very smudged. We were also going to try silicone caulking, but decided not to since the screen quality was not so great after the white glue, partially since the silicone we had is quite acidic, so we thought it would just make things worse.<br /><br />Here are pictures of the results from sand blasting the screen printed glue:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWUYaTx9aI/AAAAAAAABdk/RDfnwOLRoQk/s288/PC130001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWUYaTx9aI/AAAAAAAABdk/RDfnwOLRoQk/s288/PC130001.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I like them, they aren't as detailed as the photo resist, of course, but interesting enough. I'm not sure I'd bother to go to the trouble of screen printing it though, glue is a better resist when it is painted on (it stands up to the sandblaster for longer) and the detail isn't good as we had thought possible.<br /><br />In the picture above, top left is white powder on black glass, top right is the same, the bottom left is red on white, and the bottom right is red on black.<br /><br />On Friday afternoon I took everything back into the printing studio to print covercoat on the decals. I'm not even really sure what i did wrong, but the cover coat got everywhere, the coat on the decals was way to thick and ruined the enamels because it made them run. The screen was horrible to clean out, I scrubbed it with mineral spirits for about an hour and the covercoat would come out. Finally, I gave up and pressure washed it out, which worked pretty well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQj82J7zI/AAAAAAAABb8/4-mPpuFrOCw/s288/DSC00485.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQj82J7zI/AAAAAAAABb8/4-mPpuFrOCw/s288/DSC00485.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So, I'll be firing these on on Sunday during my blow slot, hopefully they work out... I'm not so sure about silk screening, mostly, the results I've gotten so far aren't what I had hoped.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-7357935108618585586?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-22116961198011795102009-12-11T16:30:00.005-05:002009-12-13T21:06:51.894-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUFMgrrQI/AAAAAAAABNE/t7Mbu02sy2w/s288/DSC00445.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUFMgrrQI/AAAAAAAABNE/t7Mbu02sy2w/s288/DSC00445.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I hate clay. completely. I may be over-reacting, or misplacing judgement, maybe I'll re-evaluate later.<br /><br />I really love pottery, many of my favorite artists are ceramists, but a truly hate working with clay. Especially when I have to make a plaster mold around it. I tried to give it a chance, but I love wax more. This may be because I don't have a lot of experience with working in clay, so I leave it too wet, or too dry, or any other multitude of wrong decisions, so maybe I should take a class on sculpting in clay, and I would love it more but right now clay sucks.<br /><br />So, this firing has 3 molds of wax hearts in it to be used in the stems of goblets. The positives were wax, made from a Poyo mold. They were 40% Plaster and 60% silica. The Molds were made, steamed and packed on Sunday December 6th. They fired beautifully.<br /><br />The larger mold in the middle of the kiln was my "grail for the soul," right. So, clay positive, it worked out OK. it was a bowl-like form made of raven's wings. It seemed like the right thing for me for this idea, wrapping up my identity in thought and memory, which are obscuring. They were to be cast in clear, and tinted with something black to make the detail come out. <br /><br />So, I built a dam around it it with crazy carpets, and poured the outside, and the core of the three-part mold. While the plaster was setting, the whole clay positive fell apart. Probably because I suck with clay. Maybe it was too wet? Maybe the moisture was uneven? Anyways, in trying to put it all back together while it was in the plaster, I made a massive mess of plaster everywhere, and destroyed the texture. At this point I think, "whatever, as long as you can maintain some semblance of the form, you can engrave the texture." Right. I'm crazy.<br /><br />So, cut registration keys, and resisted the mold with vaseline, and poured the third part. That wet well, at least.<br /><br />De-molding also went well, the mold came apart easily, I would use vaseline instead of clay slip in the future, I was able to get my mold apart on my own. <br /><br />In getting the clay out of the mold, a thing layer of plaster also came off the inside of the mold, where it has been mixed with clay because of all my poking and prodding while the first part of the mold was setting to get it to fit back together. Other than that, with some soaking, the clay came out pretty easily.<br /><br />I filled the mold and a flowerpot with glass, and didn't measure it, because I was upset.<br /><br />I'm re-doing this in wax later.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUGSGgy2I/AAAAAAAABNI/ndLv3cWmAKY/s288/DSC00477.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUGSGgy2I/AAAAAAAABNI/ndLv3cWmAKY/s288/DSC00477.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The molds were fired in kiln #4 on the following schedule:<br />1. 2:00 to 90<br />2. 10:00 to 100<br />3. 14:00 @ 100<br />4. 20:00 to 600<br />5. 21:00 @ 600 (pull vent)<br />6. 21:01 to 850 <br />7. 30:00 @ 850<br />8. 30:01 - 515<br />9. 38:00 @ 515<br />10. 54:30 -375<br />11. 63:00 - 50<br /><br />The program was started at 22:15 on Sunday December 6, and unpacked at 13:00 on Friday December 11th.<br /><br />All the hearts turned out beautifully. I love salmon. Each of the heart molds was charged with a flowerpot of 400g of hotshop cullett leftover from my blown hearts, so clear and Salmon coloured. They all de-molded nicely, and Im going to pick them up in the hotshop on Sunday the 13th.<br /><br />The Grail mold was intact, no cracks, de-molded nicely, and completely filled. So, in my mind this means that everything not related to clay went great. The piece sucked because the form was ruined by my molding mess and the detail was gone. Again, I'm re-doing it in wax in the new year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUI_n99yI/AAAAAAAABNQ/NezkPOxFdXg/s288/DSC00480.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUI_n99yI/AAAAAAAABNQ/NezkPOxFdXg/s288/DSC00480.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The photos of this firing are in the following album, there aren't a lot of them, mostly because I was distracted by plaster messes:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GrailAndHearts?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUELGcCyE/AAAAAAAABNU/g-j9XRg_Qqc/s160-c/GrailAndHearts.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/GrailAndHearts?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Grail and Hearts</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2211696119801179510?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-90522385084788037802009-12-11T16:30:00.004-05:002009-12-13T21:02:02.977-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUTYij5ZI/AAAAAAAABNg/8OifguFgqUo/s288/DSC00478.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUTYij5ZI/AAAAAAAABNg/8OifguFgqUo/s288/DSC00478.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />These are three molds of hearts for goblet stems.<br /><br />The molds were 40% plaster, 60% silica by volume, and were charged with flowerpots with 400g of salmon and clear hotshop cullet.<br /><br />The molds were fired in kiln #3 on the following schedule:<br />1. 2:00 to 90<br />2. 10:00 to 100<br />3. 14:00 @ 100<br />4. 20:00 to 600<br />5. 21:00 @ 600 (pull vent)<br />6. 21:01 to 850 <br />7. 30:00 @ 850<br />8. 30:01 - 515<br />9. 40:30 @ 515<br />10. 60:00 -375<br />11. 70:00 - 50<br /><br />The program was started at 22:00 on Sunday December 6, and unpacked at 13:00 on Friday December 11th.<br /><br />Two out of the three flowed perfectly, the third didn't completely flow out of the flowerpot into the mold, so needs to be re-fired. There is no difference that I can see between the ones that flowed and the one that didn't, so, I don't know what was up there.<br /><br />While cutting the reservoir off of one of them, it shattered, I'm really not sure why:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQYKb64MI/AAAAAAAABbw/0Z-1z1ZVWOw/s288/DSC00483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWQYKb64MI/AAAAAAAABbw/0Z-1z1ZVWOw/s288/DSC00483.