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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”

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Bend stringer in a candle for a fun wavy pattern.
6. 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.
7. Detail the fish with an assortment of black and clear dichroic scrap and wavy stingers. 
8. Fire the fish to a full fuse temperature.
9. Slump the fish into a shallow mold.
10. 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

Follow my blog for weekly inspiration sent to your inbox! 

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Upcoming Webinar and Class

Creative Slumping September 7, 2021

Join me and see how thinking outside the box and using ready-made molds in new ways offers numerous and exciting opportunities to produce unique forms. I’ll challenge and motivate you to try new advanced techniques. 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!

In this comprehensive webinar, you’ll rethink the way you slump and drape glass. 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. You’ll love seeing how easily you can elevate your work from ordinary to extraordinary.  

Don’t miss this opportunity to get together and fuse glass! I hope to see YOU on September 7, 2021!

Sculptural Fused Glass, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop September September 21-24, 2021

Due to a last minute change there is 1 seat available in my September class

Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.

This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.

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.

Join me and 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!

Sculptural Fused Glass, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop October 19-22, 2021

Only 2 seats left

This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.

This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.

It’s hard to describe what it’s like when I’m feeling the creative flow. Time flies. Hours pass in what I thought were minutes. My naturally distracted mind is focused on what my hands are doing, and nothing else. I get lost in my own world. When I return to reality, I feel rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted. That’s why I like sharing my studio space with others. I try to give them that experience and hope they feel the same inspiration and fulfillment I do. -Lisa

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.

Join me and 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!

May 2021 Student Testimonials 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creative freedom – we were not required to make the same thing the same way. I was surprised by the variety and number items we made and the flexibility we had to go our own way with our projects. The glass studio was very comfortable and very clean with plenty of room.” -Ron

“My favorite thing about the class was the projects were tailored to our interests with user specific glass choices and design options. This makes the best type of learning environment. I loved the continued technical information that was used in daily discussions. Loved the amount of space we had for working and the use of top-quality tools and the hands-on assistance Lisa gave each one of us. You will hear and see me again. Thank you for your time and talent.” – Donna 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creativity – putting things together in new ways – using different materials – and how welcome I felt. I was surprised how much we were able to get done and by Lisa’s ability to coach those of us on different levels. My least favorite part was that the class ended. The classroom setup was excellent – well organized. I really feel like Lisa gave me the tools to advance to a new level. It was worth the cost of the workshop, airfare, B&B, animal care and house sitting! Can’t wait to put what I leaned into practice and return for another workshop.” -Sue

Read more student testimonials on my website.

Artwear Designed for Artists by Artists Tell them how you really feel with bold T-shirts, Eco-conscience tote bags and sassy mugs.

Get it now! Start fusing today!

Downloadable instructional videos for every skill level.

Instructional eBooks for every skill level.

It’s amazing how much art and engineering have in common. Art concepts are born from a small spark. But it takes hot, burning desire, coupled with ingenuity, to actually transform such obscure ideas into physical reality. 

There’s got to be an easier way.

I’ve been making fused glass sinks for years. In the beginning, I constructed them using the layered method. This type of construction has a beautiful, round finished edge when the fused glass comes out of the slumping mold.  

It wasn’t long before I expanded my techniques and started building sinks using the cast method. This sink style is much thicker. The glass comes out of the mold with a slightly texture edge. This type of sink construction requires grinding and polishing to make the edge smooth and shiny.  

Sinks are advanced projects that involve a considerable amount of time to construct, a sizable amount of material and a skilled craftsman to complete successfully. When it comes time to cold-working your masterpiece, you want to feel confident that the job will go smoothly. And so it was our intention, to build consistency into this otherwise unstable task. That’s why we modified a readily available carpenter’s roller stand, into a customized sink support/guide that would provide us with reliable results time after time.   

If it worked for me, it’ll work for you.

This new, re-purposed tool significantly streamlined my workflow and improved my success rate. Here’s how you can make your own sink stand/guide.  

Start with your standard, home improvement store variety roller stand. Remove the metal roller. It comes off easily by depressing two buttons, one on each end of the roller. The mechanism works similar to toilet paper roll holder. Cut a 2” x 2” block of wood to fit between the uprights. Secure the wood in place with wood screws, one on each end. Cover the surface of the wood with a strip of nylon, like the white cutting board used in your kitchen. The nylon holds up longer than the bare wood and it won’t scratch your glass as the edge becomes shinny. Hold the nylon strip in place with two wood crews. Be sure to countersink the screws so they don’t come in contact with or damage your glass. Pre-drill two holes for the dowels behind the nylon strip. Press two hardwood dowels into the holes in the wooden base. These dowels serve as stops that help you maintain a consistent distance from the grinding wheel throughout the grinding and polishing process. Tip: Don’t glue the dowels in place. They wear out quickly, and therefore will need to be replaced every few sinks.  

