Lamp Panel Lengths

If you have determined the length of the shade and the diameters of the top and bottom, you can determine the length of the panel by maths or by a scale drawing.

Calculation of length
The maths is about right angle triangles. The dimension of the vertical part of the right angle triangle is the height of the lampshade. The horizontal dimension is the radius of the bottom minus the radius of the top. The length of the angle is the square root of the sum of the square roots of the vertical and horizontal sides.

E.g., a lampshade 200mm high with a 50mm vase cap and 400mm bottom width:
The vertical of the triangle is 200mm.
The horizontal is 400/2 = 200mm – 25mm (half the diameter of the vase cap) = 175mm.
The length of the panel is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the sides.

In this example, 40000+30625=70625 of which the square root is 265. So the panel is 265mm long.

Measuring the length
If you don’t want to do the maths, do a scaled or full size drawing. It only needs to be one side of the shade, but it can be the full shade.

• Draw a vertical the length of the shade.
• At the top draw the radius of the vase cap on each side of the vertical.
• At the bottom draw the radius of the shade on each side of the vertical.
• Join the two end points of the horizontal lines on each side of the vertical.
• Measure this line to determine the length of the panel.

This drawing method does have the advantage of allowing you to see the angle of the proposed shade and adjust it if necessary.

Lamp Panel Dimensions

Calculating the top and bottom widths
When doing custom lamp sizes is not too hard to calculate the panel sizes. You need to remember the value for pi (3.1417)

Start with the bottom diameter you want. Multiply it by pi. Divide this distance by the number of panels required for the lamp. This gives the size of the bottom of the panel.

Do the same for the top, but make one more calculation. As the top has to fit into the size of the vase cap, you need to take account of the thickness of the glass. So, subtract the thickness of the glass time 2 (the glass thickness is on both sides of the circle). Do the calculation as for the lower edge of the panel, and then subtract the thickness of the glass from that width. For most glass this will be 3mm.

Worked example
Bottom diameter: 200mm
Top diameter: 50mm
Panels: 8
Pi: 3.1417
Glass thickness: 3mm

Formula for bottom: dia. * pi = circumference / no. of panels = width of panel
Bottom diameter: 200*3.1417 = 628mm/8 = 79mm

Formula for top: dia. - glass thickness *2 * pi = circumference / no. of panels = uncorrected width – thickness of glass =width of panel
Top diameter: 50-6= 44 * 3.1417 = 138mm / 8 = 17mm

Determine the shape of the panel
When you have determined the widths of the top and bottom of the panel, you are ready to draw up the shape of the panel. Set up a horizontal line the calculated width of the bottom of the panel. Divide it and draw a vertical from the centre of the line. This line should be as long as the panel you are making. This is determined by the method outlined in the Panel Length tip. At the top of the vertical line draw another horizontal. Measure off one half the calculated top distance on each side of the vertical line. Join the points on the lower and upper horizontals to give the shape of the panel.

Commission Agreement

A commission agreement protects the interest of the artist and the commissioner. The agreement is between the artist (with name and all contact details) and the commissioning person or agent (with name and all contact details). It forms a contract and should contain all relevant details. Among these should be:

• The name of the work.
• The work’s description, and a sketch of the intended work.
• A description of the materials, and an indication of the methods to be used.
• The total price of the commissioned work, divided into portions for:
  - The design, not returnable under any circumstances. Additional changes after the first completed design will incur additional costs (at a stated rate per day).
  - n agreed sum before the artist starts to execute the work.
  - A further sum when the artist gives the commissioner written notice that the work is two-thirds complete.
  - The final sum when the artist gives the commissioner written notice that the work is completed.
• Access to premises where work is to be carried out.
• The artist shall retain the copyright in the design and the work.
• Provision for the commissioner to terminate the agreement by giving written notice to the artist. The artist is then be entitled to retain and receive payment for work done up to the date of receipt of notice, and to retain all rights and title to the work.
  

Booths at Fairs - Survival Kit

Think about what you want to have with you and plan ahead. Things you may need to bring with you include:

Materials

Display material/photographs for walls

Publicity material

Hand outs for the public - artist's statement, contact details

Press pack - press release, images of art work, artist's statement

Previous publicity and brag book, showing commissions - display it on a stand.

Postcards

Business cards

Price lists

Order book

Book for recording contacts

Tools

Cleaning materials, i.e., for cabinets etc

Box with thumb tacks, pins, pegs, screws, for hanging material on the walls

Extension cords, power strips, light bulbs, fuses

Box with tools – screw drivers, pliers, knives, etc.

