Traditional Glass Painting Course

Today I just wanted to share with you some of the fantastic work my students created on the Glass painting course last weekend.
On the course I teach the traditional methods of glass painting, we start with learning how to mix the paint, this is key to a successful piece as if you have the wrong consistency of paint on your palette it will effect the way you paint on your glass.

First up is Tracing, using fine sable hair brushes, you copy the basic lines of the image onto the glass. These lines are then strengthened. Areas of solid black are then filled in through a process known as flooding, Sticks and scrubs are used to tidy up the image, then the piece goes in for its first firing.
Once the trace lines have been fired into the glass its possible to work over the image with matting techniques to build up definition and 3- dimensionality. ( This stage cannot be done on the same day as the pieces need to be fired overnight)
The afternoon is spent looking at matting techniques, and mark making. With a brief look at silver stain and enamels.

                                                                                   

                                                                                                   

Ruth's fantastic fish was painted on waterglass, with details picked on with silver stain.

Wonderful bumble bee by Justine

Pieces after firing

Dates for your diary

I'll be teaching on the following dates at Creative Glass Guild, Bristol

Glass Painting Taster Day
Sunday 28th April 2013
Saturday 8th June 2013
Saturday 17th August 2013

Fused Glass Jewellery Taster Day

Sunday 17th March 2013
Saturday 25th May 2013
Saturday 27th July 2013

Fused Glass Jewellery Weekend

13th & 14th April 2013
29th &30th June 2013
7th & 8th September 2013


Visit www.creativeglassguild.co.uk or call 0871 200 33 89 to book you place now!

Glass Resolutions

Happy New Year!!!!!

So it is a new year which means it is time for resolutions. I got a little waylaid last year by moving to a new city and job, but now i'm 'nested' as it were in my new house/job/life, I can finally throw myself back into my artwork.so this year is all about productivity and expanding Simon Alderson Glass.

Hopefully by the end of the month I shall be reunited with my kiln, which means I will have more freedom to experiment and create. So exciting times ahead! To the right is a preview of what I have been working on recently, playing with reactive glass, which is something I've never really played with before, but it has such fantastic possibilities.

In other exciting news I'm now going to be teaching the Stained Glass Painting Taster Day at Creative Glass Guild, check out my teaching dates below or CLICK HERE to view more details and book your place now!


And finally for those who haven't seen them yet, the panels I made last year were finally installed, and I never got around to blogging a picture so here it is below.

Course Dates for next couple months:

  

Glass Painting Taster Day

Sunday 24^th February 2013

Sunday 28^th April 2013

Fused Glass Jewellery Taster Day

Saturday 19^th January 2013

Sunday 17^th March 2013

Fused Glass Jewellery Weekend

13^th & 14^th April 2013

Restoration and Courses

Well just a quick update to share with you what i have been up to lately seen as how I am a terrible blogger. Here's some pics of restoration work I did with Creative Glass Works. Below the middle panel has been repainted, with Bristre Brown, and yellow and orange silver stain.

Images: Edward Jones, Creative Glass Works

Above four diamond lights were reproduced by sandblasting, painting and staining flash glass.

Currently working on a few ideas of my own at the moment to, yet again revolving around birds, Magpies in particular as they seem to be following me around lately. So i have been doing a lot of saluting!!!!

Finally some dates for your diary

I'll be teaching fused glass jewellery taster days on the following dates at Creative Glass Guild, Bristol

20th September 2012
11th October 2012
22nd November 2012

Weekend Course

8th - 9th December 2012

Visit Creative Glass Guild Here for more details and to book your place!!!

A long awaited book

Well I have been a very terrible blogger the last couple of weeks, so thought it was high time I got writing. The Christmas fairs are over for the year, so i have free weekends again YEY!!! Which means I can get back down to some real work. I'm currently working on a couple of projects/proposals for a few exhibitions next year, don't want to give to much away so come back for an update in the new year for a sneak peek at some designs.

This week I had an early Christmas present, as I finally got my hands on The Art of Painting on Glass by Albinas Elskus. This essential guide to every glass painter has been reprinted by Long Cove Press this year and is available to buy through his website http://albinaselskus.com/  It always remained an elusive book at uni as it was never available from the library, and to buy one of the earlier copy's was about £100 so I was over the moon when I happened to come across it a couple of weeks ago! I've learnt sooo much amazing and invaluable information just from the first two chapters! Cannot wait for pay day to buy some new stains/enamels and get experimenting!!!!!




For now I'll leave you with another pic of a recent commission for a copper foiled mirror, as I go and brave the cold studio for a quick tidy up before the festive season really kicks in!

New Glass Work

Kingfisher

BlueTit

Here's a sneak peek at what I've been working on recently, some of the birds from the previous post have been hand painted onto 6mm float glass. they can be hung in front of a window or wall mounted. Each piece is individual yet I'm not sure where this might lead as various ideas keep popping into my head involving a whole aviary. But for now I'm just really enjoying getting back in the saddle with regards to the painting.