Mold for Zodiac signs

[Lane Johnson]

I'm interested in making a set of zodiac pendants.
My idea is to make molds out of low fire clay, kilned at my kilns highest setting.
A basic picture of one main design


and the symbol that is in the background


I think if I used powdered frit, say Cobalt blue for main, and black for the symbol I could either melt this down in the kiln, or more quickly use the torch to melt it in. I'd then make a background implosion or other interesting thing, heat this and apply my pre-heated symbol, to the tacky glass, then heat both this and a clear disc for the window on top and press them together. Finally, heat the whole piece to bond them nicely. I think this may work but hoped someone has used a similar technique and can give me some pointers.

[Cosmo]

You could do it that way. There are people that make custom graphite molds that could make something like that with little problem. You run a pretty big risk of trapping air putting the pieces together like you're talking about.

If it were me though I think I would look into getting custom dichroic images made.

[Lane Johnson]

I looked at the dicroic images and these are certainly very nice but I cant afford a quarter sheet of every sign, I'm just going to have to experiment and see what happens. I'll post some pictures of my attempts once I get the clay and make a mold for the first sign.

[LarryC]

I would layer color, stencil artwork, and then sandblast to reveal one or more underlying colors. Simpler and no molds involved.

[KA]

You could use bronze clay to make push tools.

[Lane Johnson]

Appreciate all the suggestions, I really wish I could afford the dicroic, perhaps there's a way to silkscreen glaze or some glass painting/etching product on a disc of glass? Walmart has the "Mayco Stroke and Coat Wonderglaze Non-Toxic Glaze Set B, 2 oz Bottle, Assorted Colors, Set of 12" glaze. I have silkscreen setup, perhaps this is an idea. Any takers on this route? I know that Ive found people that mix glass and ceramics, people put gemstones and other objects in glass. Maybe I can make these out of clay, glaze them then fuse them in the pieces, or just silkscreen the glaze on a disc of boro and put it right in the piece. These simple patterns are a testbed for much more complicated work I have planned, well, that I dream of doing anyway.

[menty666]

You won't know until you try. Folks tell me I can't do something quite often and I make them angry when I show them I can.

At worst, you find out something doesn't work.
At best, you have a new technique.