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />But, for the one that worked in this firing and the other firing that these were in, I took them into the hot shop and made glasses with them in the stem... one of those worked, one went away with a cracked foot, and about 4 hit the floor (I re-used the castings when things went wrong):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWRujmURAI/AAAAAAAABcs/QwnV0vd372k/s288/DSC00497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWRujmURAI/AAAAAAAABcs/QwnV0vd372k/s288/DSC00497.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Here are Pictures for this firing:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HeartsForGoblets?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUQ4b7d0E/AAAAAAAABNg/tcGQUlomMmE/s160-c/HeartsForGoblets.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HeartsForGoblets?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Hearts for Goblets</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-9052238508478803780?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-21701760526559321452009-12-11T11:36:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:25:18.900-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzhRlMM5I/AAAAAAAABTc/S1es7_q-ILA/s288/PC120002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzhRlMM5I/AAAAAAAABTc/S1es7_q-ILA/s288/PC120002.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />For these tests the main glass I used was Bullseye Reactive Cloud Opal, 000009. It is supposed to react to silver and copper when fired. <br /><br />The above picture is post-firing. numbered from top left to bottom right, the tests are:<br /><br />1. Silver leaf on 000009, also half covered by 000009.<br />2. Silver leaf on 000009<br />3. Silver leaf between layers of 000009<br />4. Silver leaf under 000009<br />5. Bullseye 001116 (Turquoise Blue) between layers of 000009<br />6. 001116 under 000009<br />7. 001116 over 0000009<br />8. New Aquamarine coarse frit on 000009<br />9. fine and coarse copper wire on 000009<br />10. coarse copper wire wrapped around 000009<br />11. fine copper wire wrapped around 000009<br />12. RW43fp on 000009<br />13. penny on 000009<br />14. penny under 000009<br />15. silver leaf on 001116 with 000009 on top <br />16. silver leaf on 000009 with 001116 on top<br />17. RW19 on 000009<br />18. R05 on 000009<br />19. RW 215 #2 on 000009<br />20. RW 219 #2 on 000009<br />21. RW39hp on 000009<br /><br />Fired in the mercedes on the following program:<br /><br />1. 3:00 to 677<br />2. 3:01 to 804<br />3. 3:11 @ 804<br />4. 3:12 to 482<br />5. 3:40 @ 482<br />6. 5:10 to 371<br />7. 5:11 to 20<br /><br />Fired at 16:00 on Thursday December 10th, out at 15:00 on Friday December 11th.<br /><br />There really wasn't much of a reaction in most cases, never with the silver leaf. The copper and copper-bearing glasses each reacted at least a little. The copper turned red, and Bullseye 001116 also turned red. <br /><br />The most interesting reactions were the following:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzh9GN7UI/AAAAAAAABTg/FXGaS_rq8Sw/s288/PC120003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzh9GN7UI/AAAAAAAABTg/FXGaS_rq8Sw/s288/PC120003.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This is # 8, New Aquamarine Transparent on 000009. I like the copper halos around each chunk of frit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzjMOCgUI/AAAAAAAABTo/3Q3Z5y-QAN4/s288/PC120005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPzjMOCgUI/AAAAAAAABTo/3Q3Z5y-QAN4/s288/PC120005.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Above is RW39 hp, which is copper blue, it turned a dark, rich brown with flecks of bright blue throughout.<br /><br />Since these were both copper-bearing blues, the differences between the results may have more to do with particle size than with the particular colour used.<br /><br />The pictures of this firing are in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BullseyeReactiveGlassTest?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPUcDhPK8E/AAAAAAAABN0/52EZpo6DVK0/s160-c/BullseyeReactiveGlassTest.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BullseyeReactiveGlassTest?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Bullseye Reactive Glass Test</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2170176052655932145?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-7117289197773873392009-12-08T11:37:00.001-05:002009-12-13T20:45:53.409-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPU1aa6EDI/AAAAAAAABOQ/SgsN95iEkaU/s288/DSC00461.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPU1aa6EDI/AAAAAAAABOQ/SgsN95iEkaU/s288/DSC00461.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />In the image above, the top resist blasts away to white, the bottom left blasts away to white, and the bottom right blasts away to black. The photo-resists came back from us ordering them much smaller than expected, so I decided to treat them as tests, to I cut them up and glued them to the differently layered coloured sheet glass that I made.<br /><br />I did the powder fusing in a previous post in order to sand blast them with photo resist, and the results were pretty good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWSXhzmjEI/AAAAAAAABc0/fikCK7YI0Vs/s288/PC130032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWSXhzmjEI/AAAAAAAABc0/fikCK7YI0Vs/s288/PC130032.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Here are the tests I did:<br />1.1 black powder over red powder on white sheet<br />1.2 white powder over red powder on black sheet<br />2.1 black powder on white sheet<br />2.2 white powder on black sheet<br />3 blasted into fused sheet, black on steel blue on white.<br /><br />1.2 (the top right in the picture) was the first one i blasted, I guess the glue hadn't dried yet, because the resist just blasted right off after about 30 seconds.<br /><br />I blasted them all at 20psi.<br /><br />I'm really happy with these results, the detail is good, and would be better with larger images (because the points of resist would be larger and stronger.) In the new year, Amanda and I are planning on exposing out own photo-resist in the print studio. I think I'll be working this into future projects.<br /><br />All the photos I have of this are in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PhotoResistSandblasting?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPU0YXjVUE/AAAAAAAABOk/ncOg0TKqIvg/s160-c/PhotoResistSandblasting.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PhotoResistSandblasting?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Photo-resist Sandblasting</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-711728919777387339?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-3055305254922454502009-12-02T11:34:00.000-05:002009-12-12T15:22:30.397-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVD0rxPzI/AAAAAAAABT8/k5RFX8VsXrc/s288/DSC00456.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPVD0rxPzI/AAAAAAAABT8/k5RFX8VsXrc/s288/DSC00456.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />I fused powdered glass to sheet glass (System 96) to have blanks to test some sandblasting techniques. this post is on the fusing firing, future posts will be on the cold working tests.<br /><br />The above picture is post firing, from top left to bottom right, the tiles are as follows:<br />1. Thick black powder on white sheet<br />2. Thin black powder on white sheet<br />3. Thin black powder on white sheet<br />4. Thick black powder on white sheet<br />5. Thin black powder on white sheet<br />6. Thick white powder on black sheet<br />7. Thin black powder on white sheet<br />8. Red powder on black powder on white sheet<br />9. Red powder on black sheet<br />10. White powder on red powder on black sheet<br />11. White powder on black sheet<br />12. Thin white powder on black sheet<br />13. Thick white powder on black sheet<br />14. Red powder on white sheet<br />15. Red powder on white sheet<br />16. Black sheet on white powder on black sheet<br /><br />These were fired in kiln #2, with the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 3:00 - 538<br />2. 3:01 - 793<br />3. 3:31 @ 793<br />4. 3:32 - 538<br />5. 4:00 - 516<br />6. 5:30 - 427<br />7. 10:00 - 50<br /><br />The kiln was fired on Monday November 30th, and unloaded on Wednesday December 2nd.