Anyone Have an Octopuss Tutorial? Boro or Soft Glass!

[Ari'elle]

Know of any tutorials on how to make an octopuss? It can be boro or soft glass. I'm talking about a larger sculpture type octopuss, not a pendant. I've seen the videos on youtube but i was hoping to find one I can print out and go step by step while I torch. Any help appreciated!

[woozles]

here is what I do. Place your 'head - build up a large bump/dot on the bead, keep building it til it is the aprox size you want it to be then flip the bead over adn heat the dot with it hanging down, get it hot enough to form a slight 'light bulb shape. I add the legs after shaping the body, just use stringer to put on eight legs - octupusses are symmetrical, so try to place them in a symmetrical formation. place the eyes low on the head and build them like any googly eyes.

I dont have pics and am actually at work, so I cant even take a picture, but will see if I can this evening.

[Hayley]

Ari'elle, I'd recommend the Vittorio Costantini DVD by Corning Museum of Glass. It not only contains the octopus, it has his fish, beetle, bird, etc. etc. etc. The BEST DVD ever made, imho! :)

http://glassmarket.cmog.org/browse.cfm/4,3082.html

It's not exactly a "tutorial" but a movie of how he makes his critters.

[cheng076]

One of the glass magazines had a tut some months ago. Glassline or The Flow but I can't seem to find it at the moment. Sorry

[Ari'elle]

Would love to see pics if you have any, Vicki! The bulbous head I can pretty much figure out, it's adding flowing legs that look like moving tentacles that I don't get. Are you working in boro or soft glass?

here is what I do. Place your 'head - build up a large bump/dot on the bead, keep building it til it is the aprox size you want it to be then flip the bead over adn heat the dot with it hanging down, get it hot enough to form a slight 'light bulb shape. I add the legs after shaping the body, just use stringer to put on eight legs - octupusses are symmetrical, so try to place them in a symmetrical formation. place the eyes low on the head and build them like any googly eyes.

I dont have pics and am actually at work, so I cant even take a picture, but will see if I can this evening.

[Ari'elle]

Thanks, I'll go to their websites and see if I can locate it!

One of the glass magazines had a tut some months ago. Glassline or The Flow but I can't seem to find it at the moment. Sorry

[Ari'elle]

Thanks Hayley. It's not the tutorial that I'm looking for but I think I'll get it just because I love Vittorio's work! Dang, just realized I spelled octopus wrong in my title, lol.


Ari'elle, I'd recommend the Vittorio Costantini DVD by Corning Museum of Glass. It not only contains the octopus, it has his fish, beetle, bird, etc. etc. etc. The BEST DVD ever made, imho! :)

http://glassmarket.cmog.org/browse.cfm/4,3082.html

It's not exactly a "tutorial" but a movie of how he makes his critters.

[woozles]

I am still struggling with the legs myself. I use soft glass.

[yellowbird]

Vittorio makes his out of a solid piece of glass.
he doesn't add legs he cuts them out of the bottom two thirds of the form.

starting with a long cylinder jack top 1/3 for head.
heat just the bottom and let it flatten on the marver holding punty straight up.
quickly pinch eight times around with tweezers. fast
next cut those spots. fast
pull out all the legs a little.
heat continue to pull out each leg
good luck!

[Ari'elle]

Now that makes perfect sense, thanks! I'll try it out this weekend after I watch his DVD.

Vittorio makes his out of a solid piece of glass.
he doesn't add legs he cuts them out of the bottom two thirds of the form.

[chrisann]

It's the FAST and evenly spaced eight pinches with the tweezers that'll gitcha LOLOL

[jackpotmonkey]

The Octopus legs are generally made (in the tutorials i have seen) by making a cane for the legs then pulling it down into 8 pieces that are tapered down like you would expect the legs to be, they are attached to the body straight, first make a + with the first 4, then the last 4 in between those, the shaping of the legs is then done after all 8 are attached and melted in by selective heating and manipulation. The tutorials I saw were for boro but I imagine they could be adapted for soft glass.
There is a tutorial in Glassline issue: August/September, 2010 - Vol. 24, No. 2. for an octopus.

[SerendipityArtGlass]

Crystal Myths-Lewis Wilson has a n octopus in his sculptural series DVD's.

[Ofilia]

Ari'elle, I'd recommend the Vittorio Costantini DVD by Corning Museum of Glass. It not only contains the octopus, it has his fish, beetle, bird, etc. etc. etc. The BEST DVD ever made, imho! :)

http://glassmarket.cmog.org/browse.cfm/4,3082.html

It's not exactly a "tutorial" but a movie of how he makes his critters.

I second Hayley's recommendation. Vittorio is an amazing re-creator of nature! BTW, I learned that the "end" images of the pieces made in the video are different because there was an "accident" in the studio getting ready to shoot all the finished products. But, regarless, the "making" part is there. It's VERY well put together with matching music. Totally worth every penny:eek:.

[solarflareglass]

I make the legs first,then add the suckers,and shape them. I then form the head,add eyes,and other details,put the beak on the bottom, then attach legs,and anneal. I work in born for my octopus. I think that there are still pictures on my website. I 'll have to check. Hope that helps

[untamedrose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFJpQi6nPoA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL0B90613A6B0056C7

Here is one, not the greatest but maybe it will help :)

[untamedrose]

Part of the movie listed above 0o

Wow..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAuYzysQzXA

[nevadaglass]

Glassline had 2 issues with octopus demos in them:

December/January, 2009/10 - Vol. 23, No. 4.
June/July, 2009 - Vol. 23, No. 1.