Another day in the studio

After another day in the studio, I wasn't going to post an update because there doesn't appear to be much progress. So to cheer myself up I thought I would pop a couple of different new bits in. We have the most beautiful baroque glass, which consists of black, white and clear glass swirled together. It is perfect for the shirt and I have been looking forward to adding it to the portrait, but not to cutting it; it's a real nightmare. True to form, a long and unbelievably sharp edge sliced right through my thumb whilst manipulating it on the grinder. It's so sharp I didn't feel a thing, just wondered why the water was running red when it was actually black and white glass. 

Wasn't it worth it though, the shirt is absolutely perfect; really pleased. 

Continuing the stained glass portrait

Continuing with our portrait, a full day in the studio doesn't seem to have progressed very far, but there is a subtle change. As the picture was developing, one piece in particular was beginning to grate on me a bit. The large piece on the very crown was too white it was blurring the line between the hair and was too much of a contrast with the lower browns. Although it is very true to the original photograph, it was just a bit too much for the stained glass picture. 

So I spent a couple of hours cutting a new piece in a slightly darker glass. It hardly notices, but the subtle difference works much better, leaving a big smile on my face. The highlights on the head and cheek also work really well, but took an inordinate amount of time to cut; they are just a couple of millimetres wide in places. 

It's very rewarding to see a familiar face slowly begin to appear. Again my photo doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea. 

Stained glass course

Today we ran our second stained glass course of 2016, two lovely ladies keen to learn the ancient art of making stained glass windows. Our courses are designed to give the basic knowledge and hone the basic skills, building the confidence try more and more ambitious projects. 

Our two fantastic students worked tirelessly all day with great enthusiasm, producing their own very personal designs and making them to a very high standard indeed. Sadly we ran out of time and didn't get to polish them, but they still look awesome. Well done ladies.