<br /><br />Since the Elements are out on Kiln #2 in the bottom, I built the shelves higher than where the elements are missing. There were two shelves in the Kiln. The powder all fused fully, the texture is not particularly even, it's a little dappled, and on the ones where there was more than one layer of coloured powder the colour in the middle shows through a little. This might be remedied by sifting thicker layers of colour onto the sheet glass.<br /><br />The pictures of this firing are in this album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PowderFusing?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPTtXoH09E/AAAAAAAABPA/fk11xAIQVi0/s160-c/PowderFusing.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PowderFusing?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Powder Fusing</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-305530525492245450?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-73247081824726196702009-11-29T11:33:00.001-05:002009-12-13T09:30:58.139-05:00These came out of the mold covered in plaster residue, so I sandblasted them, but wanted them to look more glassy, so kiln polishing again!<br /><br />These pieces were fire polished in the Mercedes on November 27th, 2009. They were unloaded on November 29th.<br /><br />The program I used was as follows:<br /><br />1. 5:00 to 535 C<br />2. 5:01 to 705 C<br />3. 5:06 @ 705 C<br />4. 5:07 to 515 C<br />5. 5:37 @ 515 C<br />6. 7:07 to 427 C<br />7. 12:00 to 20 C<br /><br />There were no problems, no much to say on this one. they look better after firing than they did before.<br /><br />The pictures of this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ContinentsFirePolishing?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPTMIQd8dE/AAAAAAAABMs/BZi1mqDnn-o/s160-c/ContinentsFirePolishing.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ContinentsFirePolishing?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Continents Fire Polishing</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-7324708182472619670?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-79222836683513122712009-11-13T11:29:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:32:50.944-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPS60iHLEI/AAAAAAAABLY/lXmDgyUHmso/s288/DSC00421.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPS60iHLEI/AAAAAAAABLY/lXmDgyUHmso/s288/DSC00421.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />These pieces were polished in the mercedes on October 12th. 2009, and unloaded on October 13th, 2009. They were fired on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 3:00 to 535 C<br />2. 3:01 to 705 C<br />3. 3:06 @ 705 C<br />4. 3:07 to 515 C<br />5. 3:37 @ 515 C<br />6. 5:07 to 427 C<br />7. 10:00 to 20 C<br /><br />The sandblasted texture of the frog piece (also for the friend who wanted the frogs from the last post) polished out nicely, I'll use this in the future. The saw-cut edges on the pendants (from the aperture pour that I did in the summer at Toni's place) didn't polish out. I will try fire polishing them in the flame working studio, that might work better.<br /><br />All the Photos I took of this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FrogFirePolishing?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPS4fZnUYE/AAAAAAAABLc/kjNMrYCe9lc/s160-c/FrogFirePolishing.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FrogFirePolishing?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Frog Fire Polishing</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-7922283668351312271?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-45061423161959208742009-11-01T11:39:00.005-05:002009-12-13T21:15:55.039-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWUTnHFFoI/AAAAAAAABdg/w2zQ9T951Ew/s288/PC130004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWUTnHFFoI/AAAAAAAABdg/w2zQ9T951Ew/s288/PC130004.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />I've been experimenting with "drawing" on paper with glass. This came out of thinking so much about drawing on glass, I decided to turn it on it's head and draw <span style="font-style:italic;">with</span> glass instead.<br /><br />So, this involves paper, water and hot glass. I wet the paper (or not) and take a gather out of the furnace, and drop it on the paper. If the paper catches fire, I drop some water on it to halt the burning.<br /><br />The variables include how wet the paper is, direction of glass, and how far from the furnace to the paper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWS9fmn0SI/AAAAAAAABdA/9fSFhMQZjz0/s288/PB140200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyWS9fmn0SI/AAAAAAAABdA/9fSFhMQZjz0/s288/PB140200.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I've been experimenting with different weights of watercolour paper. The texture of the heavier ones is lovely with the burn marks, but I quite like how the lighter papers burn through completely in some places, leaving negative spaces in the image. I tried to use some lighter weight papers than watercolour paper, but they pretty much dissolved in the water, and didn't burn, just sizzled when the glass touched them. Coloured pastel paper is a good weight, but I prefer the plain white of the watercolour paper, it shows off the tonal differences in the burns better.<br /><br />Don't worry, the glass in question doesn't go to waste, I needed frit anyways for kilncasting.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4506142316195920874?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-80553335323862912072009-10-27T11:28:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.944-05:00This is notes on a firing of frogs and Hand pressings I did. The frogs were on request from a friend of mine.<br /><br />I'm not actually certain which firing schedule was used for these molds, but since they were in a kiln that was the final firing of the multi-fire project, I'm guessing it was something like this:<br /><br />1. 2:00 - 100C<br />2. 8:00 - 150C<br />3. 13:00 - 600C<br />4. 14:00 @ 600C<br />5. 14:01 - 840C<br />6. 15:15 @ 840C<br />7. 15:16 - 540C<br />8. 18:00 @ 540C<br />9. 20:00 - 430C<br />10. 23:00 @ 430C<br />11. 32:00 - 300C<br /><br />They were fired in Kiln #1 on October 28th, 2009, and the kiln was unloaded on November 1st, 2009.<br /><br />All of these were packed with talc-like powder, and the frogs had forest green frit mixed in at a 2:5 ratio. For the frogs, the opaque, bubbly texture that comes with using so fine a powder was nice, it made them look ancient, but I really didn't like it for the hand pressings, it was way too rough, and didn't pick up the high detail of the texture that the ones I did last spring with furnace pellet did. They look to physical for me when they are cast in powder. The clearer finish makes them look more ethereal.<br /><br />All the photos associated with this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/Frogs?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPSiKsNC-E/AAAAAAAABQg/Eh7Y9GlyauA/s160-c/Frogs.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/Frogs?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Frogs!</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8055333532386291207?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-40711029909336157762009-10-19T11:28:00.003-04:002009-12-13T21:30:59.852-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG8SKJpw4I/AAAAAAAAA_s/8cyESP2lY88/s288/DSC00299.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG8SKJpw4I/AAAAAAAAA_s/8cyESP2lY88/s288/DSC00299.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So, I'm experimenting with enamels. I though I would start by seeing what colours we had available. I mixed all the low-fire colours with painting medium, gradually adding more medium to the mix to get a range of colour densities. <br /><br />I painted the enamels on on October 16th, and they didn't dry before I fired them on the 18th, apparently that's not a problem for firing, but it meant that since I hadn't placed them on a perfectly level surface, they ran, and got all mushed up.<br /><br />The pictures show clear glass tiles with the following colour arrangement:<br /><br />White, Empire Green<br />Dark Blue, Leaf Green<br />Bright Red<br />Blood Red<br /><br />Dark Brown, Resolute Blue<br />Canary Yellow, Green<br />Best Black, Bright Orange<br /><br />The black glass tile is painted in the following arrangement:<br />Empire Green, Dark Blue, Green<br />Leaf Green, Bright Red, Bright Orange<br />Blood Red, Dark Brown<br />Resolute Blue<br /><br />This test was fired in the mercedes on October 18th, and came out on October 19th.<br /><br />This was the schedule I used:<br /><br />1. 0:01 to 575 C<br />2. 0:20 @ 575 C<br />3. 0:21 to 515 C<br />4. 