Aommaster's Progression

[aommaster]

Hi Cerberus!

Yeah, that Kobuki video is fantastic. I've watched it more than four times so far. This gather in the middle idea is something I haven't seen before so I'll give it a try and see what happens (took me a few reads to figure out what you were describing). Funny thing is, I was trying something like this earlier today for a completely different design.

Thanks for the tip!

[aommaster]

Make a large gather in the MIDDLE of a 10mm rod, let it cool a bit then make another gather next to it, like a sideways 8. Cool a bit then heat between them and gather together, you will have a fat gather in the middle. Cut one side of the 10mm rod off and you have a much bigger maria than is easily done on the end. Also, shape that big maria into a pear shape rather than a ball. Watch the John Kobuki video on YouTube, it’s lesson #1 for marble makers.

Hi! Just wanted to give you an update as to my progress. I cannot thank you enough. The "pear shape" comment you made was one of those things that's so obvious, but needs to be pointed out to you so that you pay attention. I tried a marble yesterday again, without using the gather in the rod technique you mentioned and managed to build up a really large gather without it flopping around. I think I learnt a lot about heat control on that.

Then I flattened it into a maria and just as I was flattening it, everything just made sense. I think I learnt more about heat base, heat control and technique in that one compression. I didn't get a perfect maria, but it was far better, and infinitely more centered than any other maria I had ever made. In fact, I was so excited that I got it centered properly, I forgot to complete the implosion, so the flower ended up near the bottom of the marble.

But, today I've done it again, and tried to modify the size of stringer I'm using so the colors get a little less transparent. I'll post a picture later once it's done annealing.

Thank you so much!

[aommaster]

(1" diameter)

As promised, here is my latest attempt at an implosion marble. Thanks to Cerberus again, I am really happy with the way it turned out. Shaping was perfect, the implosion was centered, the termination was nice as well. The stringers I used were a little thick, as I noticed from my previous attempts I was using really thin stringers. I've been experimenting with stringer thickness, and I think just a hair thinner would be the sweet-spot for it.

One minor question: The green I'm using is Northstar Millennium Moss. Is there a green that is a little more opaque? If you look closely, you'll notice the edges of the leaves start to fade away. I'd like to have a more defined edge on that if possible.

[Cerberus]

Very nice!

[snoopdog6502]

Looking good. Flowers and cremation marbles and pendants are my main money maker.

You are on the right track.

[Jackass Glass]

great work man!

[Shattered Dreams]

I like to use jackpot, but its a little on the dark side.
maybe a mix of the two would be good.

[aommaster]

I like to use jackpot, but its a little on the dark side.
maybe a mix of the two would be good.

Jackpot is the Glass Alchemy sparkle color, right? Does the sparkle show up on the leaves when it implodes? It might make for an interesting effect in itself!

[aommaster]

(1.2" diameter)

Decided to try out another floral implosion. This time, I wanted to try it with multiple layers of petals. Overall, I think it came out pretty well. The only issue I'm still having is my stringers are a little too thick, which is something I need to work on.

Additionally, once all the patterns are done and imploded in the right position, I think I need to give one last compression to ensure the petals all open up.

But other than that, I think I have the technique nailed down now when it comes to larger pieces. Now, it's just a matter of practice!

[aommaster]

Here's something a little different. At some point, I'd like to be able to sell my work. I've already designed a website and the best way to have people look at your work is to take great photos of it.

So I decided to try and take a product photo of the marble above. With a little post-processing in Photoshop, this is what I was able to come up with.



It's the exact same marble as above, just shown off a little bit more!

[Mute]

I can't stand photo shop or filters. Drives me crazy, just looks fake.

Glass always looks best in hand IMO. Pictures never do justice or hide all the flaws...

I don't buy glass but when I look at others glass the photos are worth 1000 words.

Its almost like the advertising and presentation is a whole other art IMO.

I just like to make stuff selling it and advertising drains my life force.

Nice pics, can't wait to see your site. Good job!

