Lesson Submitted by: Anna Mayehofer, West Genesee Middle School, Camillus, NY
Unit: Crafts – Glass – Fusing
Project: Fused Glass Landscape
Grade Level: Middle School Through High School
Alternate Lesson: Fused Glass Frame

A.  Lesson Plan:  Eighth Grade Fused Glass Design

B.  Objectives

The students will be able to:

1. Recognize the work of several artists who used the landscape/nature as the subject in their art work
2. Define landscape and relevant vocabulary terms such as fore, middle and background and illusions that can create depth.
3. Recognize the landscape theme in the art work of Louis Comfort Tiffany
4. Become familiar with the work of Dale Chihuly and Frank L.Wright and the influence of nature within their artwork.
5. Create a full fused glass plate/bowl using the landscape/nature as a subject matter
6. Become  familiar with glass terms and techniques that can be applied to fusing glass

7. Use the elements of design placing emphasis on line, color and texture in the creation of the glass design

C  Relationship to New York State Standards

A.  Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts

• Students will actively create a fused glass art work.. 

B  Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources   

• Students will be knowledgeable of the material used, as well as use selected material to enhance this project.  Identification and use of glass techniques will be accomplished during this project.

C. Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art

• Websites, prints will be made available to study/critique using past and contemporary glass  design through the methods of inquiry presented by Feldman which places emphasis on the elements of design and previous knowledge.

D. Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contribution of the
    Arts 

• Influence art and current trends in the creation of three-dimensional design

D.  Materials

Bullseye glass (clear)                                         Bullseye Stringers (assorted)
Bullseye Confetti (assorted colors)                   Bullseye Noodles (assorted)
Bullseye Frit (assorted colors)                          glass grinder    
pistol grip glass cutter                                        old towel  (to cut glass on)
safety goggles                                                    plant mister to apply kiln wash
circle cutter                                                         old stainless steel bowls
kiln with furniture and shelves                            scrubbing pad
kiln wash (shelf primer)                                     temperature resistant gloves

E.  Resources

Books

The Fused Glass Handbook                                        Advanced Fusing Techniques
by Gil Reynolds, Copyright 1987,1990                         by Boyce Lundstrom
ISBN 0-915807-02-5 (revised ed.)                               ISBN 0-9612282-1-0

Fusion Headquarters, Inc.                                            Vitreous Publications
15500NE Kincaid Rd.                                                  Camp Colton
Newberg, OR 97132-6925                                          Colton, OR  97017
                                                                                        (503)-824-2267 (phone or fax)

Glass an Artist’s Medium   
by Lucartha Kohler, Copyright 1998                    Dichroics
ISBN 0-87431-604-x                                                  by Jackie Paciello-Truty

Krause Publications                                                    Glass Press
700 East State Street                                                 10 Canal Street
Iola, WI 54990-0001                                                    Bristol, Pennsylvania 19007
                                                                                       (215)-826-1799 (phone)
                                                                                       www.glasspress.com

F.  Video Resources:  River of Glass/Dale Chiluly

Internet Resources

Murano Glass                            http://www.boglewood.com/murano/home.html

Dale Chihuly                              http://www.chihuly.com/

Louis Comfort Tiffany                http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Tiffany/index.html

Corning Museum of Glass         http://www.cmog.org/

History of Glass                         http://arttech.about.com/library/weekly/aa013000a.htm

Frank L. Wright                         http://www.franklloydwright.org

G. Vocabulary

dichroic                                                glass cutter                                           landscape
COE                                                    streamers                                              depth
full fuse                                                 noodles                                                 texture
tack fuse                                              confetti                                                  shape
firing                                                     grit                                                         color
kiln                                                       score                                                      line
divitrification                                       anneal                                                                           slump/drape                                        Dale Chihuly
kiln wash                                              Louis Comfort Tiffany
stringers                                               Frank L. Wright

H  Procedure

Students will need to use visual resources such as slides, internet sites, videos, prints, etc. in learning about the great landscape artists.  These artists can vary-they can be Louis Comfort Tiffany windows, Hudson River artists, or any artist/school you may wish to select or period to create a landscape.  These can include cityscapes, seascapes, etc.