Masking tape, scotch tape

Pens, markers, product labels, price tags

Calculator, sales receipt book, copy of your sales tax license

Credit card equipment

A storage facility for all the money and cheques you will take in! Also to keep the change box in - stocked with plenty of change, of course.

Packaging material - Bubble wrap, boxes, bags, etc
Seat with back rest

Small step stool

Wheeled trolley for moving stock and booth

Most important - your own lunch and cold drinks and water bottle

Additional things for outdoor booths

Canvas repair tape/ Gaffer tape

Weights for holding the booth down

Buckets and mops for bailing out

A pair of rubber boots

Guy ropes and pegs for windy conditions

Booths at Fairs

Think of your booth at a show as a mini art gallery. It should show off your artwork in the best possible light. The "job" of a booth at any type of show is to set up an environment to do the following:

• Attract a stroller's attention so that they stop in front of your booth and look.
• Provide an appropriate environment which best shows off your artwork.
• Entices the potential buyer inside to get a better look.
• Subconsciously directs the viewer to see all of the artwork (i.e. the booth has a footpath flow)

Booths do this in a variety of ways.

The booth provides a physical barrier so that your booth is separated from your neighbour's booth. You don't want your potential client to see your neighbour's craft/artwork while they are in your booth. Make sure your booth has full-sized screens on all 3 sides to block the view to your neighbour s booth.

It provides a consistent "art gallery" environment when your potential client steps inside.
Neutral walls, which do not distract from your artwork are best. In fact, the walls should help display the artwork. The booth should make the environment friendly to the viewer.

Have a floor covering. This is particularly important on an inside show on concrete floors
The covering should be neutral in colour so as to not compete with the stained glass.

Feature the artwork in the front. Make it easy for the client to walk up to your artwork. Nothing on the floor should impede this. Keep all non-art stuff like sales & packing stuff in the back of the booth.

Have as much lighting in your booth as possible. Glass is all about light. The more the better. Bring plenty of power strips, extension cords and extra light bulbs of the appropriate wattage.

Plan out the flow of the viewer. Think like a potential buyer and place your artwork appropriately. Have your big eye-catching show pieces where they are plainly visible from someone walking down the hall. Then put the smaller, less-expensive stuff in the back. People will be drawn into the booth by the big, expensive show pieces. Then, once they are inside, the artwork should go from most outrageous to more affordable, forming a path around the booth.

The Bill or Contract of Sale

Although it is usually a good idea, the bill or contract of sale is under-used in transactions between artists and purchasers. It indicates the terms of the sale, whether conditional or unconditional, and protects the artist’s interests, especially where artists’ resale rights are in force.

The bill of sale must include:

• The date of sale
• The place of sale
• The title of the work
• The description of the work: medium, dimensions, size of edition, and other relevant information
• The name and address of the purchaser
• The artist’s name and address
• The purchase price
• The term of payment

The above sets out the date, the place, the purchase price and the terms of payment of this contract of sale of the mentioned art works. However, in order to protect the future existence and use of the work, the parties may further mutually agree:

• Originality: The artist vows that the work is his/her original and that s/he shall not produce a replica of it.
• Edition: If the work is one of an edition, the artist vouches that the size of edition shall not be increased after the date of the contract.
• Reproduction: The copyright in the work is retained by the artist, but the buyer may be entitled to permit the reproduction of the work in books, art magazines and exhibition catalogues.
• Care of the work: The buyer vows not intentionally to alter, damage or destroy the work during the time of ownership.
• Restoration: If the work is damaged, the buyer shall notify the artist and give the artist a reasonable opportunity to conduct, or supervise, the restoration of the work.
• Artist's exhibition: The buyer and artist may agree to the owner lending the work (e.g., once in every twelve months for a maximum period of six weeks) for the purpose of inclusion in a public exhibition of the artist's works. The artist must give the owner reasonable written notice of his intention. The artist must provide documentary evidence of insurance coverage and prepaid carriage to and from the exhibition. The artist must ensure that the exhibiting institution identifies the work as belonging to the buyer.
• Placement of work: If the buyer places the work with any person or institution for exhibition, re-sale, or any other purpose, the buyer shall immediately write to the artist stating where the work is placed. This is especially important in jurisdictions where artists’ resale rights exist.
• Addresses: Artist and buyer shall notify each other in writing immediately of any change of address.