1:50 @ 515 C<br />5. 5:50 to 427 C<br />6. 12:00 to 20 C<br /><br />All the colours fired on at this temperature, except for Best Black, which it turns out I mis-read the label, and it's a high-fire enamel, so needed temperatures of 650-750C. I'm bad at working in Fahrenheit.<br /><br />Also, the colour was exceptionally lumpy and uneven. This is because I have never mixed my own paint before this, and I didn't know I needed to use a palette knife and a muller to get the lumps out. So, Next time I'll mix the enamels right.<br /><br />Next step: Silk screening! Decals and direct to glass.<br /><br />Pictures associated with this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/EnamelTest?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG8Qxj50QE/AAAAAAAABAY/YerNbyeTE5o/s160-c/EnamelTest.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/EnamelTest?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Enamel Test</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4071102990933615776?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-59496440988372959922009-10-16T22:48:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.944-05:00<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pfp6U2PFezEUxlgWS9Jlfg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG7r_33JmI/AAAAAAAAA-4/CEtUN42TmNk/s400/DSC00288.JPG" /></a><br /><br />For this firing, I filled the two smaller molds with very fine System 96 powder that I made in the ball mill with glass from the blowing furnace. The glass was put in the ball mill on Friday at 4pm and taken out on Sunday at noon. It had some large chunks in it that I didn't sift out because I was interested in what the contrast between the sizes would do. For the larger one I painted forest green powder into the continent, and then laid the clear powder over that.<br /><br />The molds were fired on Tuesday, October 13th at 17:00, in Kiln #3 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 2:00 - 100C<br />2. 8:00 - 150C<br />3. 13:00 - 600C<br />4. 14:00 @ 600C<br />5. 14:01 - 840C<br />6. 15:15 @ 840C<br />7. 15:16 - 540C<br />8. 18:00 @ 540C<br />9. 20:00 - 430C<br />10. 23:00 @ 430C<br />11. 32:00 - 300C<br /><br />This firing, as the last of them, was the only that was fully annealed. <br /><br />The molds were taken out of the kiln on October 16th. There were no significant new cracks, though a few small ones had developed. The powder was so fine that it never went transparent, it stayed an almost opalescent white with transparent patches where the large chunks were.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I will edit this post in the future with images of the finished product.<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />All the images associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG7pVtLDeE/AAAAAAAAA_Q/2vEGm5tFyGk/s160-c/MultiFirePart4.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart4?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Multi-Fire Part #4</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5949644098837295992?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-31288535121274116342009-10-16T11:27:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.945-05:00This is another firing of spectrum System 96 sheet glass. You'd think i would come up with something to engrave it with before I fused it, but that's not how I roll. <br /><br />They were amber with white and red with white. and some clear tests of how powder moves between layers of glass and on top of it.<br /><br />These were fired in Kiln #4 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 5:00 - 590<br />2. 5:30 - 660<br />3. 6:00 @ 660<br />4. 7:00 - 710<br />5. 7:01 - 800<br />6. 7:31 @ 800<br />7. 7:32 - 540<br />8. 8:00 - 513<br />9. 9:30 @ 513<br />10. 13:30 - 427<br />11. 19:30 - 50<br /><br />The Kiln was fired on October 14th, and unloaded on October 16th.<br /><br />The fusing went great. no bubbles, not problems. <br /><br />I don't think I'll pursue "drawing" with powder to be fused, I didn't like how much the powders washed or spread out. I'll do some fusings in the future with powder on sheet glass to engrave, that might work better, it will be a thinner layer of colour to cut through, which might be good, as the large changes in depth can look strange.<br /><br />Pictures associated with this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FusingTest?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG8Jv4R-sE/AAAAAAAAA_k/ksBdhrL0Uqg/s160-c/FusingTest.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/FusingTest?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Fusing Test</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3128853512127411634?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-65924778038663541792009-10-12T22:34:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.945-05:00<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sn6XHS3b0TUrM1Epp_K_8g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG7fVmRnPI/AAAAAAAAA-c/51oYzqcJgOU/s288/DSC00281.JPG" /></a><br /><br />For this firing, I placed pieces of white and amber Spectrum System 96 sheet glass into the small two molds. for the larger mold I laid down a layer of largeish System 96 frit made from glass out of the blowing furnace.<br /><br />While I was loading the kiln and leveling the molds in the sand, I levered off a corner of the largest one. To prevent the glass from flowing out at melt temperature, I re-arranged the molds so that the two smaller molds were supporting the broken part of the larger one, and packed sand around them. After the firing, it turned out that there were no noticeable problems due to my breaking the mold.<br /><br />The molds were fired on October 9th at 16:30 on the following schedule in Kiln #3.<br /><br />1. 2:00 - 150C<br />2. 7:00 - 500C<br />3. 9:00 - 600C<br />4. 10:00 @ 600C<br />5. 10:01 - 840C<br />6. 11:31 @ 840C<br />7. 11:32 - 540C<br />8. 13:32 @ 540C<br />9. 15:32 - 430C<br />10. 17:32 @ 430C<br />11. 20:00 - 300C<br /><br />This firing does not fully anneal the glass, since these molds will be fired one more time.<br /><br />They came out of the kiln on October 12th.<br /><br />All the photos associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart3?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG7VSq8FsE/AAAAAAAAA-o/charc2hEKIM/s160-c/MultiFirePart3.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart3?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Multi-Fire Part #3</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-6592477803866354179?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-31049516468543212422009-10-08T23:09:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.945-05:00<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dPQSjZ_qDXcP2fg_YuxeNw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG6ipDJuxI/AAAAAAAAA90/JZ_LO1yRL-o/s288/DSC00270.JPG" /></a><br /><br />After the molds were dried, they were packed with a mixture of clear and crimson powder, I wanted a gradual fade, so I started with pure crimson and gradually added clear to it as I was packing the mold.<br /><br />The molds were then fired On October 2nd, for the first glass firing in the Italian on the following schedule:<br />1. 106F/hour to 212 F<br />2. 15F/hour to 300F<br />3. 158F/hour to 932F<br />4. 106F/hour to 1112F<br />5. AFAP to 1544F, hold 90 minutes<br />6. AFAP to 1004F, hold 120 minutes<br />7. 124F/hour to 806F, hold 120 minutes<br />8. 117F/hour to 572F<br />9. End<br /><br />I was sick at the beginning of the week, so I didn't unload my molds from the kiln until October 8th. <br /><br />This schedule does not properly anneal the glass, this is in order to save kiln time, since these molds will be fired a number of other times. The first drying step was included as a safety in case additional water was introduced into the molds during the packing stage.<br /><br />The molds came out uncracked, and the glass was fully melted and not de-vitrified.<br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MuitiFirePart2?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG3k2EISmE/AAAAAAAAA90/tzSPdSBjeUc/s160-c/MuitiFirePart2.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MuitiFirePart2?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Muiti-Fire Part #2</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3104951646854321242?