Can different color glasses be thoroughly mixed together?

[Firelilly]

Is it possible to take two different color rods and thoroughly mix the gathers of each into a third color? Or will a mix of colors always end up streaky looking?

I keep wishing I could put two different colors in some sort of mixing bowl to stir it up and not have it stick. :lol:

Thanks for any info or ideas!

Lil

[Rebekah]

Why don't you try the drill thing that (I think) Baylie posted? It's here in the tips and techniques section somewhere and looked like a TON of fun to do.

Bek

[Firelilly]

okies...off to find the drill thingie.

Thanks, Bek.

Lil

[Venessa]

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18634&highlight=drill+mixing+colors

[Lara]

Yup, easy to do and tons of fun. I use 2 1/8in mandrels that I have used just for color mixing. I use shorts or cut off a 1-2 in piece of glass then mix mix mix untill I'm happy. Most glass with not stay streaky but some will. Try pastels first, I find them easier to mix than the transparents.

I would post my links but I lost all my favorites in a computer virus fiassco. There are several good ones, perhaps someone will post them here. There was a great thread at WC, but I can't access them anymore with my dial up.

Drew Fritts has a great marble book and a chapter on color mixing with lots of reciepes. I recommend it for any glass worker, not just marbles.

[Firelilly]

Thanks very much, Venessa.

Lara, thanks for the info. I'll do some more searching around. I don't quite get what you're doing with the mandrels though. Are you melting a gather onto the end of one mandrel and then you use the other mandrel to start mixing with?

Thanks!

Lil

[Kraaloog]

Is it possible to take two different color rods and thoroughly mix the gathers of each into a third color? Or will a mix of colors always end up streaky looking?

I keep wishing I could put two different colors in some sort of mixing bowl to stir it up and not have it stick. :lol:

Thanks for any info or ideas!

Lil

Hi Lil,

I don't know how to mix colors myself, but reading your question, I was thinking, can't you mix two frits first and when you think the mixture looks gook, then melt them onto a clear rod? (I sure hope this is not a stupid answer......):oops:

[Firelilly]

Hi, Karin! I'll bet what you've suggested could offer some nice effects!

But to come up with a solid new color, without dots or streaks in it, must take a LOT of mixing. That's what I was wondering about...thoroughly mixing colors to come up with custom colors kinda thing.

I'm guessing from what I'm reading, though I've not found many threads about it, that it can be done but that it's a time consuming. Something you have to have the patience for.

Using the drill to hold a rod of glass and spin the gather seems like a clever option. I think I'd want to try to find a lighter weight drill than the one we have at home here. The sucker we have would get pretty heavy I think!

Lil

[Judi_B]

Here's the link to the WC color mixing chart:
http://www.listen-up.org/kitty/beads/mix%20chart/color%20chart.htm

I mix colors in small batches using two mandrels like Lara suggested. I use old 3/32 in mandrels, but the 1/8 in would probably work better. I build the gather on one mandrel then heat up the second and stick it in the middle. Then just keep turning them around each other with some streching, pulling, pushing, twisting---you get the idea :smile: The drill looks good, I'll have to try it!

[Firelilly]

Cool beans, Judi! Thank you! That's what I was kind of picturing but I wasn't altogether sure. Thanks again!

Lil

edit: Wooo! Way cool chart, Judi!

[parisgal]

The caveat, I've heard, is that you can *not* mix a transparent with an opaque -- that will always be streaky. But mixing a pastel with a pastel or a transparent with a transparent can be done. :)

[kimberly]

The caveat, I've heard, is that you can *not* mix a transparent with an opaque -- that will always be streaky. But mixing a pastel with a pastel or a transparent with a transparent can be done. :)

This is patently not true. The original Ink Blue was a mix of a transparent and an opaque. It yielded a transparent. o feel free to mix transparents and opaques. You never know what you might come up with!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lara]

Here's the link to the WC color mixing chart:
http://www.listen-up.org/kitty/beads/mix%20chart/color%20chart.htm

I mix colors in small batches using two mandrels like Lara suggested. I use old 3/32 in mandrels, but the 1/8 in would probably work better. I build the gather on one mandrel then heat up the second and stick it in the middle. Then just keep turning them around each other with some streching, pulling, pushing, twisting---you get the idea :smile: The drill looks good, I'll have to try it!

Yup, Yup, sorry, I wasn't more descriptive. I take the short piece of glass, melt the end and stick it on the mandrel, Then take the other piece and melt it to the other rod or the first piece of glass. Then mix and mix and mix. I like using small amounts of glass, that way it doesn't take as long, but you only really get stringers.

On the transp. to opaque, Kim is right, it can be done and you can get great colors. My favorite color to mix is an opaque and a transparent. I have had mixed results, some do stay streaky, but some mix up nice and transp.

There is a great thread in the old ISGB archives about this. Search color mixing and you will get some great information.

[Lara]

I knew someone would post the link, thanks.

[baylie]

Yeah I posted a tut on just this topic. I have never really tried soft glass, but for the most part glass is glass. I mix trans. and opaque colors all the time. In fact I am about to go take a bunch of pics for another tut, in a min.
The tutoral about mixing is in the boro room...mixinitupdrillz!

[Firelilly]

Thanks, Baylie! :waving:

Lil

[baylie]

posted one on mixing disco to make it not suck.