soft glass jellyfish

[Chris Upp]

Aloha Braddahs,
I am searching for a color that makes a good jellyfish head in 96 coe.
A good ghostly silver blue like you know who's. I don't like working with silver nitrate in liquid form. There has to be a striking color that works pre-made. Gaffer? Reichenbacht? Uroboros? Anybody??????????

[MikeTodd]

The closest you are going to get to not using silver nitrate will be a light opaque color that you use very little of and stretch it thin. Even if you use a striking or reducing color, once you reduce it, and than put it back into the furnace to gather over, you will lose alot of your silver or reduction.

[Chris Upp]

Thanks Mike - I'm going to try and create a color bar of my own with silver. Got any ideas about working the silver in? I have floated a small pot with clear and added drops of silver to it but sometimes very hard to mix this way as I can sink the pot or spill. Maybe I should fire it in a seperate electric furnace?? Somebody should make a silver powder. Mahalo's

[MikeTodd]

I would definantly recommend firing in a seperate furnace. The chances of spilling the pot are too great and I know I wouldn't want a full pot of color instead of crystal. I'm not too sure on working with silver nitrate as I have never done it, but I know some people who use it. I do know that it is called using a "Silver Veil" so you might could look up stuff under that name. Also look at Bill Slades work, he does alot with silver and jellyfish (http://www.billsladeglass.com/), I always find it helpful to look at other artist interpretations of what I want to make, to find my own way of doing it.
Hope it helps.
Mike

[Glenn Randle]

I use Kugler's Silver Blue. Maybe it would work for you, comes in rod, powders, and lots of frit sizes. I don't know of a clear silver glass, that would be something to play with if it was produced. Kugler also makes a Silver green & silver purple. Also, they (Kugler) make a lead crystal that I've seen on the selves at SPB, I don't have any idea if it will reduce. You might want to talk to whoever you buy color from what they'd recommend, they can often be very helpful if you happen to get the "right" person on the phone.

You mention silver nitrate in liquid form. I've never seen it as a liquid, but assume you'd spray it as with other "fuming" solutions. The silver nitrate I have seen was in solid form, which could be crushed to make a powder. Or could be used as a solid, holding with tweezers you could draw with it onto the hot glass surface.

Can't remember exactly how to make it.....I think you just pour nitric acid over pure silver (must be pure, not sterling), which dissolves the silver, then let the acid evaporate. I can't remember the "details", maybe you rinse away the acid or "something".

[Fuhrman Glass]

try Kugler K2101, it is referred to as silbercrystal. It's a clear crystal with silver in it.
The jelly fish body is more of a light fluorine opal I think. There are some fluorine opals that can be dusted on and will then strick to give that "milky" look.
Lol

[Glenn Randle]

Hey Tom,

It's good to see another familiar name around here.

Glenn

[Fuhrman Glass]

just an old time lurker with glassheimer's. Tenn. Tom