Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => New Zealand & Australia Glass => Topic started by: Saule on May 09, 2017, 03:36:26 AM
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Hello, I am an art student and need to make a high heel use using glass shards. I have tried several joiners, but none keep the shape of the shoe. The joiners don't work too well either.
To make the shoe I can only use one element and one joiner.
Has anyone any suggestions.
Cheers
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Have you tried using proper glass glue?
It's available in most hardware places, you use an ultra-violet light to set it.
Don't bother with the really cheap stuff, it's just a waste of money and you'll only make a mess. Get something with a name you trust. It's still not expensive.
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Hello,
Thank you for your reply.
No I haven't tried glass glue. I've used silicon gel and a glue called 'Fix All' by Soudal.
I thought I could just throw the shards together with a glue to form a mass of glass shards, all held together by glueg, then mould the mass into the shape of the shoe. That certainly didn't / doesn't work..
I wouldn't have the time to glue each piece of glass shard separately into a mould and use ultra violet light to 'fix' it.
I've rung professional glass makers and they have no idea on how I can achieve this.
This project was my idea, the glass shards were meant to represent the pain from wearing high heels.
Maybe I'll try icing foundant to shape the shoe and stick glass shards into that.
Again thank you for your time in replying.
Cheers
As
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I don't know how big your shards are, but even proper glass glue does require a clean fit of the two surfaces together.
It sounds like you were trying to achieve some kind of cold produced Pate de Verre. ;D
This can be done, creating a solid mass from glass powders or tiny particles, using heat and mordants and moulds but it's incredibly complicated, difficult, expensive and time-consuming to achieve.
I've not worn stupid shoes since the early '80s. ;D
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Hello,
Oh! Well, it looks like my idea is a no brainer! I foolishly thought it would be easy, and the work end up as a spectacular piece of art!
(Had a chuckle re your comment 'Pate de Verre'.)
I certainly don't know the limitations of using glass as a medium for that finished piece of art work. I've only worked with glass, making 'stained glass'. I made some sneakers for my children's windows, which I thought were brilliant but the lecturer viewed conventional 'works' more favourably. Now I'm in a situation where 'conventional' art is a no-no.
Thanks again for the reply - now need to rethink the whole project.
Cheers, Ingrida
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Plaster of Paris might be something you could cover with glass shards?
There have been some amazing clothes made from glass, you could investigate how those were achived, but it does sound as if you are under strict time constraints.
What about using perspex instead of glass?
Glass has its limitations but affords tremendous opportunities too. ;D
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Use casting wax as your shoe form and cast it inside a shoe, then peel off the shoe form. Then attach the glass shards to the wax heating each shard just a little and it will attach itself to the wax. Shoe will be a solid form but if done right will appear as just a shoe.
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Wow, what a brilliant idea, thanks!
And from somebody who really does understand how glass operates, from the manufacturing side. 8)
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I guess you could probably carve out the wax on the inside of the shoe to make it appear more realistic and reduce the weight as well. I've worked a lot on the problems of trying to create blown glass slippers. It's a real challenge if not using a mold.
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Hello,
I thank you all for your suggestions. I do like the idea of using casting wax. The joiner can be the wax and the element the glass shards. Now to locate where to buy casting wax!
How wool I make the heel from casting wax - just mould it around the heel and afix it with heat?
Cheers, ingrida
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Just carve it?
Moulding it around a heel would give you a negative cast. ;D