Jellyfish Tutorial
Octopus / jelly fish
You will need….
Materials
Circle of 3mm clear glass
Length of 3mm glass to make 8 tentacles
Fine powder frit (2 or 3 colours)
Fusing medium ( see my supply shop or included in the hanging kit))
superglue
small Nichrome wire loops x 8
Hanging kit ( in my supply shop) or you will need to buy swivels, transparent 50lb thread, and embed additional wire loops into the underside of the body.
Equipment
Thin and thick pavement chalk.
Bowl to slump over (I use an Ikea stainless bowl that is 12cm diameter and 6cm tall, coated)
Tall kiln post ( raises bowl up from kiln shelf)
Small plastic bottles one for each colour, (optional)
Method
Sizes below are for an Ikea stainless bowl that is 12cm diameter and 6cm tall.
Cut a circle of glass ( approx 20cm diameter if using the Ikea bowl)
Drill a 3mm hole in centre and stuff with fibre paper
Tentacles
Cut tentacles as very tall triangles approx. 25cm long, 3cm wide tapering to a point.
Cut 8 rectangles of glass approx. 1.5 by 1cm.
Using a spot of superglue attach the wire loops to the top of each tentacle and fix in place with one of the small glass rectangles. Leave to dry then turn over.
Mix up your colours of powder into bottles or separate dishes.
I work on one powder to one and a half liquid medium, this depends on how intense you want your colours. Colour your circle first, raise the circle up so that any slurry can fall off the edges I do this a bit like feathering icing, circles of colours then drag a design with a skewer.
Repeat with tentacles check -circles of wire are still on underside!
When completely dry!!!!!
Fire on full fuse.
Raise Bowl off kiln shelf with a kiln post
Shaping
3. raise the bowl up from the kiln floor using a kiln post, leaving the paper in the drilled hole, centre on the bowl.
Space the chalk on the kiln shelf, thicker pieces at the top and thinner pieces to the narrow end (sand level the bottom of the chalk to stop it rolling on the kiln shelf.)
Lay over your tentacles.
Fire at slump temperature.
Assemble your Octopus! Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
creating the wavy tentacles
Attaching the tentacles
If you have the octopus kit all instructions are included, as is a packet of fusing medium for mixing the slurry.
If you have embedded loops into the body, you will need to attach your tentacles to these, with swivels, and add thread through the hole to hang.
Lots of people have suggested I only post as a patron, but I want to keep this free for any budding glass artists to access. If you would like to drop a few pounds in my coffee fund you can do so here. No pressure I’m just happy to see others being creative.