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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: SueB on September 07, 2006, 11:10:37 PM

Title: Sue Burne glass engraver - Graal vase
Post by: SueB on September 07, 2006, 11:10:37 PM
Hello folks

I thought you might be interested in my latest engraving. It is my first Graal and went quite well I thought.

The finished vase is 20cm high and very heavy crystal.

I only collected it from the glass blower this morning and I only finished engraving it a few days ago.

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL816/400524/2690511/185342791.jpg <--- Mod: Link dead

Best wishes
Sue
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: Leni on September 08, 2006, 12:41:31 AM
Lovely!  Congratulations, Sue!  I's very good indeed!   :D
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: Della on September 08, 2006, 06:42:32 AM
:shock: Well done, Sue. Very nice, very nice indeed :!:
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: Frank on September 08, 2006, 07:38:55 AM
Nice, did you engrave the blank?
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: SueB on September 09, 2006, 06:34:34 PM
Thanks folks

Yes Frank I was given the embryo by the glass blower. He surprised me with it as a present. It had layers of clear, white, blue, green, red and finally black outside.

I carved through the layers like a cameo then took it back for him to put on a layer of clear and blow it.

I expected the finished bowl to have more red but the colour seems to have been fleeting. I think we'll try different makes of colour next time. The blower says they have better ones now.

It's a very heavy bowl and looks best with a strong light on it. I think we won't bother with a white inner layer on the next one I try.

But I was pleased with it for a first attempt!

I've been to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London today and drooled over all the glass there.

Best wishes

Sue
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: Frank on September 09, 2006, 07:28:12 PM
Cool it is usually sandblasted out. See my bits by Lindean Mill here http://www.scotlandsglass.com/People/LindeanMill.htm <--- Mod: Dead link

How long did it take you to engrave that much glass away :shock: and how big was the embryo. I love Graal (figurative) just can't afford it usually, I got those pieces in lusher days :(
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: SueB on September 09, 2006, 08:14:48 PM
The embryo was about the size of a large man's fist. So it is considerably enlarged now at 20cm high.

I thought about sandblasting the design but having so many coloured layers I couldn't quite get my brain round how to plan it out and sort out the order in which to remove bits of mask for multistage. It's complicated enough doing multistage sandblasting on a piece of clear glass.

The outer black layer was really thick and hard then the red seemed rather thin. The layers were not the same thickness all over either so I was glad I'd decided to hand carve.
It took me about 12 hours to do the engraving.
I also found the dust (I do use an extractor and a dust mask) kept obliterating what I was doing and I needed to keep washing the work to see where I'd got to.

I am going to have to find a rich customer for this piece!

Sue
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: Pip on September 09, 2006, 08:29:37 PM
Congratulations Sue - it's absolutely amazing!  What a clever clogs you are - I can only imagine the sense of achievement when you see the final result.
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: josordoni on September 09, 2006, 08:41:12 PM
It must be astonishingly heart stopping when you first open the package,

It sounds bad enough clearing away the dust to see what you are creating when you are creating it... but then to send it away, and not know at all what you will end up with... true art.  True Courage

 8)
Title: My Graal vase
Post by: SueB on September 09, 2006, 09:42:39 PM
You're right. It was scary not really knowing how it would look when finished. There are 3 fish on the bowl. The other two "Koi" now look more like pike....but I still like them! :D

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL816/400524/2690511/185342793.jpg (http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL816/400524/2690511/185342793.jpg)

http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL816/400524/2690511/185342786.jpg (http://pic17.picturetrail.com/VOL816/400524/2690511/185342786.jpg)
<--- Mod: Links dead

I nearly went to the glassworks to watch the final blowing but I thought it might put the blower off. The rotter phoned me the next day and told me he'd dropped it! Fortunately I guessed he was teasing!

I hope we can do more graal. I'd like to do all sorts of subjects. I've got lots of ideas.

Sue