Canal boat scene on 6mm laminate glass 540mm x 840mm for an internal window. (see below)
Thank goodness it is March, at least it should not be too long before we all start feeling a bit warmer. My fingers are quite numb as I am typing and I have an overwhelming need to eat??! Gym 2-3 times a week helps a little but not enough to compensate. I am not playing enough golf to burn it off either as it is still too cold. Golf days for me have been 10 holes followed by a good ol' natter over lunch with the ladies. I am much more involved now as I have launched myself into the role of Ladies Vice Captain (Halesworth Golf). I am organising the mixed matches and we have our first match near the end of this month. I am really looking forward to normal golf and weather again.
The first glass engraving commission I am sharing this month is this lovely crystal vase which is for a special anniversary, the images are unusual, but that is the nature of my business, everyone is different and isn't it wonderful to be able to create something that is so unique and personal, meaning so much to just themselves.
The lettering was sandblasted and the rest was hand engraved with a drill.
Then I had to rather urgently engrave 30 enormous wine glasses!!
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| In the sandblasting cabinet |
Here I am busy sandblasting them.
Presently I have 4 pieces in the World Land Trust "Birds and Bees" exhibition in Halesworth (link at the end of page)
One of the pieces is this Tudor Crystal honey pot. It is thick and heavy lead crystal, so beautiful to engrave. I simply engraved 3 honey bees around it.
Then it was time to start a commission that I received at the end of last year. An internal window for a private home.
The image was supplied by the client and I blew it up to size, enhanced it and added features for the composition.
I used 3 major glass engraving techniques, the first being acid etching. After preparing the background with a special resist, I then painted on the acid. The mask and glasses help protect from the fumes being produced.
Then I began hand engraving with my heavy duty flexible drive drill and a large stone bur for bright effects.
The dust extractor can be seen on the right of the picture, this is sucking up the dust being produced. I also used a micromotor with smaller stone burs for smaller details.
The third technique used was sandblasting, this produced some soft
watery tones which could then be further worked on with the drill.
The boat's name is indistinct so does not appear back to front when viewed from the other side. This window will be viewed from either side within the house.
It will appear simply in mirror image whichever way you look at it. The engraved side will appear matt and the other side will have a smooth finish (being the unengraved side)
An update on the glass engraving lessons: I am STILL waiting to hear from the village hall about the updated price.
On the 7th, 8th and 9th March I will be in Selfridges, London, engraving perfume bottles for Acqua di Parma. Of course it is the lead up to Mother's day. I am normally in Harrods so this will be a new experience!
Here is the link for the World Land Trust exhibition: http://www.worldlandtrust.org/gallery
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Pyke Limited - Glass Engraving