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-35239721329618503492009-09-30T11:55:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.945-05:00I did some fused tiles for engraving/sandblasting images into. They were all Spectrum System 96 sheet glass, two with teal blue, and two with forest green. All of them were three sheets thick, two coloured sheets on the bottom, and one white on top.<br /><br />They were fired in Kiln #2 on the Following Schedule:<br /><br />1. 5:00 - 590<br />2. 5:30 - 660<br />3. 6:00 @ 660<br />4. 7:00 - 710<br />5. 7:01 - 800<br />6. 7:31 @ 800<br />7. 7:32 - 540<br />8. 8:00 - 513<br />9. 9:30 @ 513<br />10. 13:30 - 427<br />11. 19:30 - 50<br /><br />They were fired on September 28th, 2009, and unloaded on September 30th, 2009.<br /><br />The top shelves fused fully, and smoothly. but the bottom two shelves had some bubbles. These aren't serious, I will be able to work them out though the coldworking process.<br /><br />Images associated with this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BlueAndGreenFusings?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG4XYL_beE/AAAAAAAAA8w/iVFOvs5Cmj8/s160-c/BlueAndGreenFusings.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BlueAndGreenFusings?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Blue and Green Fusings</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3523972132961850349?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-80810785142545459642009-09-29T01:31:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.946-05:00<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZuzObkzqecUR2bEDVdWLCA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG3Lh57-WI/AAAAAAAAA7I/wFODje2TnLQ/s288/P9250098.JPG" /></a><br /><br />I made three positives in clay of maps of continents. The molds were made out of a 40/60 plaster/silica mix, which was allowed to soak for 5 minutes before stirring, and was de-gassed by tapping the bucket until the air bubbles rose to the surface. I waited too long in this process before investing the clay in the plaster, so the mixture was much more set than it should have been. The molds were made with clay dams.<br /><br />The molds were dried on September 26th, before they were packed, on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 5:00 - 80C<br />2. 44:00 @ 80C<br /><br />Argentina was fired in the middle shelf of kiln #2, and India and Africa were fired on the top shelf of kiln #1.<br /><br />The drying firing does not go all the way up to 100C in order to prevent steam cracks. They were unloaded on Monday September 28th.<br /><br />All the photos associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart1?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SuG3FR_wCcE/AAAAAAAAA7g/A41lk0fVcJw/s160-c/MultiFirePart1.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/MultiFirePart1?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Multi-fire Part #1</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-8081078514254545964?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-91190662597260972712009-06-26T20:00:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.946-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPSAAVy0bI/AAAAAAAABKg/OD1HSngsPeE/s288/DSC00200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPSAAVy0bI/AAAAAAAABKg/OD1HSngsPeE/s288/DSC00200.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />While I was visiting Toni in Campbell River, I tried an aperture pour.<br /><br />I put 500g of Spectrum System 96 sheet glass cut-offs in a flower pot and suspended it above a kiln washed shelf in the center of the kiln.<br /><br />Additionally, there were two other molds in the kiln. One that was system 96 cut-offs arranged in a porcelain slumping mold, and one that was 300g of mixed system 96 cut-offs suspended over a porcelain slumping mold on burned out furnace elements.<br /><br />It was fired on the following schedule (her kiln uses rate/hold, and all temperatures are in Fahrenheit):<br />1. 600F/hour to 1700F, hold 90 minutes (melt)<br />2. AFAP to 1540F, hold 30 minutes (smooth)<br />3. AFAP to 960F, hold 60 minutes (soak)<br />4. 50F/hour to 800, hold 1 minute (slow anneal)<br />5. 100F/hour to 700, hold 1 minute (anneal)<br />6. 200F/hour to 100, hold 1 minute (cool to room temperature)<br /><br />Estimated total time: 16 hours<br /><br />The kiln was fired at 10:05 am on June 25th 2009, and came down June 26th in the afternoon.<br /><br />The pot drop worked beautifully, all the transparent reds and greens burned out, becoming opaque and more muted. The furnace elements slumped, so they were fused to the glass, causing stress fractures in the piece, though the colour patterns on the bottom were interesting.<br /><br />The pictures I took of this firing can be found here:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SummerAperturePour?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SyPR5dAICUE/AAAAAAAABKo/KptUWIyzIj0/s160-c/SummerAperturePour.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/SummerAperturePour?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Summer Aperture Pour</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-9119066259726097271?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-12605878594056300212009-04-25T22:17:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.946-05:00<table style="width: auto; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E80olj9L1o5nt0ksd9VHUg?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_M_nGm-HI/AAAAAAAAAjM/ajpjYebu2L8/s288/DSC00169.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />To re-fire the apple molds which didn't fill in the previous firing, I cut the flower pots off the left over glass in them, and drilled the holes in new ones larger so the glass would hopefully flow better. the new flower pots were filled with the leftover glass from the previous firing.<br /><br />Other people in the kiln were Victor, Tom, Warren and Cailey.<br /><br />Also, there were three more bird molds, which were each filled with 170g casting furnace frit.<br /><br />It was fired on April 20th, on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 1:00 - 100<br />2. 14:00 - 125<br />3. 20:00 - 600<br />4. 22:00 @ 600<br />5. 22:01 - 875<br />6. 27:00 @ 875<br />7: 27:01 - 520<br />8. 42:00 @ 520<br />9. 57:00 - 390<br />10. 62:00 - 50<br /><br />There was leftover wax in Tom's mold which caught fire, we kept the vent in the kiln until it stopped smoldering.<br /><br />the Kiln came down on April ----.<br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ApplesReFireBirds?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_RyMWj1rE/AAAAAAAAAlQ/QVjoxPN_Lx4/s160-c/ApplesReFireBirds.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" width="160" height="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ApplesReFireBirds?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Apples re-fire, birds</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1260587859405630021?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-34870229032573340932009-04-23T09:00:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.946-05:00<table style="width: auto; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr align="center"><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aXnqIHk7QENZSY2ovJgwJw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_LpS8mw_I/AAAAAAAAAh8/yJxNfWuBRmI/s288/P4140013.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />This is the firing for the Chili pepper and Sage bowls, which was in kiln 5 with Amanda and Robyn.<br /><br />The molds were 40% plaster, 60% Silica, as per usual, hand built over wax bowls with real plants pressed onto the outside. to remove the positive, the wax was steamed out, and I picked out the chilis and burned out the sage with a MPS gas torch.<br /><br />The chili bowl was packed with latte, salmon, crimson, and light amber trasnparent pate-de-verre, and the sage bowl was packed with latte, olive green transparent, pine green transparent, and eel green and light amber transparent.<br /><br />The void in the bowl was filled with sand.<br /><br />It was fired on April 19th, on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 1:00 - 100<br />2. 6:00 - 100<br />3. 11:00 - 515<br />4. 13:00 - 720<br />5. 18:00 @ 720<br />6. 18:01 - 550<br />7: 25:00 @ 550<br />8. 39:00 - 400<br />9. 46:00 - 50<br />10. 84:00 - 50<br /><br />the Kiln came down on April 23rd.<br /><br />I am happy with the placement of the colours, but some of the colours fired to the wrong tone. The Salmon turned a dark brown, which was lovely, but not the brighter red that it fires to in a full melt, and the latte turned a taupe colour. So I should do some pate de verre tests on colours at the beginning of next year. I should have used the gold brown, instead of the light amber, I like that brown better.