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HensleyArtglass
2008-03-27, 9:44pm
Thought i would contribute some tutorials,
so this is the first

#1
Mushroom inside clear pendant

First pull a stringer of whatever color you want the stem * or all of the mushroom to be.

Then make a round gather of clear about 3/4 the size of the pendant you want to finish with.

Take that gather and let the heat and gravity "oval" it out the longer the oval the longer the stem of the finish mushroom but you can go to far.

*Decorate the very tip of the gater with colors complimentary to the color you made the stringer if you want a multicolor cap.

Let the gather cool until you can't see red in it at all.

Superheat about 2/3 to 3/4 of the gater keeping the other 1/3 or 1/4 out of the flame as much as possible because that cool part is what causes the eventual shape of the mushroom cap.

Ok now quickly before that white hot gather cools at all plunge the stringer through the color spot if you made itand as it hits the cooler end you'll see it spread out and push back on itself as the clear cools. **

**Pushing in an increasingly harder manner as it cools will make a deeper cap whereas a quickly pushed shroom into a hot gather will make a shallow shroom.

If you end up pushin it in funny don't worry at all just make the shroom as much as possible to make a good shroom and then punty up to the bottom of the mushroom and make the punty parallel to the stem of the push you made.

If you make a mushroom that is short just add more clear on the outside of the pendant inbetween the cap and base and it will elongate the stem.

Finally add a backing of swirled mixed colors or frits to give it a more 3d look paddle it the color in a bit and shape it into the pendant shape(s) you prefer. Add a loop however you prefer and that's all folks it's done after a quick firepolish for stretchmakes and imperfections.

Have fun and post pics so i can see your work more tutorials will follow soon.

Sincerely,
Austin Hensley

Nouveau Glass Works
2008-03-29, 10:52pm
i am trying to visualize your description. are you using boro or soft glass? could you put in a picture of one of your mushrooms so we can see what it looks like. it might help with understanding your description. it sounds as if you are making a gather of clear and while it is hot jamming a stringer into the clear glass and when it enters the clear it curls up and forms a mushroom shape. if the stringer is the mushroom why decorate the clear? and when the mushroom is done why are we putting a punty at the bottom of the mushroom and what do you mean parallel to the stem, wouldn't it be at the end of the stem? without a picture i am not sure of everything you are describing. thanks so much and i hope my questions aren't too dumb.
karen m

hippydreadlocking
2008-04-01, 4:51pm
Some pictures would be great, I have been making some by just pushing the stinger into the hot glass but they always come out a little lopsided, so i would love to try a different method.I had some someone explain to me a method before that sounds like this same method but with out visualization I just could'nt "get it".Thanks!
Jess

Nouveau Glass Works
2008-04-01, 10:16pm
i tried making a blob of clear glass using a hot head and moretti glass. when the blob looked hot enough i tried pushing a stringer in and it wouldn't go. i tried again and the stringer went it but the stringer just stayed a stringer. what is wrong?
karen m

HensleyArtglass
2008-04-02, 8:35pm
Sorry it's been a while since I got to get on my computer. I'm using boro. The reason your stringer is staying a stringer is because the whole oval shaped blob is hot when you make your push if you leave the side toward your hand cool (or as cool as possible.) Let the gater cool until it doesn't move at all before reheating for the push. The resistance from the cooler part as you push slightly harder is what makes the shroom cap so if it's all equally hot you just encase a stringer basically. If your getting them lopsided and i assume you mean the cap is funny shaped its because the angle you pushed the stringer in at was changed as you pushed it in (i.e. you moved your hand around while pushing) or you had uneven heat on the gather in the first place. Remember the stringer never hits the flame and you want only and i mean only 2/3 to 3/4 of you gather hot or the shroom wont develop a cap. I don't have access to a camera so maybe this will help.

[Hand]-----{rod}------(gather) -----(stringer)[main hand] Push stringer straight left
^^
leave cool

[Hand]-----{rod}------(gather) -----(stringer)[main hand] Push continually as it cools
^
cap will form here as the stringer
hits resistance on the cool side

HensleyArtglass
2008-04-02, 8:38pm
And there are no dumb questions for without mistakes and questions how would anyone learn. Pleaze ask any questions and every question I want it to make as much sense as possible.

Hels
2008-04-02, 11:38pm
I haven't tried this, but is this how you make jellyfish inside a pendant too? From looking at them, instead of a plain stringer, they used multi-colored stringers? Is that right?

How do you make the wiggly multiple tails? I have wondered about that for a while:).

HensleyArtglass
2008-04-03, 9:42am
Make multiple small lattachino stringers and stack them into a good sized rod(or around a small one). Pull your stringer which you want to be the mantle on the end of your stacked lattachino rod. if you put the lattchino over a clear center it looks like there's a dead space in the center where the tentacles shouldn't be. Also if you want to make a uniform mantle or cap try placing a mille flat on the end of the stringer and you can get the same thing every time if that's what your into.

Basically

[Hand]{Lattachino stack}(Rod to be stringer)
^
Stacked

[Hand]{Lattachino stack}(Rod to be stringer)
^^^^^
heat and make all of this a stringer thicker at the lattachino end so the tentacles arent to spindly

**When you push the stringer in stop when the lattchino meets the mantle and it will look like the former is attached and therfore is growing from the latter.


Also if you are just beggining with all this and you dont want to make shrooms but jellyfish only start with a small lattachino stringer alone to leave only one tentacle and have the lattachino make the mantle as well. Eventually work you way to more tentacles to get the hang of it.

Have tons of fun everyone!

And post pic of you work so i can see how it's all coming along

hippydreadlocking
2008-04-03, 12:16pm
I just reread it again an i get it!! the part about adding color to the gather threw me off. I had'nt been letting the gather cool off and than reaheating so after reading your tut i tried that and my shrooms are not lopsided anymore! Thanks!
-Jess

....oh I'll add some pictures tonight when i get home!
I think I'll give the jellyfish a shot tonight too!

Hels
2008-04-03, 12:21pm
Wow! I'll try this tonite! Thank you!!!

HensleyArtglass
2008-04-03, 3:06pm
You are all very welcome and I hope you have as much fun with it as I do.

Fire Warped Glass
2008-05-05, 6:53am
I tried this yesterday and it worked, but I'm getting big bubbles where I'm pushing the stringer in (around the stem right under the cap.) I tried it 4 times and always got those bubbles. How do I prevent that?

HensleyArtglass
2008-05-10, 10:27pm
right after you make the cap the way you want it give it a slight pull out to seal the point there then make the flame a bit smaller if you have to and try to heat the shroom or jelly from cap to base to prevent bubbles.