Glass Visit

After a Visit to Dixon Glass to discuss my prototype jug I am very excited, I met the friendly staff there, and gained a better understanding of more industrial glass blowing. I spent some time with David, who was making a custom container, he explained how each item starts out from a 5ft long cold tube and is heated. Constant turning and heat allows the glass to become malleable and not crack.

When shaping the form more or less heat is added, depending on the desired shape. The process of lampworking is very similar to that of a lathe, whilst the form is being shaped, the piece is attached to another piece of glass, once nearly finished the form and extra piece of glass are separated. This causes the glass to behave in a sticky and stringy manner, similar to chewing gum. the excess is removed and the rest smoothed out with a tool, similar to that used in hand blown glass.

The glass is then left to cool slightly. To remove it from the rest of the tube, a line is scored on the glass; an intense flame then follows this mark around the circumference of the glass. Water is then added, causing thermal shock, and then in theory allowing the crack neatly. The glass then is placed in a kiln to cool at a steady rate. I will be returning to get pictures or a film of the glass being made, to accompany my prototypes. 

Measuring the Everyday

I have been collecting objects surrounding the topic of measure for since I started this project. With all the items I have collected I aim to produce a small book including a brief introduction and a couple of lines describing why I have chosen each item, in a really simple layout. I huge inspiration for this has been books such as Russian Folk Artefacts, Usefulness in Small Things, Factories and Objectified.  I also have confirmed the production of my glass and it should be commencing in the next two weeks, so a visit will be in order soon. I have decides on the format for the book and typefaces, I will be photographing all my findings on Wednesday, here is my progress thus far.

Orator Std and Helvetica Light

Prototyping

I have been researching in more depth for the past week which lampworkers and industrial glass blowers to contact and have received a quote from one. This is reassuring, at least I now know the product can be produced. I just sent in a 3^rd angle hand drawing, also describing the graduation I would like on the product and the material specification. However the quote is more than I anticipated so a batch of ten would probably be out of the question. I am going to wait two more days until I have received all the other quotes and weigh up which seems the best in terms of service and co-operation. It is a shame that it cannot be a small batch, considering this project focuses on production however in my presentation at the degree show this could be communicated in other ways.

Once I have decided on a quote, hopefully in the next two days I will be able to organise a visit and determine production and lead times. This weekend I aim to photograph some of the items I have collected in relation to measure in order to produce a couple of pages of my measure publication and write the foreword, explaining my intentions, findings and interests.

Contrast Between Metric and Imperial

I have been deciding what measurements to include on my measuring jug, thus far I have decided on imperial one side and metric the other. I want to make the jug functional, yet I do not want to compromise the element of volume perception. I have been thinking of how the product will be packaged, so did some screen printing today using brown card and white ink. To subtlety indicate the origins of each measuring system, the font for the metric side is Letter Gothic Standard and the imperial side is Lucinda Fax. I think the simple graphic works well but perhaps adding measurement markings would be clearer, but for an initial design I am pleased with it. I want to stay clear of red markings as I feel it references pyrex too much, instead I intend to use a pale grey, which is discreet, yet visible when using liquids such as milk. For next week I intend to have finished my CAD drawing, along with render, ready to send to manufacturers in order to get a quote. I would ideally like to prototype a small batch, of ten or so as I really want to communicate that this product is fit for retail. 

Picking up where I left off

I have been working on my dissertation and major project since Christmas, so have not done much on this project, but it has been in the back of my mind. Since this time I have still been accumulating measuring devices and vessels with reference to measure as I aim to create a book of measures to show my research and investigations into the perception of measure and how it has developed. Last Thursday I began drawing the jug on CAD, and started sketching possible measure styles, ranging form just lines describing one quarter, a half and 3 quarters o f a pint, along with these measures translated in millilitres. Because the object is so simple I aim to keep its intention really obvious, whilst still maintaining an element of accuracy through functionality. My next step is to finish my CAD drawing in order to send to manufacturers to get an idea of costing and lead times. Along with designing the packaging.