Off hand hummingbird tutorial

Quintessential · #1 2016-07-02, 10:06am

I recently posted a tutorial on how to make a soft glass hummingbird. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful. https://youtu.be/TKgo3wEXwSI

Eileen · #2 2016-07-02, 10:35am

Thank you Vicki, that was great!

PaulBlogger · #3 2016-07-02, 11:00am

Thanks Vicki for sharing that tutorial!

Quintessential · #4 2016-07-02, 11:09am

Glad you liked it. If you make any hummingbirds, I hope you'll post some pictures.

Mesnik · #5 2016-07-02, 4:53pm

Cool video, cool design!! Thanks for sharing!

Quintessential · #6 2016-07-02, 5:14pm

�� Now give it a try and show your creation.

Vicki Gough · #7 2016-07-03, 6:31pm

Wow, I was hooked! Went on to watch several of your videos. Then watched the hummingbird one again! Can't wait to have time to try this! You made it look so easy! THANK YOU!

Quintessential · #8 2016-07-03, 6:39pm

Thanks, Vicki. Hang in there if the first few don't go exactly the way you want. If you're not used to sculpting soft glass off hand, it may take a bit to get the timing and heat control right. I'd love to see what you make and I'm glad my videos inspired you.

Mesnik · #9 2016-07-03, 7:07pm

Okay Vicki, here are my first attempts..

My wings need more practice!

Mesnik · #10 2016-07-03, 7:08pm

Can never add more than one at a time...

Mesnik · #11 2016-07-03, 7:09pm

Last one...

Quintessential · #12 2016-07-03, 8:35pm

Wow! Great job! I'm impressed. I really like the colors too. One suggestion if you're up for it. Be careful with your beaks and wings. The glass from the beaks and wings need to flow into the part they are attaching to. In other words, make sure both parts are heated to the same glow when you attach them. The beaks and wings look like they are attached without a full fuse. You may find they can easily break off.

Mesnik · #13 2016-07-04, 5:32am

Thanks for the tips! Always welcomed.

For the colors, i am forcing myself to use scraps as i have to many of them!!hahahaha

Happy 4th!

Speedslug · #14 2016-07-04, 10:53am

Thanks Vicki.

Quintessential · #15 2016-07-04, 5:27pm

Look forward to seeing your work.

Chocake · #16 2016-07-04, 5:44pm

Pretty dang cool!!
Thank you.

Quintessential · #17 2016-07-04, 6:43pm

Thanks. Hope you'll give it a try and let me know how you do.

Vicki Gough · #18 2016-07-05, 6:39am

I've got three hummingbirds to show as soon as the kiln is cool enough to get them out. I must say I did many things not in the video lol. Without having the tool to pinch nice even holes for the bail, I spent a good amount of time efforting. Then when I forgot to add eyes in the correct sequence, I made a hook bill hummingbird. #2 was "born" without eyes-didn't want a squad of "hook bills"! ; ) The heat control necessary to gracefully sculpt the wings was elusive, as were the apply the wings on opposite sides but in the same area skill. I am making it sound way worse-they are recognizable as hummingbirds and I really had way more success than anticipated. This is also the first time that I cut glass with scissors-another learning curve especially with bifocals. I had so much fun and can't wait to examine them AND try again! Thank you, Vicki! You have given me a precious gift- I in no way imagined that I was capable of making a hummingbird at this stage of my lampworking skills! Great tutorial!

Quintessential · #19 2016-07-05, 7:18am

Vicki, I'm very happy for you. It will only get easier with practice. The challenges you experienced are normal. If you don't have Peter Tweezers, you can use your bail as a placement reference for the wings. Just place the wings about half way down the body in line with the center of your bail. Make sense? For the eyes, if you have pointy tweezers, you can span the head from the front and squeeze them a bit so the end of the tweezers are where you want your eyes. I look forward to seeing your work. I can tell you are rightfully proud of yourself. Once you get these under your belt, a whole new world of working off mandrel opens up. I'm pleased to have given you the incentive to try and that my tutorial was helpful.

Vicki Gough · #20 2016-07-05, 7:48pm

This was so much fun. I really need to work on placement and angle of the wings, well and a few other things... ; )

We were in Jerome, AZ this summer and I saw some beautiful lampwork hummingbirds. I never imagined that I would be able to make one. Ok so I need to work out a few glitches, but all it takes is practice right?
Thanks so much

Quintessential · #21 2016-07-05, 7:58pm

Vicki, thanks for showing your hummingbirds to me. I'm impressed with how well you did. Congratulations! And yes, practice helps.

Seasoned Soul · #22 2016-07-06, 10:25am

I'm about to go out and try it now. I ran to get Peter's Tweezers just for this. haha. Thanks you for sharing it's an awesome tutorial Vicki!

Quintessential · #23 2016-07-06, 2:34pm

I hope you had success with your hummingbirds. Looking forward to seeing pictures. Thanks for letting me know.

@miniuniworld · #24 2016-07-16, 5:41pm

wow! thank you Vicki! do you find it easier to make the bail with the tungsten tool? or can I use the Peter's Tweezers to do the same? I have no luck making a good bail =(

Quintessential · #25 2016-07-16, 6:19pm

Kk, I'm glad you liked my tutorial. I've made bails with Peter tweezers for years. The tungsten tool is easier, but you don't need them. You can make a bail anyway you want. If you need some advice on using the Peter tweezers method, let me know and I'll do my best to explain how I do it. Or maybe I'll make a short video to show you.

@miniuniworld · #26 2016-07-16, 6:21pm

I would love a short video, Vicki, well, only if it is not too much trouble. I can't get it to work for me. =) I need to save up for the tungsten tool... it's a bit pricey. =) I subscribed to your channel and I love all the tutorials! =) thank you

Quintessential · #27 2016-07-16, 6:25pm

Give me a week or so. It's a busy week. If I don't get back to you, you are welcome to bug me. My email is vs@expressiveglass.com.

@miniuniworld · #28 2016-07-16, 7:46pm

Thank you!! =)

Quintessential · #29 2016-07-25, 6:09am

Sorry I haven't made the video for you yet. I can't figure out how to support my IPhone and I'm not ready to do a full video with all the equipment set up right now. But here's something I think will help you. The tweezers in this link are used the way I use my Peter Tweezers and if you scroll down, they explain how they do it (which is the same way I do it.) http://barthoffmann.com/shop/tools/n...ed-hole-maker/

When they say "4. As soon as the tips touch, move the handle back and forth a couple of times in a motion that makes the points rotate in the center of the hole.," let me try to clarify. I hold the piece upside down above the tweezers and insert the tips (facing the ceiling) so they touch each other through your small attached gather. If I'm using soft glass, I wait a few seconds for the glass to firm up a bit. Then I rock the tweezers like a pendulum, leaving the tool in the hole. I then rewarm the glass (but not so much that it closes the hole) and either repeat the rocking, pull the tweezers down toward the table a bit, or wiggle/twist the tweezers back and forth. Once you've gotten a hole, you can shape it with the tweezer's points.

Two tips:
1. You don't need a lot of heat to heat to make your hole bigger once you've broken through the glass.
2. Make sure the glass is stiffening up a bit before you rock or twist the tweezers or you'll throw your hole way off center.

I have my students practice by heating up a small gather on a rod and making bails on that gather. Remember to hold it so the gather is down and the rod is pointing toward the ceiling.

Let me know if this helps you.

@miniuniworld · #30 2016-07-25, 6:22am

thank you so much! =) I need to practice practice practice! =) I think I rush too much. All of them have cracked after I anneal them =( If I have any success the next time I am in the studio, I will post pics =) Thank you again!! =)