Once you have one of these stands, you’re certain to find multiple uses for it. So don’t hesitate to add this handy tool to the supply of tools in your studio.

Supplies

Roller stand

Wood screws

2” x 2” strip of wood cut to size

1”- 1 ½” wide strip of nylon cut to size

3/8” thick hardwood dowel cut to size

Excerpt from my Make a Fused Glass Sink Webinar

For more in-depth information on making sinks and large vessels, join me for my next webinar. All the pro tips and tricks will be revealed. Plus, you’ll get my custom firing guides for fusing and slumping sinks and large bowls.  

Let’s get together and make sinks in my Make a Fused Glass Sink webinar Tuesday July 27, 2021.

Happy Fusing!

Lisa

Follow my blog for weekly inspiration sent to your inbox! 

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram

Upcoming Webinar and Class

Make a Fused Glass Sink with Lisa Vogt Webinar July 27, 2021

In this comprehensive Webinar, I’ll guide you step by step through the time-tested processes I use to make large-scale, functional vessels.

You’ll learn safe handling techniques for cutting oversized circles, how to fuse and slump thick pieces to retain consistent bowl height, plus trade-secrets for worry free drilling.

In addition to fabrication know-how, you’ll receive a complete supply list, specifics on kiln requirements, source information for the slumping mold and drill kit, as well as helpful installation tips.

With all the professional tricks revealed, you’ll gain the confidence and knowledge needed to make your own dazzling beauty.

In addition, I’ll demonstrates how to make a glittering dichroic sink. I’ll show you how to make a cast glass sink from nipped glass pieces, dichroic bits and frit. Plus, you’ll be guided through the various cold-working steps I use to finish the cast glass sink edge to a glamorous, professional, quality polish.

Sculptural Fused Glass, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop October 19-22, 2021

Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.

This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.

It’s hard to describe what it’s like when I’m feeling the creative flow. Time flies. Hours pass in what I thought were minutes. My naturally distracted mind is focused on what my hands are doing, and nothing else. I get lost in my own world. When I return to reality, I feel rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted. That’s why I like sharing my studio space with others. I try to give them that experience and hope they feel the same inspiration and fulfillment I do. -Lisa

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.

Join me and 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!

May 2021 Student Testimonials 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creative freedom – we were not required to make the same thing the same way. I was surprised by the variety and number items we made and the flexibility we had to go our own way with our projects. The glass studio was very comfortable and very clean with plenty of room.” -Ron

“My favorite thing about the class was the projects were tailored to our interests with user specific glass choices and design options. This makes the best type of learning environment. I loved the continued technical information that was used in daily discussions. Loved the amount of space we had for working and the use of top-quality tools and the hands-on assistance Lisa gave each one of us. You will hear and see me again. Thank you for your time and talent.” – Donna 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creativity – putting things together in new ways – using different materials – and how welcome I felt. I was surprised how much we were able to get done and by Lisa’s ability to coach those of us on different levels. My least favorite part was that the class ended. The classroom setup was excellent – well organized. I really feel like Lisa gave me the tools to advance to a new level. It was worth the cost of the workshop, airfare, B&B, animal care and house sitting! Can’t wait to put what I leaned into practice and return for another workshop.” -Sue

Read more student testimonials on my website.

Artwear Designed for Artists by Artists Tell them how you really feel with bold T-shirts, Eco-conscience tote bags and sassy mugs.

Downloadable instructional videos for every skill level.

Artists are the most generous people I know. We love to share our passion. We all want to make a more dramatic and memorable impression with our art. One of the bests ways to accomplish this is to go bigger and make large scale pieces that stand out from the crowd. 

But going bigger can be scary. You have to invest more time and material. And there are more design decisions to make. It’s a huge commitment and you want guarantees that the finished piece will exceed your expectations. Following are some fundamental tips that’ll greatly increase your success with all your fused glass artwork.  

1 Measuring the Slumping Mold

It seems trivial, but this is where most craftsman go wrong. Everyone wants to make the largest fused glass disc possible. They then measure the mold from the outer rim to the outer rim and cut their glass circles accordingly. They wrongly assume the glass that rests on the top rim of the mold will follow the center of the fused glass disc as it slumps into the mold. The problem is the glass on the flat rim drags. 

Therefore, it does not fall into the mold evenly. The result is a bowl with uneven height in the side walls. A lopsided bowl can be avoided simply by measuring across the inside of the mold and then cutting the glass ¼ to ½ inch smaller than that measurement. Yes, the bowl is slightly smaller. No one will notice. They’ll be too busy admiring your beautifully crafted, uniform bowl with even side walls all the way around. 

