Let the festivities begin! Fall is a season for celebrating family, friends and feasting. At my house, the dining room table is the center of attention at this time of year. Accordingly, I like to decorate the table with a special piece of art that brings cheerful energy to our gatherings. This brightly colored turkey is the perfect adornment for such joyous occasions. It may look complicated, but it’s actually fast and easy to make.
To get started, cut out the paper pattern with scissors. To make the base, trace the turkey shape on clear glass with a marker. Cut as much of the clear glass as possible by hand. Use a glass saw to detail the inside cuts. The clear base layer can be made up of pieces if you don’t have access to a saw. Grind the clear glass to remove sharp edges and improve the shape.
For the colorful design layer, cut the pattern up with scissors. Affix the paper pieces to the appropriate colored glass with a glue stick. Cut the pieces as closely to the paper as possible. Cut a second turkey body out of patterned dichroic on clear. Then grind the cut glass pieces to improve the shapes and remove any sharp edges.
Place the clear base on a second pattern. Apply a small amount of fuser’s glue to the clear base and then assemble the colorful design layer on top. Stack the dichroic body on top. Allow the glue to dry until the pieces are secure. If you move to the next step too soon, the glass pieces will slide around when you apply the frit. This causes blurred edges that I feel distract from the design.
Using a spoon, pour a small amount of fine frit onto the turkey. Work the frit down into any gaps with a paint brush. This step gives the finished artwork nice added detail. I selected a complimentary yellow to highlight this bold color palate. When using this technique, I intentionally pick fine frit instead of powder. The excess fine frit is easier to clean off the surface of the project than powder which tends to stick.
Next add a dichroic dot for an eye and a yellow triangle for a beak. Now for a little bling. Nip wavy Firestrips to size and place them on the turkey’s feathers for a flashy zinger.
The assembled turkey is fused and then slumped over a barrel shaped mold. The slumped turkey is then glued to the front of the clear candle shelter. Colored fused glass strips cover the remainder of the clear candle shelter to give it a festive flare all the way around.
Using a strip cutter cut 16 strips total ½” wide, 5 7/8” long out of red, orange and green glass. Cut 16 strips of iridized clear the same size. Stack the clear iridized strips on the color strips.
Fuse the turkey and strips to a full fuse temperature using the guide below.
Slump the fused turkey over the ceramic mold.
Glue the slumped turkey to the clear candle shelter with E6000 adhesive. Tape the fused glass to the clear shelter to ensure it doesn’t slide off. Let the glue dry overnight.
Glue the fused glass strips to the remainder of the clear shelter. Tape them in place. Let the glue dry overnight.
Double duty. This fancy turkey project can be used as a candle holder or a flower vase. Either way, it’s a beautiful seasonal addition to any décor.
As seen in Glass Patterns Quarterly Fall 2018
Happy Holidays!
Lisa
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Fusing Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1300 and hold 30 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 500F/hr to 1465 and hold 10 min.
Segment 3: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.
Segment 4: Cool to room temperature.
*As fast as possible
Slumping Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1265 and hold 10 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.
Segment 3: Cool to room temperature.
*As fast as possible
NOTE: Kilns fire differently. Test fire these guides in your kiln and then make adjustments as needed.
Oceanside Spectrum System 96 Glass
100SF Clear for the turkey base layer, ½ Sq. Ft.
Oceanside Uroboros System 96 Glass
60-2700-96 Orange/Clear for turkey and strips, ½ Sq. Ft.
60-6120-96 Grenadine/Clear for turkey and strips, ½ Sq. Ft.
60-7550-96-4 Fern Green/Clear for strips, ¼ Sq. Ft.
61-00-96-IR-4 Clear Thin Iridized for strips, 1 Sq. Ft.
F2-2602-96-8 Yellow Opal Frit, Fine
CBS System 96 Dichroic Glass
Pebbles Pattern on Clear 4” x 4”
Wavy “Firestrips”, 2 – 14-inch-long pieces
Tools and Materials
Ceramic Slumping Mold 10 ½” x 9” x 4”
Clear Candle Shelter 6” Tall, 4” Wide, 12” Around
Fuser’s Glue, Marker, Glue Stick, E6000 Adhesive, Masking Tape
Pillar Candle or Flowers
Upcoming Webinars and Classes
Creative Slumping Webinar
November 19, 2019
In this detailed Webinar, I’ll reshape the way you slump and drape glass. See how thinking outside the box and using readymade molds in new ways offers numerous and exciting opportunities to produce unique forms.