<br /><br />The sides of the bowls didn’t slump as much as the star anise brown, maybe because I packed it tighter this time, or maybe because it was thinner than the last one.<br /><br />The carbon in the sage mold doesn't have any negative effect on the glass that I can tell.<br /><br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PateDeVerreBowls?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_RWUb3ToE/AAAAAAAAAk8/0YH8K9c3lqc/s160-c/PateDeVerreBowls.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" width="160" height="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/PateDeVerreBowls?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Pate de verre bowls</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3487022903257334093?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-91005361897813423862009-04-19T22:05:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.946-05:00<table style="width: auto; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NJJiV_rn4jH8VH5pbGopyQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SfHKmddkRFI/AAAAAAAAAlo/jttpZv5z_7M/s288/P4140018.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Kiln #1 was packed by me, Jen, Jesse T, and Sonya. In this picture, the two large molds in the back are the bowls, the red flowerpot is the apple, and the three small flowerpots, one to the left and two to the right of the bowls, are the hand pressings. The space holders are for Jen’s bowls, the large flat mould is Jesse’s, which a shaved 6” off of all the way around to fit it in, the large mold on the left is Sonya’s last heart. The rest are Jen’s keys.<br /><br />The molds were 40% plaster, 60% Silica.<br /><br />The apple had flower pots placed over them with Salmon coloured cullet from the hot shop, 600g, the wax was 178 g.<br /><br />The hand pressings had built-in reservoirs, that were filled with System 96 furnace pellets, 270g in #3 (wax: 76g), and 178g in #4 (wax: 43g) , and 340g in #5 (wax: 92g).<br /><br />The bowls also had flower pots, in #1, I filled the mold with glass and put the excess in the flower pot, and in #2, all the glass was in the flower pot. Each one had 1kg of glass, the waxes were 310g.<br /><br />It was fired on April 15th, on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 3:00 - 150<br />2. 15:00 @ 150<br />3. 22:00 - 515<br />4. 25:00 - 600<br />5. 25:01 - 875<br />6. 30:00 @ 875<br />7: 30:01 - 515<br />8. 38:01 @ 515<br />9. 55:01 - 400<br />10. 68:00 - 50<br /><br />the Kiln came down on April 19th.<br /><br />Everything fired well, the apple even flowed.<br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsBowlsApple?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_R-VQtA-E/AAAAAAAAAlk/LecT_GQ34_0/s160-c/HandPressingsBowlsApple.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsBowlsApple?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Hand pressings, bowls, apple</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-9100536189781342386?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-28982702776916064712009-04-14T21:46:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.947-05:00<table style="width: auto; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LQlS9oXhZ25YsKIs7gT6rA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_LjusaruI/AAAAAAAAAh0/4vatofhN-Wk/s288/P4140011.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I got into a kiln with Rachel and Robyn with a full melt. Apples #1 and #2 and Hand pressings #1 and #2 got in and were placed on a shelf at the back of kiln #2. Underneath the shelf was Rachels large flat mold, and beside were two tall, cylindrical molds for Robyn's balances.<br /><br />The molds were 40% plaster, 60% Silica, as per usual.<br /><br />The apples had flower pots placed over them with Salmon coloured cullet from the hot shop, 600g in each (wax: 178g).<br /><br />The hand pressings had built-in reservoirs, that were filled with System 96 furnace pellets, 325g in #1 (wax: 70g), and 135g in #2 (wax 35g).<br /><br />It was fired on April 14th, at 00:30 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 2:00 - 100<br />2. 10:00 - 150<br />3. 16:00 - 600<br />4. 18:00 @ 600<br />5. 18:01 - 860<br />6. 22:00 @ 860<br />7: 22:01 - 515<br />8. 38:00 @ 515<br />9. 68:00 - 390<br />10. 84:00 - 50<br /><br />When I checked the Kiln at hour 18, the molds were still steaming, so I recycled to step 3, and gave it two more hours to dry.<br /><br />The kiln came down on April 19th.<br /><br />The hand pressings fired well, but the glass didn't flow out of the flower pots for the apples, so they were only half filled, so they will be re-fired.<br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsApples?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Se_SOl1oO1E/AAAAAAAAAlg/Ym7GcEewfiw/s160-c/HandPressingsApples.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/HandPressingsApples?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Hand pressings, Apples</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-2898270277691606471?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-44945557458507604982009-04-05T21:54:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:32:50.947-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SdvT_2cncdI/AAAAAAAAAg8/P0oBb391Y9M/s1600-h/P3310156.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SdvT_2cncdI/AAAAAAAAAg8/P0oBb391Y9M/s320/P3310156.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322080478569132498" /></a><br /><br /><br />The molds were made of 60% silica and 40% plaster.<br /><br />These molds were fired on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 5:00 - 125<br />2. 20:00 - 150<br />3. 30:00 - 650<br />4. 35:00 @ 650<br />5. 35:01 - 900<br />6. 40:00 @ 900<br />7: 49:01 - 515<br />8. 53:00 @ 515<br />9. 79:00 - 390<br />10. 92:00 - 20<br /><br />The Molds went in on Monday March 30th, and came out on Sunday April 5th.<br /><br />Brain 4kg furnace pellets. Water displacement: 7.4kg, wax 1.2kg.<br />Usually, the ratio for wax:glass has been 1:3 roughly, but this time is was 1:7, which both Orion and I thought was strange, so I put less glass in the flower pot for fear of overflow.<br /><br />Heart 3kg furnace pellets. I forgot to water displace the heart, but I rememberd that it weighed approx 3/4 of the brain in wax.<br /><br />5 birds each with 170g frit from casting furnace.<br /><br />Abstract, wax 101g, mold packed with 294g Tea coloured cullet.<br /><br />I used flowerpots on the Heart, Brain and the abstract.<br /><br />When the firing was finished, there wasn't enough glass in either the heart of the brain, obviously I should have suck to the water displacement amount of glass, it seems that that was right.<br /><br />I couldn't re-fire, since the brain mold split horizontally when I lifted it out f the kiln, and the heart mold was too fragile. Also, the locks inside the mold lost their bars somehow (probably during steaming?) and floated off the inside of the mold. There is therefore a lot of stress in the glass around them.<br /><br />all the images associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BrainAndHeart?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SdvRJN8EmDE/AAAAAAAAAgg/v6JijwRGTFQ/s160-c/BrainAndHeart.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/BrainAndHeart?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Brain and Heart</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Another possibility for this firing was as follows (this was the firing for Vanessas "Hand Hive"):<br />1. 5:00 - 125<br />2. 15:00 - 150<br />3. 22:00 - 650<br />4. 27:00 @ 650<br />5. 27:01 - 845<br />6. 32:00 @ 845<br />7: 32:01 - 515<br />8. 41:00 @ 515<br />9. 59:00 - 390<br />10. 68:00 - 20<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-4494555745850760498?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-6721215686884394102009-02-20T20:45:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.328-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SdqiQJGVUZI/AAAAAAAAAeY/vtQ2U9UCu5o/s1600-h/DSC00078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SdqiQJGVUZI/AAAAAAAAAeY/vtQ2U9UCu5o/s320/DSC00078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321744307895751058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So, since the first firing of the scissors didn't work out so well, here's a second attempt.