1. Students will research at least 2-3 artists who have created a landscape.
2. Students will become familiar with the parts of a landscape/and define
3. Students will explore the role nature played in the glasswork of Chihuly, Tiffany and Wright
4. Students will begin to create a glass plate/bowl
1. Need to do rough draft of a landscape within format selected for the landscape composition.  This may be irregular or geometric.
2. Decide on a shape in which the landscape will be placed.  This could be a free form, circular, rectangular, square, triangular or oval type shape.
3. This glass shape must be cut first, then grind glass to smooth edges.
4. Begin selection of glass which utilizes the same textures as the student has drawn in the rough draft
5. Students need to become knowledgeable of names and textures of the glass used on their landscape plate
6. Glass needs to be ground to smooth edges using a grinder and safety rules must be strictly enforced/use of goggles and a protective shield over the grinder
7. Wash and then dry pieces of glass
8. Using white glue (not copious amounts) to slightly tack the glass pieces onto the glass shape/plate

                   Once the appropriate colors and textures have been selected and tack glued
                   let dry overnight

9. Place on kiln washed shelf
10. Place glass on a mold (this can be student made form or a commercially made form
11. Fire the glass (1453 degrees Fahrenheit) for 12 minutes,/flash vent to 900 and then close lid  and turn kiln to 900 degrees for one hour and turn off kiln…leaving the lid closed
12. Let the glass anneal overnight and don’t open until it is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit
13. Then you are ready to place the plate in a mold that has kiln wash applied to it.  The kiln wash can be applied with a brush or spray bottle.
14. Fire again using same procedure as with the tack fusing but once it has been flash vented be sure to keep the kiln at 900 degrees for another 3 hours.  Then leave glass in kiln until the temperature falls to 100 degrees or less.
15. Remove from kiln
16. If there is some kiln wash on the plate be sure remove use Windex. It seems to come off easiest with this product and a toothbrush

[MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSONS]  [HIGH SCHOOL LESSONS]

Submitted by: Delphi Glass
Unit: Glass  - Crafts
Lesson: Fused Glass Frame
Delphi - 3380 East Jolly Road - Lansing MI - 49810
Call Toll-Free: 888.281.5780     Copyright Delphi 2002
This lesson has graciously been given to Incredible Art Department by Delphi. It is here for you to "borrow" - revise to your needs. It can NOT be republished on any web site without permission of Delphi.

                                                                                  Frame before fusing        frame after

Objectives:    

Students will 1) learn glass cutting to create a “mosaic look” picture frame; 2) work with color and shape to create abstract designs; and 3) learn fusing and kiln basics.

Grade Level:

Middle School - High School

Time Required:

Three to Four Sessions

Materials for 12 Projects:

Qty.     Item Number  Description

3 sm     #B110150        Clear Glass (cut into ¾” x 3½” strips)
1          #F790190        Golden Amber Mosaic Frit
1          #F770190        Evergreen Mosaic Frit
1          #F740390        Cobalt Blue Mosaic Frit
1          #F760690        Red Mosaic Frit
12                                Acrylic Frames, 3.5” x 5” (available from most craft or photo stores)
1          #LN275           Adhesive Glue

Glass Cutting Supplies:

1          #5104              Toyo Glass Cutter
1          #5068              Running Pliers
1          #5163              Safety Glasses

Teacher’s note: One sheet of clear glass strips makes twelve frames.  One bottle of each of the mosaic frits makes about 12+  frames.  Use extra sheets of clear glass to make additional frames.  Students can also use fusible glass instead of frit to create their own design.

Directions:

Refer to Delphi’s Instructions for Fusing for detailed instructions.

1.    Cut clear glass into strips.  For glass cutting directions see Delphi Instructions for Beginning Stained Glass handout or Stained Glass Made Easy video #6149V.

2.    On a kiln washed shelf, arrange the clear strips to form a rectangle.

3.    Cover the clear glass with random pieces of mosaic frit. It is acceptable to overlap the colors.

4.      Using Fusing Schedule on Delphi’s Instructions for Fusing, place in kiln and fire flat.

5.      Attach a clear acrylic frame to the backside of the fused picture frame with adhesive glue.  Insert your favorite photo!

Tip: Be sure there is at least two layers of glass over each of the seams or you may get a hole.

Photography and project from Glass Fusing Made Easy book #5981. Please refer to it for more detailed directions and beautiful beginner projects.

[MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSONS]   [HIGH SCHOOL LESSONS]