GLASS ART MAGAZINE ARTICLES and PODCAST
Glass Art, a popular magazine written for and about the art glass industry, is published 6 times a year. The magazine is available in print, digital, and CD formats.
From their website:
“Cutting-edge glass art, professionally photographed in full color, combines with the insights and experiences of contemporaries around the globe to inspire and inform …”
WARM GLASS STUDIO PROFILE (about Bob)
Origins and Evolution: The Power of Bob Leatherbarrow’s Glass Powders
by Shawn Waggoner
Photography by Jon Cameron
Working with glass powders, former exploration geologist turned artist Bob Leatherbarrow has changed his focus from exploring the texture of rocks and minerals to kiln formed glass. The result is fused compositions that combine irresistible tactile surfaces with unforgettable color. As a popular instructor, he is expanding his teaching to include a series of e-books.
In January/February 2017 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES COLUMNS (by Bob)
Kiln Formed Powder Wafers: A Quick and Easy Approach for Dynamic Design
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Design elements called wafers are made by heating thin layers of powder just to the onset of fusing directly on a kiln shelf. Warm glass artist, Bob Leatherbarrow, demonstrates using wafer techniques to create a horse design and offers additional tips for developing various textures in wafers.
In November/December 2016 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Getting Control of Your Slump
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Bob Leatherbarrow discusses the various difficulties encountered by glass artists when trying to find a good slumping schedule. Techniques covered include the correct time, temperature, span of the glass pieces, thickness of the glass, and viscosity. The artist then offers a “low and slow” technique to help overcome problems with slumping.
In July/August 2017 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Expanding Your Color Palette for Kiln Formed Glass
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Bob Leatherbarrow discusses ways to experiment to find a unique color palette for kiln formed glass projects including testing for chemical reactions. The methods described are particularly useful for artists who use powders for painting with light, textural work, powder printing, and the ever-increasing number of other techniques involving glass powders.
In September/October 2017 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Taking the Shock Out of the Brittle Zone
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Most fused glass breaks that occur during firing are the result of thermal shock while the glass is initially heating through the brittle zone between room temperature and about 1000°F. Glass artist Bob Leatherbarrow offers several suggestions for helping glass past get past the brittle zone when fusing glass.
In March/April 2018 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Just Another Day at the Office: Firing Schedules for Kiln Formed Glass
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Rather than thinking of the firing cycle as a continuum with a focus on the process temperature, thinking of it as three distinct and relatively independent zones is helpful. These zones include the initial heating through the brittle zone, heating to a process temperature, and ultimately annealing and cooling.
In July/August 2018 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Making Heat Work for You
by Bob Leatherbarrow
Heatwork is the combined effect of temperature and time on glass, the temperature of which is between the softening point and the process temperature. Bob Leatherbarrow shares reasons why low-and-slow firing schedules used for fusing glass art provide many benefits to the glass artist.
In November/December 2018 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Modeling Glass: A New Way to Sculpt Glass
by Lois Manno and Bob Leatherbarrow
Photography by Lois Manno
Modeling Glass is a unique two-part compound that includes a granular binder and a liquid medium that transforms glass powder into a smooth and firm, nonsticky, clay-like material. It can be formed into coils and slabs or cut into shapes in many different ways using inexpensive, readily available tools and techniques.
In March/April 2019 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
We Have Options
by Bob Leatherbarrow When it comes to controllers designed specifically for kiln formed glass, many have programming options that allow artists to better manage how glass is fired, thus improving the outcome of their art. Learning how to use these options can allow the kiln to be reprogrammed without stopping the firing of the kiln.
In July/August 2019 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
Unique Shapes in Kiln Formed Glass
by Bob Leatherbarrow Versatile and economical drop-out molds can be made in a multitude of shapes. Drop-out molds, which are supported above a kiln shelf on posts, are made of refractory material. Fashioning beveled molds can help artists create unique shapes in their kiln worked glass art.
In November/December 2019 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
The Freeze and Fuse Approach to Small-Scale Kilnformed Sculpture: A Look at the Basics
by Bob Leatherbarrow Freeze and Fuse is a simple technique originally developed by Paul Kimball for making small glass sculptures. A slurry of glass powder and water is packed into flexible molds, then frozen and fired. The silicone molds such as those used for candy making are readily accessible and work well for the process.
In March/April 2020 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
A Self-Imposed Residency: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
by Bob Leatherbarrow Artists can benefit from taking some time aside to develop and asses ideas that will help them explore their visions and values. Finding ways to think outside the comfort zone can help provide the beginnings of a preliminary artist statement and encourage the realization of creative goals.
In July/August 2020 issue; to purchase in digital format click here.
ScreenEasy: A New Approach to Printing on Glass
by Bob Leatherbarrow and Becky Wills Recent advances in rendering images on glass borrow from traditional screen printing techniques to reproduce fine detail and halftone images of photographs, writing, and even the artist’s own drawings. ScreenEasy, a new product developed by glass artists Becky Wills and Markina Filer, provides a very simple process that uses frameless screens to transfer enamel paint.
In November/December 2020 issue; link will be posted when available.
TALKING OUT YOUR GLASS PODCAST
Warm Glass Magazine podcasts feature interviews and discussions with world-renowned glass artists and respected experts in hot, warm, and cold glass.
To hear the podcast of Shawn Waggoner interviewing Bob Leatherbarrow, click here.