Images Printed on Glass

Yesterday I attended a great workshop at the Bullseye Glass Resource center with Carrie Iverson

The workshop was a quick run thru of Carrie's experience working in printmaking and her exploration into techniques that can be applied on glass. My thanks goes to Bullseye and Carrie Iverson for such a wonderful afternoon!

Not to over-simplify... but basically following printing with oil based inks on float glass she sifts powder onto the glass and it only sticks to the ink. She demonstrated a process of using lazer printed (or photo copied) text and images that she then wet down using a printmaking process and rolled on ink that then only stuck to the toner, then inverted this wet paper onto a smooth sheet of glass and blotted it dry. When she removed the paper she had made a perfect transfer onto the glass. This technique required a few key printmaking supplies and tools, but it was relatively simple. Although Carrie made it look easy from years of experience working in printmaking!

It was interesting to think about this process oriented use of glass. Print right onto the glass, screen printing or letter printing, carved blocks and whatnot, Carrie was just doing it by hand using regular paper and a firm foam sponge to blot and tranfer - heck what about the old potato printing! (do potatoes work with oil based inks) and then sifting powders onto this ink. Its like the old glue and glitter technique. Although I don't like working with powders... gotta get out the respirator and whatnot... kinda dangerous to the lungs... but fine frit may do a decent job (fine frit is a bit heavier than powders, so it tends to not stay airborne and float up to be breathed in by the artist).


Ah... it was a fun day. I got a ride with my friend Jonathan and JeanMark in his infamous car - the Star Cruiser.






I sat next to one of the many light-up parts of the car, my alien friend Roz. It was an awesome ride (thank JeanMark!). I took a bunch of pictures of it, cuz thats what I do :)