Contemporary Marble Question

[cat's eye jack]

i am hoping that rich will pick this up and possibly explain (in laymans terms) how mark m. is doing those geometric designs that completely cover some of his handmades, it looks almost impossible to me.? i have enjoyed your posts rich, and the videos of you actually making extremely good looking marbles. thanks, jack.

[david Chamberlain]

I'm sure Rich can shed some light on your question but for me I have always considered it sheer magic. In my two conversations with Mark Matthews in which he expanded exponentially on specific marble techniques I stood there probably with a dumb expression on my face. I actually prided myself on the fact that I caught something here and there. Early on I encouraged Marilyn Barrett to definitely not miss having him in her 1992 book: "Aggies, Immies, Shooters & Swirls - The Magical World of Marbles." I can't remember if she got examples of his work to photograph directly from Mark or via Bert Cohen because I definitely steered her towards Bert. David

Oh yeah, just PM Rich.....

[Alan]

Look up the term "Graal Technique".

[david Chamberlain]

Update: In "Contemporary Marbles and Related Art Glass" (2001) Block says that "Matthews begins by making a cylindrical 'blank' of glass with specifically placed layers of colored glass. After the blank is cooled, it is covered with a masking material with a geometric pattern. After the pattern is sandblasted through the various layers of colored glass, the blank is then reheated, covered with another layer of clear glass, and then formed into two or three spheres."

I suspect that's the short version! If you were to ask Mark Matthews you'd have to hang on to your seat or get lost along the way in a more detailed explanation because for every step involved he would have a half hour of explanation of exactly what was happening. I know I exaggerate! Still I prefer the 'sheer magic' explanation. David

[richsantaclaus]

Hi everyone, I just woke up...lol

Usually a well known comtemporary marble maker keeps their "secrets" to themselves and leaves people like me trying to figure how they "did that."

I am one that tries not to duplicate others designs and make my own stuff. But, to venture a guess, I'd take a football shaped clear glass and horizontally stripe it until it was covered with color. Then, starting at the center of the football shape, heat it till it began to run downward, twisting the entire shape to allow it to spread evenly. Allow that to cool then heat the right side and allow it to move in the opposite direction until satisfied, allow that to cool. Move to the left side and repeat what I did on the right side to match the pattern.

Hence, the Geometric pattern. Then alter this with sand basting what you want to alter.

Does this make any sense? lol

[david Chamberlain]

Sounds to me cogent and you're hanging right in there with Matthews who I've always considered tops in technique. That's not to say that other contemporaries don't appeal to me even more aesthetically. David