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Title: Blood and Oil
Artist: AJGlass
Image created by: AJGlass using an Epson Perfection 1200U scanner and PhotoShop.
Medium: Glass
Type: Soft Glass, 104 Coefficient of Expansion (Moretti/Effetre, Vetrofond, Lausha)
Description: Glass Beads

Details: The focal bead is ¾ of an inch long. Dark red glass and black glass were used to make the focal and the spacer beads. These beads have been annealed in a kiln for 18 hours. The focal bead took 25 minutes to make and each spacer took 2 minutes to make. No image color correction was necessary. These beads have been calibrated and temporarily strung.

Discussion: It was difficult for me to create this set because I kept messing up on the focal bead. Originally the focal bead was supposed to be round. However, while mixing the black and dark red glasses together, I overheated them too much in the torch flame and they spread out along the length of the mandrel. So when I went to shape the final bead, I ended up with a wobbly round one – which in my opinion isn’t good.

Not one to be easily deterred, and not wanting to waste any glass, I decided to marver the wobbly round bead and turn it into a cylinder. Unfortunately, as I was marvering the glass I accidentally pressed too hard and ended up giving my cylinder a flat side. At that point I decided to just go with it and commenced to flatten three other sides into the cylinder thus making a rectangle.

For a couple of minutes I pondered the rectangle as I spun it in my torch flame. I eventually decided that it was a bit too plain to be left alone. So I carefully added two red Cheerios – on opposite sides of the rectangle. To me, these Cheerios added some character to the bead and made it unique. After adding the Cheerios, I put the completed focal into vermiculite – where it cooled down to room temperature – as I made 14 spacer beads to go with it.

Further comment: To me the Cheerios look like red spacer beads which have stuck to the sides of the focal. I think it’s a neat effect. The Cheerios won’t fall off of the focal because they are permanently fused to it.

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without expressed written consent.

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