You’ll learn how to make your own graceful, free-form shaped molds from readily available materials with no laborious measuring or messy mixes needed. Taking you one step further, I’ll show you how to use these different approaches, in combination, to transform ordinary projects into inspiring, sculptural pieces of art!
NEW Fused Glass Sculpture, Webinar January 14, 2020 https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1400-fused-glass-sculptures-made-easy-with-lisa-vogt-jan-14-2020.html
In this in-depth webinar, you’ll learn pro tips and tricks for better glass cutting. See how to mix different fusible materials to make more elaborate designs.
You’ll be amazed how using standard slumping molds in unique ways can drastically improve the shape of your art. You’ll be inspired by the innovative combination of ordinary techniques Lisa shares.
You’ll be confident to fuse glass after seeing how easy it is to load, program and fire a kiln. Best of all, you’ll have an exclusive technical advantage with the advanced understanding of Lisa’s dependable firing programs. And you’ll love the stunning three-dimensional results you can achieve by fusing all of these concepts together.
Beginner and advanced students alike will find inspiration, motivation and renewed artistic freedom from seeing the step-by-step construction of more than 5 sculptural projects in this webinar.
After this exciting webinar you’ll have the professional knowledge and increased confidence to incorporate these innovative methods in your new work. In addition, you’ll have a working knowledge of kiln operation, custom firing guides, and a deeper understanding of sculptural glass fusing fabrication.
NEW Fused Glass Sculpture Webinar, January 16, 2020 https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1398-fused-glass-sculptures-made-easy-with-lisa-vogt-jan-16-2020.html
Description above.
NEW CLASS DATE FOR 2020
Sculptural Fused Glass, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop
February 18 – 21, 2020
Register www.lisavogt.net
Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.
Here’s what the students are saying about the workshop.
“Lisa is very professional, knowledgeable and freakishly talented. House, art, mosaic, her work – really fun and beautiful.” -Lorna
“Incredible class. Lisa shared her artistic knowledge of color flow and her technical knowledge of glass.” -Larry
“I had so much fun! Lisa is a great teacher!” -Brenda
This class is for you! Any skill level can attend. Beginner, intermediate and advanced students alike will learn how to advance their glass fusing skills and expand their artistic style.
In this class I’ll show you all the pro tips and tricks I use to make stunning 3-dimnesional art. You’ll learn how to combine advanced techniques in new ways to create extraordinary sculptural pieces of art.
You’ll leave class with several completed glass sculptures, my custom firing guides and a deeper understanding of sculptural fused glass fabrication. You’ll have the knowledge, confidence and inspiration you’ve been craving to take your artwork to the next level.
Materials are included, that’s a $150.00 value! Plus, a professional photo shot of your artwork is also included.
Let’s get together and fuse glass! This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.
Get Ready for the Glass Craft & Bead Expo 2020!
Glass Craft & Bead Expo is the premier Art Glass and Bead Trade Show and Educational Conference.
April 1 – April 5, 2020
Meet me in Vegas! I’m teaching the following classes.
Fired Up! Fusing for the Adventurous
Painting with Frit
Breaking Through – Making Exhibition Quality Art
Sculptural Fused Glass Art
NEW Sculptural Fused Glass DESIGN Made Easy
People come from all over the world to take classes and view the show floor for all of the latest and most innovative products and services. Las Vegas has been home to the show with it being held for the past eleven (11) years at the South Point Hotel and Conference Center located at 9777 Las Vegas Blvd South.
We offer over 250 specialty classes in hot, warm and cold glass. Our instructors come from all over bringing all their expertise in their respective fields. Our show floor offers everything including the latest types and colors of glass, the most innovative kilns, tools and specialty items.
Watch it NOW! Start fusing today!
Downloadable instructional videos for every skill level.
Check out my eBooks for elegant patterns and detailed fusing instructions.
