Glow

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Title: Glow
Artist: AJGlass
Image created by: AJGlass using a Panasonic DMC-LZ7 Lumix 7.2 MP camera and PhotoShop.
Medium: Glass
Type: Soft Glass, 104 Coefficient of Expansion (Moretti/Effetre, Vetrofond, Lausha)
Description: Glass Beads

Details: Light windex blue glass was used to create these spacer beads which have been annealed in a kiln. These small beads took 3 minutes each to make and 10 minutes to acid etch. All of these beads were annealed for 18 hours. No image color correction was necessary. The light source used for this image was sunlight. These beads have already been sold.

Discussion: I’ve found that windex blue glass is one of the more difficult colors of glass for me to use. This is because it tends to bubble and boil easily for me in the torch flame, which leads to ugly-looking included beads. The light windex color doesn’t bubble and boil as much as the dark windex color does – which is why I prefer to use it instead, even though the dark windex is a prettier glass.

Acid Etching: While these beads are beautiful, they become even more so when they are acid etched. Each one of these beads was individually strung onto some plastic fishing line and then submerged for 10 minutes into etchall. They were strung individually so that they would not be in contact with each other while in the acid. To ensure that the surface of each of the beads was evenly etched, I kept them in almost constant motion while in the acid by carefully dragging them back and forth. Etchall cannot burn through plastic so the plastic fishing line was not affected by the acid.

After the beads had been submerged for ten minutes, I removed them from the etchall and dropped them into a large plastic bucket of water, which diluted the acid and stopped the etching process. Once all of the beads had been etched and dropped into the bucket of water, I took the bucket over to a large sink and ran more water into the bucket for several minutes. I was then able to remove the beads from the bucket, cut them off of the fishing line, dry them, calibrate them, and temporarily restring them for sale – which is how you see them here.

About Etchall: Etchall is a liquid whose active ingredient is 20% ammonium bifluoride. It permanently etches, mattes, and “fingerprint proofs” glass beads. Etchall is a very dangerous acid product and it is harmful if swallowed. It also will burn through clothing and skin, though the burns may not be immediately painful or visible. To work with etchall, I wear protective gloves and safety glasses and only use it in my studio where there is adequate ventilation.

Further Comment: Under just about any type of lighting source, these etched beads seem to glow with a warm, almost fuzzy type of blue light. This is especially true when they are placed in or near sunlight. The etched surface scatters the light as it leaves the bead. It also gives these beads a very soft and pleasing tactile feel. These beads are probably as close as glass will ever get to being “warm and fuzzy”.

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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