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Brian Bowden | profile | all galleries >> Marble and Glass Demos >> Devin Somerville Makes a Milli Vortex Marble tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Devin Somerville Makes a Milli Vortex Marble

I had the pleasure of watching Devin at work in Milwaukee in Dec of 2009. The next day we headed up to Green Bay to watch the Packers live for Monday Night Football, WOOOHOOO!!! He made a milli vortex (all his handmade milli) with a squiggle face backside.

Some of the images are taken with didymium glasses in front of the camera lens.
After marvering to a conical shape, Devin applies millies to the cone.
After marvering to a conical shape, Devin applies millies to the cone.		 Applying more millies.
Applying more millies.		 Melting those millies in.
Melting those millies in.		 After a layer of gold fume was applied, Devin adds dark dots over top of that fume.
After a layer of gold fume was applied, Devin adds dark dots over top of that fume.
Getting everything nicely melted in.
Getting everything nicely melted in.		 Layers of small grain color frit are added to the cone to provide a colored background.
Layers of small grain color frit are added to the cone to provide a colored background.		 Pulling the end of the vortex/cone to a nice termination.
Pulling the end of the vortex/cone to a nice termination.		 Adding 'junk glass' to the cone in order to round it out.
Adding 'junk glass' to the cone in order to round it out.
More junk glass being added.
More junk glass being added.		 Gathering the large rod to form the lens of the vortex.
Gathering the large rod to form the lens of the vortex.		 Still gathering.....
Still gathering.....		 My camera flash fired for this shot...
My camera flash fired for this shot...
You can start to see what the vortex will look like, glowing as it is.
You can start to see what the vortex will look like, glowing as it is.		 Through the didymium, heating up the mass of junk glass for rounding.
Through the didymium, heating up the mass of junk glass for rounding.		 Still heating....
Still heating....		 Gravity and heat cause the marble to start to take shape.
Gravity and heat cause the marble to start to take shape.
Rounding in the mold.
Rounding in the mold.		 Gotta love didymium fire!
Gotta love didymium fire!		 g3/17/390417/3/120302619.RiDrPzi0.jpg Gotta love ANY kind of fire, especially along with glass, woohoo!
Gotta love ANY kind of fire, especially along with glass, woohoo!
The marble is mostly rounded now.
The marble is mostly rounded now.		 Adding several layers of colored frit to the backside.
Adding several layers of colored frit to the backside.		 Pulling caramel stringer to use to decorate the backside.
Pulling caramel stringer to use to decorate the backside.		 Applying the stringer design.
Applying the stringer design.
g3/17/390417/3/120302627.06zsAqLu.jpg Melting the design in.
Melting the design in.		 Here's the hot glowing design through the didymium.
Here's the hot glowing design through the didymium.		 Final rounding for the backside.
Final rounding for the backside.
Melting off the main rod - leaving the right amount of glass for the lens is crucial, and something learned w/ experience.
Melting off the main rod - leaving the right amount of glass for the lens is crucial, and something learned w/ experience.		 Melting and rounding out the lens.
Melting and rounding out the lens.		 Almost complete, final rounding in process....my camera battery died!
Almost complete, final rounding in process....my camera battery died!		 The finished product!
The finished product!
Look at the twisting of the termination down there, sweet.
Look at the twisting of the termination down there, sweet.		 Awesome bright millies!
Awesome bright millies!		 You can see the dark dots he placed between the millies.
You can see the dark dots he placed between the millies.		 See the face? :-)
See the face? :-)
Squiggles and wiggles!
Squiggles and wiggles!

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