<br /><br />This time, the molds were poured, one-part 60% silica, 40% plaster, and were steamed by wrapping them in a plastic bag in order to raise the internal temperature of the whole mold. This process removed all the wax easily. The molds had built-in reservoirs.<br /><br />The same firing schedule was used:<br /><br />1. 3:00 - 100<br />2. 10:00 @ 100<br />3. 16:00 - 650<br />4. 19:00 @ 650<br />5. 19:01 - 875<br />6. 26:00 @ 875<br />7: 26:01 - 515<br />8. 31:00 @ 515<br />9. 41:00 - 390<br />10. 52:00 - 20<br /><br />The kiln was fired on February 17th, and came out on February 20th.<br /><br />The glass didn't flow through the molds completely, always stopping short of the scissor handle.<br /><br />All the pictures associated with this firing can be found in the following album:<br /><br /><table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ScissorsOnePartMolds?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Sdqc8fxAD8E/AAAAAAAAAdY/UBGQtoV3hyU/s160-c/ScissorsOnePartMolds.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ScissorsOnePartMolds?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Scissors, One-Part Molds</a></td></tr></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-672121568688439410?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-39608322215361137252009-02-15T19:47:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.328-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Sdqhygc8ecI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/PLvlNYvt2eI/s1600-h/DSC00085.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Sdqhygc8ecI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/PLvlNYvt2eI/s320/DSC00085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321743798768531906" border="0" /></a><br />For my scissors, I have made a silicone mold out of clear bathroom caulking from a large pair of shears. The caulking made the shears rusty, in future, for molding from metal objects, I will explore other options. maybe PoYo, Body double, or Alginate.<br /><br />The molds were made in 4 steps, two layers on each side. I attached a cup to the pointed end of the scissors to act as a reservoir for the wax.<br /><br />The mother mold is poured plaster. Wax positives were poured from these molds.<br /><br />For the firing, I used two part molds, split horizontally. They were 60% silica, 40% plaster.<br /><br />Each mold was packed around the impression with clear frit, I did not weigh the frit.<br /><br />Fired in the Mercedes, on the following program:<br /><br />1. 3:00 - 100<br />2. 10:00 @ 100<br />3. 16:00 - 650<br />4. 19:00 @ 650<br />5. 19:01 - 875<br />6. 26:00 @ 875<br />7: 26:01 - 515<br />8. 31:00 @ 515<br />9. 41:00 - 390<br />10. 52:00 - 20<br /><br />The molds went in on Thursday February 12th, and came out on Sunday, February 15th at 6am.<br /><br />In both molds, the top half sunk into position properly, leaving flashing all around the form, but (since there was no flow) even though there was a long, full melt, the frit still had memory, and had a pâte-de-verre-like texture to the outside.<br /><br />I was too rough while de-molding, and broke both pieces in half in the process.<br /><br />I will make future attempts with moulds that have flow, so as to get a smooth texture on the outside of the scissors.<br /><br />All pictures associated with this firing can be found in the follwing album:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr align="center"><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ScissorsTwoPartMold?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/Sdqb_ZeKqgE/AAAAAAAAAZ4/QqXMQkxkHzY/s160-c/ScissorsTwoPartMold.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ainsley.francis/ScissorsTwoPartMold?feat=embedwebsite" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Scissors Two-Part Mold</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3960832221536113725?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-33571311897093650742008-12-08T20:05:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.329-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/vkx1Ue9u3aKRU17XRMi_QQ"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnNGzvSHI/AAAAAAAAASY/tBldD4EWdFs/s288/PC120007.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />These birds were all cast out of identical PoYo mold in wax, and then bent into modified positions after being warmed slightly.<br /><br />The wax originals were attached to clay reservoirs, and the 40% plaster, 60% silica molds poured and steamed on December 3rd, and fired on December 4th, in Kiln 1 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 1:00 - 100<br />2. 2:00 @ 100<br />3. 7:00 - 515<br />4. 9:00 - 600<br />5. 9:01 - 865<br />6. 14:00 @ 865<br />7: 14:01 - 515<br />8. 29:00 @ 515<br />9. 49:00 - 400<br />10. 69:00 - 35<br /><br />They came out of the kiln on Monday December 8th.<br /><br />Going around the circle in the above picture from the first red one on the top left:<br /><br />Together #2, the wax weight was 45g, which was 187g of furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 285g of mystery red cullet.<br /><br />Together #1, the wax weight was 45g, which was 148g of furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 25g of gold ruby frit and 245g of clear furnace pellets.<br /><br />Heads Down #1, the wax weight was 52g, which was 152g of furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 16g of ivory white powder, and 236g furnace pellets.<br /><br />Heads Down #2, the wax weight was 50g, which was 149g of furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 30g of ivory white powder, and 231g clear powder.<br /><br />Heads Down #4, the wax weight was 52g, which was 161g of furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 22g of opal white powder, and 242g furnace pellets.<br /><br />Heads Down #3, the wax weight was 50g, which was 197g of System 96 furnace pellets by water displacement. In the mold, I used 16g of opal white powder, and 236g furnace pellets.<br /><br />The album below has pictures of the process:<br /><p id="sourceComment_60" class="lhcl_commenttext"><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/f/img/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Birds27#5278394278784525458"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUCfTklPW4E/AAAAAAAAAXo/faVVir_L8bE/s160-c/Birds27.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" width="160" height="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Birds27#5278394278784525458" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Birds #2 - #7</a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><br />Since both the ivory white birds turned brown, and there were brown spots in the last firing I did in ivory white, it seems that ivory white turns brown when kiln cast. The extent to which it changes seems to be influenced by the firing schedule, since the ones in the shorter firing were much more brown than the ones in the longer firing.<br /><br />The powder melts de-vitrify and look very stone-like, which is an effect that I like.<br /><br /><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-3357131189709365074?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-54924456063715911612008-12-06T19:50:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.329-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/CoBM2GD7MXGIqi7P1MEEIw"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnJ0aW-xI/AAAAAAAAAR8/xWrT-x_fIJs/s288/PC120005.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br />For the Bowl, the wax mold was attached to a clay reservoir. The weight of the wax was 192g, and by water displacement, equivalent to 571g of clear System 96 furnace pellets, and I used that glass in the mold.<br /><p id="sourceComment_10" class="lhcl_commenttext"><br />The mold was 7" x 7", 60% Silica, 40% Plaster, and poured.</p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/JmuVt4sozjz7XIuLxvKFrg"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnUmpEzEI/AAAAAAAAASA/q11b1in3kmY/s288/PC120009.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For the goblet Stem, the wax mold was again attached to a clay reservoir. The mold was 4.5" x 5", poured into a plastic pineapple container. The wax weighed 89g, and was equivalent to 270g of furnace pellets, for the casting, I used 275 clear cullet, and 20g powder (Colour RW HP229).<br /><br />Both molds were poured and steamed on December 1st, and Firing started on December 1st in Kiln #4 on the following schedule:<br /><br />1. 3:00 - 150<br />2. 15:00 @ 150<br />3. 22:00 - 515<br />4. 25:00 - 600<br />5. 25:01 - 875<br />6. 