I was asked to make a custom kokopelli in glass a few months ago. It turned out to be my biggest piece I’ve ever made 16×24 inches. It was also pretty challenging and tough piece to make. I wanted to do it as a screen print but the only resist I could get was a photo resist. I’ve done photo resists before but the only time I’ve done it properly was in class.
The picture on the left is the glass with the photo resist applied. The second picture is the glass with the kokopelli sandblasted into it. The thing that makes photo resist a bit tough is the resist can raise up and the blast media can get under it. I had to continually tape it back down.
Here is the kokopelli after the enamel was applied and cleaned up. I also applied some little stars at the top. They are made with copper enamel. Clean up was a pain as well I used razor blades, wipe out tools, and q-tips
I have to tell you I was a bit nervous about putting it in the kiln. As I said it was my biggest piece and I was a bit unsure of the firing schedule. So I fired it really slow and it took 2 full days. When it came out I’m not sure if you can see in the picture but it’s not pure black. I’m really proud of how it turned out, especially when you consider it’s not only my biggest piece it’s the first time I applied enamel in this manner. In fact I was expecting the black to be a bit darker. I think it’s because of the sandblasting. I like it though because it gives it more character. I showed it to my friend who ordered it and she liked it as well. Which makes me so happy.
I applied the glass hangers on the back and let them cure for 2 days.
If you would like to see more of my fused glass work please refer to my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. If you get a chance, check out all my sites, Fused Glass by Karen, My Etsy store, my Art fire Store, my Pinterest, and Elegant Fused Glass by Karen youtube. If you would like to stay abreast of what I’m up-to and learn a little more about jewelry, check out our newsletter. It is published the last day of each month.
Keeping my Kiln warm,
Karen
