Never has the search for the elusive vibrant pink glass yielded such a wonderful creation! I've been waiting patiently for Val Cox, the fritmaster who introduced the frit frenzy to the current glass beadmaking world, to write her book. She has unveiled it to the world on her website: Frit Secrets: A Flameworker's Guide to Using Reactive Glass Frits.
Since 1999, I've been making glass beads but I could never master frit and make it sing like Val. Always willing to share, Val opens the flood gates of her frit knowledge and shares her techniques. There are chapters on Furnance Blown Glass, Frit Manufacturers, Frit Grind Sizes, COE, Base Glass, Five Special Colors, Color Review, Applying Frit and more.
Each chapter is comprehensive and full of expert information and common sense tips. The bonus is Val's recommendations that come from her extensive frit testing. I particularly appreciated the chapter on color since I've been working on using color more effectively in my work.
Val does careful color studies of each frit then takes all of the pictures herself. Her photography is luscious - I just want to reach out, pick up her beads and lick each one of them! (Oops did I say that out loud?! wink!)
I've acquired a stash of Val's frit. Although I've been unable to create a lovely frit bead, I never parted with the frit hoping that somehow the frit goddess would visit. She's finally come to visit in the form of Val's book. I'm re-energized to get the frit back out and try again. I'm thankful Val has shared her secrets and every beadmaker should be too!
(All Photos courtesy of Val Cox, talented glass beadmaker and phenomenal photographer!)
7 comments:
Thanks for sharing that cool book, Cindy, even though it's just a dream for me. I may never overcome my torch fears enough to take advantage of the knowledge. Do you think the information would work with fused glass applications? I'm not afraid of the kiln, thankfully!
Beautiful photographs, lovely beads.
Great review Cindy, I ordered this book last week and can't wait to receive it. I have accumulated a ridiculous amount of frit over the last few years (mostly from Val) and I'm looking forward to being able to play with it in a more interesting fashion than I have managed so far.
Hi Lynn,
There are parts of the book that would be useful for kilnwork but the frit behaves differently in a flame than in a kiln so the focus is on working the frit at a torch. The photos are luscious and I think I've licked every page so far! LOL!
Slurpingly yours,
Cindy
Hi Judith,
You're gonna love the book! It's just the thing you need to make fritolicious beads! We beadmakers are thankful for Val's book!
Fritastically yours,
Cindy
Cindy, wow, thanks for the great review, I love it!
~wave~ hey Judith! I hope you enjoy it!
Lyynn, yeah, Cindy is right, there are only few things which would be applicable for kiln-work, it's primarily about glass in the flame. Thanks for your kind comments!
Val
I'm going to order myself an early Xmas present.
Thanks for this review. The book looks great! I've never been much of a frit user, but this makes me want to do it. Counting pennies....
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