What better way to keep the warm, carefree days of summer flowing than with a fancy tropical fish plate. The cool thing about this brightly colored reef dweller is it combines easy cutting techniques along with a freestyle approach to assembly that make it fast, easy and fun to make.
Here’s how
Fish Plate How-To 12” x 9”
- Using the pattern as a guide cut a base out of clear glass. Cut as much as possible by hand. Use a wet saw to cut the deep inside curves. If you don’t have access to a saw, the base can be made up of pieces. Grind the base to remove sharp edges and improve the shape.
- Cut ¼” wide strips of color glass for the fish body. I used both opal and transparent glass. Spread the glass out to create an interesting color arrangement.
- Use the pattern as a guide to cut the head and tail out of opal glass. Cut the fins out of transparent glass. Grind the glass as needed.
- Arrange the strips on the paper pattern between the head and tail pieces. Include a few pieces of twisted cane between the glass strips for a trendy detail. Mark the glass strips and cut them to size.
- Bend stringer in a candle for a fun wavy pattern.
- Stack the head, tail and fins on the base layer. Glue the cut glass to the base with fuser’s glue. Add the eye and side fin.
- Detail the fish with an assortment of black and clear dichroic scrap and wavy stingers.
- Fire the fish to a full fuse temperature.
- Slump the fish into a shallow mold.
- Enjoy!
Fish Plate Pattern
Fusing Guide
Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1300 and hold 30 min.
Segment 2: Ramp 500 F/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.
Fish Plate as seen in my Fun and Fanciful Fusing video.
Fun and Fanciful Fusing with Lisa Vogt.
“I LOVE the creative projects and use of color in this video. So inspiring!”
This exciting video is all about having fun! It’s about working with vibrant glass colors, making new project shapes, and getting excited about glass fusing again!
Happy Fusing!
Lisa & Niki
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Love this fish and your videos on YouTube. Thanks.
What mold is used for slumping the fish into a plate, please?
Hi! I use a 7-inch x 14-inch ceramicsushi dish shape mold.