Soldering Fluxes

Fluxes fall into 2 categories: rosin based, and so called water-soluble

1. Rosin Fluxes
Rosin based fluxes are made from rosin which is extracted from pine sap. The purified product is known as "Water White Rosin". The active ingredient is an organic acid, abietic acid, and may contain homologs such as dehydro abietic acid and leviopmaric acid.

In addition to rosin other activators may be present at different levels to increase the ability to clean and deoxidise. Activators are compounds that decompose at soldering temperatures yielding ammonia or hydrochloric acid in the process. Flux activity is categorised as R (rosin only), RMA (rosin mildly activated) and RA (rosin activated). A low boiling solvent such as isopropanol is used as the vehicle so they are flammable.

Type R containing only rosin is the least active and is recommended for surfaces very clean to start with. It leaves virtually no residue behind. Thus this is the best rosin based flux for copper foil and lead cames.

Type RMA contains a small amount of additional activator to enhance cleaning and deoxidisation leaving only a minimum amount of inert residue behind. A characteristic of RMA fluxes is that the remaining residue is non-corrosive, tack free, and exhibits a high degree of freedom from ionic contamination after cleaning. These fluxes are acceptable, but more difficult to clean. They are not acceptable for conservation work.

Type RA are most active of the rosin fluxes, and leave the most residue, however the residues can be removed with appropriate flux cleaners. The residues are really difficult to remove in decorative glass work circumstances and should not be used.

2. Water Soluble Fluxes
These are called water-soluble, as the residue left after soldering is water soluble, although the flux is not. The so-called water-soluble fluxes are divided into two categories, organic and inorganic, based on composition. 

Organic fluxes are more active than RA rosin, and the inorganic fluxes are the most active of all. Both of these are the best of all fluxes to use in decorative glass work, as the residues are water soluble making clean-up easier, and they are more effective in wetting and keeping the copper and lead free from oxidisation at soldering temperatures.


See Also:
Flux, an introduction
Fluxes, a description
The Purpose of flux
The action of fluxes
Soldering fluxes

Applying to Juried shows

Juries are looking for a unique, well crafted, and impressive body of work in the category to which you are applying.Therefore, show them a coherent body of work - that is, the illustrations should all reflect a consistent style and aesthetic. Cohesive groups of work communicate to the jurors the strength of the artist's craftsmanship, design, self-direction and intent.

The juries also want to see representative work. Go for your strongest work and present the strongest visual presentation you can. Again, it should be a cohesive body of work photographed in roughly the same manner. Strong work and cohesive body of work are equally important.

The artist can have as much impact on the jury by editing certain pieces out of a group of works as s/he can by choosing what to include. So, avoid submitting a number of pieces that are in diverse styles. And make sure you have excellent photography.

Paints and Stains

Vitreous paint - glass paint which contains finely ground lead or copper filings, ground glass, gum arabic and a medium such as water, oil, wine, vinegar or urine. These are either high-fire blacks and browns or low-fire transparent colours.

Silver stains - silver nitrate and gamboge gum that chemically stain the glass to varying intensities from pale yellow to orange.

Gamboge is a rather transparent dark mustard yellow pigment. Gamboge is most often extracted by tapping from the Garcinia hanburyi tree. The resin is extracted by making spiral incisions in the bark, and by breaking off leaves and shoots and letting the milky yellow resinous gum drip out. The resulting latex is collected in hollow bamboo. After the latex is congealed, the bamboo is broken away and large rods of raw gamboge remain.

Choosing a Soldering Iron

The iron used to solder must be of a high enough wattage to readily melt the solder and be able to reheat fast enough to maintain the necessary melting temperature. The tip can't be so small it can't maintain the heat nor so big it covers more area than wanted.

For example a 75 or 80 watt iron is sufficient to begin soldering with, but it will continue to get hotter, as it has no temperature control. An iron of this type should be used with a rheostat in order to prevent overheating while it is idling. You should be aware that it will eventually reach its maximum temperature, so cannot be left for long.

Most temperature controlled irons seem to be produced in 100 watts or more. These internally temperature controlled irons maintain a constant temperature. These are normally supplied with a 700F° bit (number 7) and are sufficient to melt the solder without long recovery times. You can obtain bits of different temperature ratings, commonly 800F° and 600F°. You can also use several sizes of tips for different detail of work.