2 Durability is in the Design

When going larger it’s important to design your art in such a way that the glass thickness is uniform throughout the entire piece of art. If you design the round disc with two glass layers on one side and four glass layers on the opposite side, you’ll have unbalanced mass. This can cause the finished piece of art to break due to the stress of supporting its own weight. Instead, plan your design execution in advance to ensure you have the same number of glass layers across the entire disc. Small accents pieces decorating the top aren’t a concern, provided they’re added in moderation. 

3 Let it Shine

The beauty of glass is its transparency, and the attraction of glass fusing is our ability to mix transparent and opal materials, to create various color combinations and an infinite number of intricate patterns. The wonderful thing about going large is the extended size of the creative canvas. With more room, you have more opportunity to expand your design ideas and make a dynamic statement. So rather than fumble through, take time to plan a well thought out design. Consider including pre-tacked or fused glass components for added interest. Mix both transparent and opal glass to increase visible depth. The possibilities are endless.  

4 Do Your Best Work

Don’t cut corners. No excuses. If you think to ask, “Should I recut or redo this?” My answer is, “Yes.” The more time and effort you put into each step will greatly improve the overall quality of your finished pieces. Fabrication and execution are equally as important as design esthetics. If you implement this approach, every piece you produce will be a masterpiece.  

5 Fusing and Slumping

Slow it down. Larger usually also means thicker. You’ll dramatically increase your firing success rate by slowing down both the fusing schedule and the slumping schedule. I fire my large pieces at 300 degrees per hour and hold several times on the way up to 1465 degrees to fuse, and 1220 degrees to slump. I anneal the glass at 960 degrees for 180 minutes, for both fusing and slumping, and then slowly drop the temperature down to room temperature. By being conservative with the firing schedules, I achieve consistently beautiful results every time. You can too! 

Excerpt from my Make a Fused Glass Sink Webinar

For more in-depth information on making sinks and large vessels, join me for my next webinar. All the pro tips and tricks will be revealed. Plus, you’ll get my custom firing guides for fusing and slumping sinks and large bowls.  

Let’s get together and make sinks in my Make a Fused Glass Sink webinar Tuesday July 27, 2021.

Happy Fusing!

Lisa

Follow my blog for weekly inspiration sent to your inbox! 

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram

Upcoming Webinar and Class

Make a Fused Glass Sink with Lisa Vogt Webinar July 27, 2021

In this comprehensive Webinar, I’ll guide you step by step through the time-tested processes I use to make large-scale, functional vessels.

You’ll learn safe handling techniques for cutting oversized circles, how to fuse and slump thick pieces to retain consistent bowl height, plus trade-secrets for worry free drilling.

In addition to fabrication know-how, you’ll receive a complete supply list, specifics on kiln requirements, source information for the slumping mold and drill kit, as well as helpful installation tips.

With all the professional tricks revealed, you’ll gain the confidence and knowledge needed to make your own dazzling beauty.

In addition, I’ll demonstrates how to make a glittering dichroic sink. I’ll show you how to make a cast glass sink from nipped glass pieces, dichroic bits and frit. Plus, you’ll be guided through the various cold-working steps I use to finish the cast glass sink edge to a glamorous, professional, quality polish.

Sculptural Fused Glass, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop October 19-22, 2021

Wesley Chapel, Florida, 4-Day, Hands-on, Class size is limited.

This is the turning-point workshop you’ve been waiting for.

It’s hard to describe what it’s like when I’m feeling the creative flow. Time flies. Hours pass in what I thought were minutes. My naturally distracted mind is focused on what my hands are doing, and nothing else. I get lost in my own world. When I return to reality, I feel rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted. That’s why I like sharing my studio space with others. I try to give them that experience and hope they feel the same inspiration and fulfillment I do. -Lisa

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.

Join me and 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!

May 2021 Student Testimonials 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creative freedom – we were not required to make the same thing the same way. I was surprised by the variety and number items we made and the flexibility we had to go our own way with our projects. The glass studio was very comfortable and very clean with plenty of room.” -Ron

“My favorite thing about the class was the projects were tailored to our interests with user specific glass choices and design options. This makes the best type of learning environment. I loved the continued technical information that was used in daily discussions. Loved the amount of space we had for working and the use of top-quality tools and the hands-on assistance Lisa gave each one of us. You will hear and see me again. Thank you for your time and talent.” – Donna 

“My favorite thing about the class was the creativity – putting things together in new ways – using different materials – and how welcome I felt. I was surprised how much we were able to get done and by Lisa’s ability to coach those of us on different levels. My least favorite part was that the class ended. The classroom setup was excellent – well organized. I really feel like Lisa gave me the tools to advance to a new level. It was worth the cost of the workshop, airfare, B&B, animal care and house sitting! Can’t wait to put what I leaned into practice and return for another workshop.” -Sue

Read more student testimonials on my website.

Artwear Designed for Artists by Artists Tell them how you really feel with bold T-shirts, Eco-conscience tote bags and sassy mugs.

Downloadable instructional videos for every skill level.