Greetings,
My name is Michael. This is my first post to the group. I'm just starting in stained glass. Can I mix opalescent and transparent (translucent?) glass in a window, or should I stay with one or the other?
Also, are there some good mail order places for supplies? I'd like to eventually make a Tiffany style round hanging lamp, and I know it's standard practice to build these in sections on a styrofoam form, but searching Google didn't turn up anything.
Thank you, Michael
Well Michael, the question you have asked is, for some reason, asked alot by beginners. There is absolutely no reason not to use any glass you find appealing in any use. Window or Lamp. If you like it, and the way a glass works with and compliments the other glasses, then use it.
about the lamps, if you can avoid the styroform molds, do it. Unless it fits your pocket book, there is no reason to limit yourself to someone elses patterns.
You canh take a large ball or any round shape and adapt it to become a mold. If you are going to use a mold from someone else, I recommend a full round mold rather than sections, makes life alot easier, and Odyssey Lamp System is the easiest to use for beginner and experienced craftsman alike. in my opinion.
great to have some fresh blood here, ask all the quyestions you like.
Delphi Stained Glass is one online source of glass, molds, etc. Try, however, to find a store that stocks glass that you can visit to handle glass. You might take a class if you have not done so. Opalescent and transparent glass can work well together, but they normally serve different purposes with opalescent being more for looking at (light bouncing off of it) while transparent works better for light coming through. Some opalescents give a much different impression when back lit than front especially with a narrow color band like a yellow candle flame. You might also like to look at the clears that have white swirled in them.
mixing clear with opaque can have a very cool effect. It makes the clear really stand out, use it as you may. Try Glasscrafters.com for supplies, they are in Fl. m
Thank you to all of you for posting! With your help, I've found lamp patterns for sale on several sites, along with an incredible selection of glass and a lot of interesting tools and hardware.
I'm on vacation now in Jacksonville, Florida, and I've got the yellow pages out and have found several local dealers that I plan on visiting.
Again, thank you.
Michael
There are no rules in art. You are allowed to do whatever you like. Find your local SG store to see, feel, demo, and ask questions.
and support them. Mail order companies have you down as a number and not a person.
Chemo the Clown wrote about your local SG store:
...and support them. Mail order companies have you down as a number and not a person.
****************** I plan on it. I'm from Bloomington, Indiana. I've been over to visit the nearest SG store over in neighboring Bloomfield, but didn't catch them open before I went on vacation. One thing I won't do is pay three times the price for glass for what I can buy it online for.Michael
take a trip over to kokomo to the glass factory. they sell lots of glass that isn't available at stores.
take a trip over to kokomo to the glass factory. they sell lots of glass that isn't available at stores.
************** Well, I'll be darned. So Kokomo Glass is from Kokomo, Indiana? I wondered about that but figured surely not.I will for sure make a trip up there. Thank you for the suggestions, Charlie.
Michael
they also have a factory tour, along with a factory store.
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