Hi everyone! It's late and my brain is nearly numb but I really wanted to check in.
Our first day of class was incredible! Bill is a great teacher, a real treasure and an awesome artist. While I'm not really focused on making human figures or Disney-esque critters, the techniques are sooo valuable. And what a rush to make my first offhand leaf!
We started out doing simple joins and separations. Sounds a lot easier than it was, especially separations. (Oh, and this is all borosilicate glass, MUCH bigger than I'm used to--8 & 10 mm and 1/2 inch rod). Then we made a round on the end of a rod, puntied it and pulled it off. I might finally have enough, ummmm "marbles" to make a few of my own. We took a marble and heated it, flattened it, and pulled it out to a point (aka a leaf). Then we took THAT lesson, with a larger rod, and made a torso.....then hips...then legs...all the way to a human body (legs together, one crease and voila!) I never would've believed I could make something even remotely human-looking, but Bill made it easy!
There were a lot of intermediate steps, like practicing how to attach and make legs and arms, too. And after our bodies, we learned a "double-pull, double-push" method to make wings and other useful embellishments. Bill ended the day with a demonstration of a character-styled centaur, complete with bow and arrow. The arrow blew me away...another student made it (a mere
19-YO)....it was a rosebud with a thorned stem in colored boro. Just incredible to watch Bill work AND share.
And I had a nifty flashback...I realized I've seen Bill work twice when I was a kid...in Disneyland and again at Ghiradelli Square. I can remember seeing him and wishing I could maybe someday EVER be able to do something so awesome. Who says dreams can't come true????
Can't wait til tomorrow.
In the morning I'll post a pic of my almost-human sculpture. Too sleepy now. Niters everyone!
-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs