Jewelry Kingdom

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Dichroic Glass

How to Make a Pendant with Patterned Dichroic Glass

To begin you’re going to need the right tools. You are going to want a glass cutter, breaking shears, glass fusing glue, shelf primer, and fusing paper.

A good glass cutter to use is Toyo, it’s oil filled to give you clean cut and it stays sharp. There is more than one style available if you prefer a different grip.

Glass fusing glue is important to keep your work in position before firing it. The best type is either Glastac or Elmer’s fusing glue. Avoid using PVC, as it can cause problems when the glue burns off, reacting with the glass leaving marks though so it’s best to stick with purpose made glues.

Shelf primer is a powder that you mix with water to line the kiln shelf before it goes into the kiln. It stops the glass sticking to the shelf as the glass melts. Many artists prefer to use shelf paper instead. It’s less fuss and the underside of the glass usually comes out a lot smoother. When using either of these you must treat them with care. Use them with a dust-mask and be careful not to breathe in the dust.

When deciding which glass to use in your fusing project the key thing to keep in mind is compatibility of the glass. When you see fusing glass for sale you’ll see COE next to the title, e.g. 90COE, 104COE, etc. You can only use glass of the same COE. If you try and mix them up they’ll only shatter as the glass cools.

Dichroic glass typically comes in either clear or black backed. You’ll get slighlty different results for the pattern depending on which type you use. Clear tends to give the piece more depth and it can be more versatile, such as with layering on top of another piece of glass.

Make sure you cut the dichroic to shape. Cutting glass can be tricky to start with. Cut standing up and only go over the cut once. Don’t keep cutting at the same line because all it’ll do will splinter the glass and blunt the cutter. You must remember that if you use more than one layer of glass the coated sides of the pieces must not touch each other. They won’t fuse properly and you’ll just end up with a lump of glass in not done correctly.

Layer the glass on top of each other and fix into place with a small amount of glue. Then use clear for the top layer of glass. This should be a couple millimeters larger than the bottom layer, or the dichroic coating will seep out. Try adding an extra clear piece of glass of the same size as the bottom layers to give the finished pendant more depth.

About the Author

If you are searching for 90 & 96 COE dichroic glass for making dichroic jewelry, you should visit the leading source of dichro – DichroicGlassPortal.com where you will find every color, pattern, and texture dichroic sheets, plus equipment, such as glass kilns and other tools.

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Lampwork Glass

Murano Glass

Murano glass, was originally produced in Murano, an island located in Venice, in Italy.  From the 10th century, the glassmakers of Murano have been famous for their work. The glassmakers have since then settled in many different areas and countries but it is believed that the authentic glass of Murano is produced in Murano only.

Origin of Murano Glass

Art of glassmaking in Murano originally started in Rome in the 9th century. It had Muslim and Asian influence on the art. In 1291, the glassmakers became famous after they moved the foundries to the city of Murano. Murano glass started getting exported. By the 16th century, most of the citizens on the island of Murano were involved in one way or the other in glassmaking. In 1950s and 1960s Murano glass was produced for export and tourists in great quantity.

The glassmakers became very affluent, though they did not have the permission to depart from the country, some of them moved out to other countries and settled as far as Netherlands.

Types of Murano glass

Murano glassis made by special technology, over the years it has been refined and developed, some of them are-

• Crystalline glass.
• Enameled glass, made by the smalto technology.
• Gold thread glass, made by aventurine.
• Multicolored glass, made by millefiori.
• Glass milk, made by lattimo.
• Imitation gemstones
• Sunken glass.

Murano glass today

Murano glassis used for many purposes; it is used to make jewelry, glass figurines, contemporary glass art, chandeliers, wine stoppers and stemware. The historical factories are still known for their products today some of the brands which became very famous and are still famous are,

• Venini
• Pauly
• Barovier &Toso
• Salviati
• Seguso
• Formia International.
• Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso

Techniques

Most of the Murano glassis made by the technique called the lampworking. Glass is made of silica. Silica when heated at very high temperature turns into its liquid form, it is again allowed to solidify, while passing from liquid to solid form, there is a period of time when the glass has very soft form but not completely solid, at this time the glassmakers shape it in any form they want.

Some specific techniques are used to make different types of glasses .some of them are-

• Murrine technique
• Millefiori
• Filigree
• Glass engraving
• Gold engraving
• Incalmo
• Lattimo
• Painted enamel
• Ribbed glass
• Submersion.

Materials

In addition to silica the other material used in glassmaking is flux. Flux is also called the melting agent. The importance of flux or sodium oxide is that it becomes soft at a lower temperature and it solidifies slower, thus the interval of time when the glass needs to be shaped is longer and helps the glassmaker to use that time in shaping.

