In this video I will be making a small dichroic glass turtle. First, I will cut out a base the shape of the turtle. I then cut the pieces that I will add, like the head and feet. Using the glass grinding machine with a diamond bit, I carefully smooth down the edges of each piece of glass to remove any sharp or jagged edges. You can see how delicate the cuts can be. Because the turtle is so small pieces like the feet are at times hard to manage.
Next, I will lay all the pieces out. Starting with the base, which is fusible art glass, I layer the small cut glass. I will add a small square of cut clear glass to give the turtles dimension. This can take some time, for all the pieces must be straight and glued on.
The final piece added is the shell. This shell also made of dichroic glass will accent the turtle with color and texture. Again, the glass I will cut and round to give the look of a shell. Once the I add the shell the fusing process begins.
I do all my fusing in a kiln which I heat to a temperature of around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit (815 degrees Celsius) and held at different temperatures for a scheduled period, typically 12 hours. During this time, the glass will melt and fuse together to create a single piece.
After the fusing process is complete, the I let the glass cool in the kiln slowly to prevent it from cracking or breaking. Once I allow the fused glass piece to cool, I can shape and polished to create a pendant.
To turn the fused glass piece into a pendant, I attach a bail or loop to the back of the piece using an adhesive.
You can also see all my fine jewelry at my shop in Chester County Pennsylvania called Unique Pewter & Glass Picture Framing Studio. Call or text for an appointment (610) 585-7965.