[aommaster]

Retouching in Photoshop is a necessity if you want to take professional-looking photos. However, I do agree that some people do go overboard. For my needs, I only retouch the image so that I remove aspects that look bad - particularly, dust. It's really dusty here in Dubai and the acrylic surface is a nightmare to work with because it reflects literally everything. And let me also add that this acrylic surface is brand new. I literally removed the protective wrapping around it 15 minutes before the shoot.

I used Lightroom for color correction to get the black to pop out. Cameras don't see color and light the way our eyeballs do, so you use Lightroom for a "color correction", if you will. You'll notice the changes are very subtle, because I used a very controlled environment to take the photos, which reduces the amount of post-processing required. If one chooses to not take care of how they're taking the photos, a lot more post-processing is required. But I generally prefer to get an almost-perfect image right from the camera. Saves me a lot of work later on!

To give you an idea, here's the raw image, straight from the camera:


And here it is with the color correction applied:


And this is the final again for comparison:

[dustyg]

You might try using a sheet of window glass with the back side spray-painted black, instead of using acrylic. Plastics get static-y and attract dust like crazy.

[aommaster]

(1" diameter)

A slightly different thing planned for today. I wanted to try and learn how to use an Amber Purple. This is Northstar Amber Purple that I first pulled from a tube. I got very little purples from it. I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone experienced with using this would be able to help me with:

1. I burned off the haze that was formed, but I noticed it developed again while I was working it in the flame. What causes the haze to reform? Time? High oxygen?
2. To work the purple, I first burned off the haze, waited for it to cool so it was not glowing anymore. Then I heated it just enough so it started glowing. Then I waited to cool again. Rinse and repeat. Is this the correct way to get the purples out? I was using an oxidizing flame.
3. Can an Amber Purple be "unstruck"? Ie. if I had purples, could I make it go back to amber again? Or is it just a one-way process?
4. Is it normal for the haze to redevelop so quickly? I noticed I had to keep reburning it off every few minutes.

If anyone could answer my questions above and give me some working tips, I'd really appreciate it. I feel like I'm doing something wrong, but I'm quite sure what.

[Misfitman]

the haze would be coming from too lean a fuel mixture. up your oxy to keep the haze at bay! yeah you can unstrike it! if you threw your marble in the kiln for a cycle it would strike from amber to purple.

[hashmasta-kut]

ya try 1075 for an hour.

[aommaster]

Thanks for your replies! Is kiln striking the only way to get purples out of NS Amber purple? Or can I also flame strike?

On the subject of striking, how do I deal with colors that strike at two different temperatures (e.g. Amber Purple and Red Elvis)?

Edit: The reason I ask about flame striking Amber Purple is because I'd like to use the whole range of colors available in one piece.

[Mute]

Flame striking is better IMO

It sounds like it is too hot.

That's why you aren't getting the strike in the flame.

AP will go through cycles of struck and unstruck. But it needs to cool down after being unstruck before trying to strike again.

Try holding the piece in question in a dark or dimly lit area.under bench works good. Make sure the piece isn't glowing at all red/orange.

Then, reheat in the very back of flame oxidizing, until a faint glow.

That should strike it.

I'd say the haze maybe from the same reason. The glass maybe a lot hotter than you think, causing a slight shift on the surface, and a scuzz in return. From movement of glass.

[Sparko]

Yo Fai, since ur so nice with the camera can we get some " post strike" photo's?

[aommaster]

Flame striking is better IMO

It sounds like it is too hot.

That's why you aren't getting the strike in the flame.

AP will go through cycles of struck and unstruck. But it needs to cool down after being unstruck before trying to strike again.

Try holding the piece in question in a dark or dimly lit area.under bench works good. Make sure the piece isn't glowing at all red/orange.

Then, reheat in the very back of flame oxidizing, until a faint glow.

That should strike it.

I'd say the haze maybe from the same reason. The glass maybe a lot hotter than you think, causing a slight shift on the surface, and a scuzz in return. From movement of glass.

Thanks so much for the tips. I'll try it out (hopefully today) and let you know what happens.

Yo Fai, since ur so nice with the camera can we get some " post strike" photo's?

Thanks so much!

I'll definitely be happy to take a "professional" photo of the marble. Assuming I can get it to strike!

But don't expect the marble to be a work of art... I still have a long way to go!