The other materials used in glassmaking are sodium, which makes the surface of the glass opaque. Nitrate is used to eliminate bubble, to give color to the glass and also in making surface opaque. Arsenic is also used for the same three purposes.

Colors

Different colors of glass are made by adding different minerals or raw materials in the silica. For example, cobalt and copper compounds are used for making aquamarine glass. Solution of gold is used to make glass ruby red.

About the Author

Murano glasshas been famous and very popular for a very long time because of its ageless beauty and breathtaking designs.

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Murano Glass

Decorate Your House with Murano Glass Vases

Beauty, class, art can take many shapes and forms, but have you ever imagined that a simple vase can make a difference between a dull room and a stylish and beautiful one? If you haven’t, then it means that you have never seen or come across a murano art glass vase. This crafted artwork expresses elegance. The colors are simply amazing, the styles and designs are unique and the overall effect is simply astonishing.

Murano glass vases come in so many different designs and style that it is very hard to even choose one. But this is not necessarily a bad thing, because you know that no matter your taste, there is always going to be a murano glass vase that will meet your requirements. The price for a murano glass vase ranges depending on the material used to manufacture it, the size of the vase, the style and most importantly on the age of the murano art glass vase. The most common murano glass vases combine lots of vibrant colors, such as red, yellow or blue, making these vases unique and incredibly beautiful. Furthermore, the numerous patterns and different color mixtures make these works of art suitable for any home, no matter the chosen design style.

A murano glass vase can be used to serve its purpose, namely that of putting flowers in it, but due to its special aspect, this type of vase can just be put on display on shelves or cabinets to brighten up the room. Furthermore, because murano art glass vases are extremely original and interesting, they are great items to collect. Murano glass vases can thus serve many purposes, but this is not by far the most important aspect that should be taken into consideration when it comes to murano glass work.

Murano glass has been around for more than seven hundred years and they represent one of the most treasured gifts of the Italian people. The unique method of manufacturing of these types of glasses and the different products that can be brought to life using murano glass makes murano art glass vases so special. The elegant air that a murano glass vase brings into any room is simply undeniable.

A murano art glass vase is not just the perfect piece that you can put in your living room, but it also makes the perfect gift. Because of their diversity, murano glass vases can be perfect for any person and any home. First of all, because there are many different styles of vases, you can never go wrong even when you make a gift for you pickiest friend. Second of all, murano glass vases are collectable items so they can be perfect gifts for people who have a passion for art collections.

All in all, a murano glass vase is, I dare say, perfect for any home, and it can always be one of the greatest gifts you have made or received. These types of vases are easy to find and purchase and the easiest way is to go online and look for stores that sell them.

About the Author

For more resources about murano glass vase or about murano glass vases or even about murano art glass vase, please visit these pages.

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Glass Pendant

Colored Glass Pendant Lighting

Bask In Elegant Light with Pendant Lightings

In accordance with the style and theme of your room you may choose from traditional, contemporary, transitional and Tiffany pendant lighting fixtures. All these varieties provide elegance, clean cuts, bold lines and architectural superiority. However, it is better not to mistake pendant lighting with chandelier lighting. The former generally hung from a single sconce on the ceiling and sprouts a single chain or metal tube from there.

Shapes and Size:

The colored glass pendant lightings come in a large variety of shapes and size including rectangular, square, triangular and round. The contemporary lighting designers even experiments with a wide spectrum of shapes in order to create exclusive and appealing light fixtures. You can also find some pendant lights that have abstract shapes and designs that can revise the atmosphere of your room and create a mesmerizing effect. However, the most common type of colored glass pendant lightings are dome shaped and cone shaped. The dome shaped pendant lightings are either shallow spreading ample amount of light or narrow in order to release more direct ray. These types of colored glass pendant lightening are usually crafted with materials that are capable of holding a dome shape. The cone shaped pendant lightings are more directional lighting source that allows only a little amount light to escape.

Quality levels:

Colored glass pendant lightings are available in diverse quality levels. Some of them being real piece of art cost thousands of dollars while others have little esthetic appeal and are used more for practical purposes. Thereby the quality range of the light produced from these glass pendant lightings also varies.

Tips while installing glass pendant lightings:

Avoid fixing an open bottom colored glass pendant lighting too high as it is very irritating to look up into the light bulb every time.
Avoid installing them too low as they can look very unappealing.
Do not split the space into even sections while installing glass pendant lightings.
Place 3-bulb colored glass pendant lightings in your breakfast nook to provide additional task lighting.

About the Author

Colored glass pendant lightings are attractive and show off the splendor and understate the drawbacks of your rooms. In fact, considering its popularity, the manufacturers offer a huge variety of colored glass pendant lightings in terms of shapes, sizes, textures and finishes.