Watery Effect Tutorial

*This project will create an object that is approximately 6” x 8” x 0.375”

*The total amount of glass needed for the project is approximately 983 grams. 

*The project is assembled on Papyrus paper and uses primed dams backed by kiln bricks

• If you do not have Papyrus paper, a primed kiln shelf will work as well
• If you are unable to prime your dams, line them with fiber paper instead 
• A project fired in fiber paper-lined dams will need more cold working

Here is a breakdown of the glass and materials used in the video:

• 96-01 Crystal clear Wissmach casting billets – cut the pieces to approximately 1″ x 1″ or 1.25″ x 1.25″
  • Use about half the total weight needed for the project (about 491 grams)
  • Place one billet on each pyramid

To learn how to cut billets, watch our “How to Cut a Casting Billet” video.

• Wissmach Transparent Sheet glass (enough to make the total weight of glass 983 grams)
  • 96-43 Sea Blue Transparent sheet glass
  • 96-50 Turquoise Green Transparent sheet glass
  • 96-17 Garden Green Transparent sheet glass

Project Instructions

• Create pyramids with the sheet glass and billet. Begin by placing 2”x2” pieces of sheet glass on your Papyrus-lined kiln shelf, then proceed to pieces 1.75”x1.75 or 1.5” x 1.5”. Nothing has to be too exact, except the total amount of glass needed for the project. Place the glass randomly and incorporate the billet pieces somewhere in the middle of the stacks to get the watery effect. 
• After creating the pyramids, place the dams in a pinwheel formation and back them with kiln bricks. 
• Fire the project using the following recommended kiln schedule:

• After the firing, clean any residual Papyrus paper from the piece. Remove any needle points from the edges of the piece with a diamond pad or belt sander.
• In the video, I sandblasted my project with 120-grit aluminum oxide before fire-polishing the piece. 
• I fire-polished my project using the following firing schedule. If you are planning on slumping the project into a sushi dish, this schedule should work for that as well. If you do not wish to sandblast your project, I still recommend using this firing schedule to slump your project.

Have fun and happy Kilnforming!
Drew, Wissmach Kiln Consultant

If you feel so inclined, share photos of your creations with us. You can post to your own page and tag @wissmach_glass on Instagram or @wissmachglass on Facebook. Or post in our Friends of Wissmach Glass Facebook Group.