30:00 @ 875<br />7: 30:01 - 515<br />8. 38:01 @ 515<br />9. 55:01 - 400<br />10. 68:00 - 50<br /><br />More pictures are available here:<br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/f/img/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/BowlAndGobletStem#"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUBOrlHksaE/AAAAAAAAAXk/wKgCzl_blNU/s160-c/BowlAndGobletStem.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/BowlAndGobletStem#" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Bowl and goblet stem</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The goblet stem was picked up in the hotshop on December 9th, it was sent up to 515C over the course of 5 hours, then soaked for one hour, then sent up to 560C before being picked up and attached to a bubble and re-annealed on a normal annealing schedule for blown work in our studio.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5492445606371591161?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-55634895554557894552008-11-24T19:28:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.329-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/vb57k5-SPDxC5F6n-SDr9g"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnQMndgRI/AAAAAAAAAR4/nZy7FjfUPzI/s288/PC120008.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The original for this piece was wax, 9cm x 4.5cm x 5cm. The mold had a built in reservoir made out of clay. The mold was 60% Silica, 40% Plaster, and poured on Sunday November 23rd.<br /><br />I measured 210g of cullet by water displacement, and filled the mold and reservoir with 191g of clear System 96 furnace glass and 34g fine ivory Powder (G102 FP).<br /><br />The mold stayed intact through firing, on the following full-melt schedule:<br />1. 1:00 - 100<br />2. 14:00 @100<br />3. 21:00 -515<br />4. 24:00 - 600<br />5. 24:01 - 875<br />6. 31:00 @ 875<br />7. 31:01 - 515<br />8. 46:01 @ 515<br />9. 76:01 - 400<br />10. 100:00 - 50<br /><br />The schedule was much longer than required for this size of piece because it was maximized for the largest piece in the kiln, which was Robyn's spiked piece. The melt time was longer in order to make sure that the spikes filled, and the annealing time was long, because that piece was much larger than mine, and more fragile, so the program was very conservative.<br /><br />More pictures of the process are here:<br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/f/img/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Bird1#"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUBPtXFxMEE/AAAAAAAAAXc/WaeYrzMnLy0/s160-c/Bird1.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Bird1#" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Bird #1</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />There were a couple of brown spots on the back of the bird after firing, which may mean that I didn't steam the wax out of the mold well enough, or that the clear or ivory powder were contaminated.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-5563489555455789455?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-14555749843134991522008-11-10T18:50:00.000-05:002009-12-13T09:33:02.329-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/xbUF43-Pc-TujFkVMNhSfQ"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnG6rCRvI/AAAAAAAAASE/lwYtKHGWOkw/s288/PC120003.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />These were fired in kiln #2, with the following schedule:<br />1. 3:00 - 538<br />2. 3:01 - 793<br />3. 3:31 @ 793<br />4. 3:32 - 538<br />5. 4:00 - 516<br />6. 5:30 - 427<br />7. 10:00 - 50<br /><br />They were put in, Monday November 10th, and came out Wednesday November 12th.<br /><br />There were four shelves, the bottom shelf was two layers of grey over one layer of white. The second shelf up was two layers of steel blue over one layer of white. Each of those shelves were pieces that were 10" x 6.5". The third shelf up were smaller samples, one was cream on the bottom, grey, then black, and the other was black on the bottom, grey and then white. The top shelf was small two-layer colour samples. All the glass was Spectrum System 96 tested 3mm sheet.<br /><br />After firing, the bottom layer had a lot of bubbles between the layers of glass. In the future, I will try the following firing schedule in order to reduce bubbles:<br /><br />1. 5:00 - 590<br />2. 5:30 - 660<br />3. 6:00 @ 660<br />4. 7:00 - 710<br />5. 7:01 - 800<br />6. 7:31 @ 800<br />7. 7:32 - 540<br />8. 8:00 - 513<br />9. 9:30 @ 513<br />10. 13:30 - 427<br />11. 19:30 - 50<br /><br />Also, the second shelf up cracked in one of the corners. Probably because I didn't kiln wash the dams that I used around the fusings properly.<br /><br />All the pictures from the process are in the following album.<br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/f/img/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Fusing1#"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUVEt4N4NNE/AAAAAAAAAXU/OG-Dy56MVR8/s160-c/Fusing1.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/Fusing1#" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Fusing #1</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I intended to engrave all the pieces, but the two larger ones were cracked or bubbled. I did engrave the smaller samples, but the one that was black on top, did not work very well, in the future, I will make sure the have to top colour be thinner than the bottom one, as cutting through the two layers of dark colour to the lighter colour on the bottom left the back layer too thin, and forced me to cut away too much glass. The image at the top of this post is of the finished engraving on the sample that was white on top.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-1455574984313499152?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552197981845427155.post-9840163938775458382008-10-07T08:47:00.000-04:002009-12-13T09:33:02.329-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/xCGcKjrnw-pq6PtrJjqUsQ"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUJnEYohleI/AAAAAAAAARo/wCgL1r7vNmM/s288/PC120004.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The mold for this bowl was an open-faced, lost wax plaster silica hand-built mold. I made silica molds of real star anise, and took wax impressions from those molds and attached them to a blank wax bowl. The wax was approximately 2.5" X 5". After the mold was built and steamed, there were quite a few really bad undercuts, where the plaster had filled in between the anise and the bowl, so I cleaned those up as best I could. The mold was approximately 2" thick throughout. The mold was built on September 28th, and Steamed on October 3rd, 2008.<br /><br />On October 5th, I packed the mold with System 96 powdered glass in the following colours:<br />1. Light Amber 5 clear : 2 colour<br />2. Gold Brown - 8 clear : 2 colour<br />3. Black Transparent - 5 clear : 2 colour<br /><br />The mold was fired on October 6th, with the following pate-de-verre fusing schedule:<br /></div><p style="text-align: left;" id="sourceComment_100" class="lhcl_commenttext">1 hour to 100°C,<br />6 hours @ 100°C,<br />11 hours to 515°C,<br />13 hours to 720°C,<br />18 hours @ 720°C,<br />18.0<wbr>1 hours to 550°C,<br />25 hours to @ 550°C,<br />39 hours to 400°C,<br />46 hours to 50°</p><br /><br /><table style="width: 194px;"><tbody><tr><td style="background: transparent url(http://picasaweb.google.com/f/img/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat scroll left center; height: 194px; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="center"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/StarAnise1#"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1h4itpbah5M/SUBNrusVVYE/AAAAAAAAAXQ/h1dneJNWzAc/s160-c/StarAnise1.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0pt 0pt 4px;" height="160" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/ainsley.francis/StarAnise1#" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Star Anise #1</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />More details and pictures are available in the attached Picasa album.<br /><br />I will re-make this bowl, as during the firing, the pate-de-verre slumped and pulled away from the edges of the mold, making the upper edge of the bowl rough and fragile. Also, a lot of plaster was fused into the glass, and is impossible to remove.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1552197981845427155-984016393877545838?l=minorcastings.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ainsley Francisnoreply@blogger.com1