How to Make a Fused Glass Sculpture

Materials and Tools:

dichroic and iridized glass in various colors
brass wire
glass cutter
glass-breaking pliers
kiln
safety glasses
file
circle mold
picture-hanging hardware

Steps:

1. Wearing safety glasses, cut clear glass pieces to form the edges into a circle of the desired size.

2. Cut curved strips of glass of varying lengths and shaped like bananas. Lay out the strips so that they touch the outer circle and merge in the center like the spokes on a bike, all curving in the same direction.

3. Place smaller pieces of glass across the spoke pieces to form circles, similar to a spider-web effect.

4. Repeat the process for a second circle, using a different color scheme.

5. Repeat process for a square, cutting glass pieces straight rather than curved.

6. Place the two circles and the square in a kiln and full fuse at 1,500 degrees for eight hours. Cool for 12 hours.

7. Grind the edges by hand with a file to remove the sharp edges.

8. Slump the two circles into a mold to provide a curvature shape. Heat in the kiln at 1,200 degrees for six hours. Cool for 12 hours.

9. Sandwich the square between the circles.

10. Attach the three units by threading wire through the four corners of the square and through the circles. Wind the wire tightly around all the pieces five or six times, twist the wire until secure and clip off the excess.

11. Attach the picture-hanging hardware to the back piece of the sculpture.