 |
Cardinal. This pic shows a 5-inch-tall suncatcher that we purchased a few years ago, made with lead came. However I have borrowed the pattern and duplicated this one a few times, using lead came and/or foil. It uses wire overlays. (Click the picture for a larger view.) |
|
Parrot. My first "large" suncatcher, which uses copper foil.
He is 10 inches tall excluding the chain. The oak leaves, branch and feet are a lead casting
and the eye is a bead of solder, blackened with patina. (Click the picture for a larger view.)
This was also my first project using a lead casting. I learned that the lead is quite soft but breaks easily if bent. It also melts quickly if you let the iron linger as you solder. |
|
Bluebird 1. This little guy stands just a fraction over 5
inches tall from the tip of his tail to the tips of his claws. The feet and branch are a lead
casting.
For me, preparing the glass piece for the white of the eye, right picture, was the real challenge for this project. I had not worked with such a small piece having such tight curves before. The inner part of the eye is formed with dark brown glass and a bead of solder, blackened with patina. (Click the pictures for larger views.) The "blue" glass looks blue when photographed under fluorescent light (right), but when photographed in daylight (left) it takes on an aqua tint. Maybe someday I'll learn how to photograph the true colors in pictures. |
 |
Bluebird 2. The pattern for this project is essentially identical to that for his cousin, above, but with a little less orange color. However, instead of a lead casting for a perch, this fellow stands on a branch made of no. 10 wire, complete with a few small leaves. Making his feet was the challenge for this guy. That was done with no. 18 wire. Next time I'll try to slant the claws forward. (Click the picture for a larger view.) |
 |
 |
Bumblebee. This is a common "garden-variety" bumblebee — flower garden, that is. He is 4-1/4 inches high including
antennae, constructed with foil and hobby-size lead came. The support is a 5/16-inch dowel rod
that is pointed on one end and pushed into the ground. The wings are overlays, one pair on the
body and the second (uppermost) pair over the first pair. (Click the pictures for larger views.)
Mounting is with two loops of no. 16 wire formed around grooves cut in the dowel. If I had it to do over again, I would drill small holes in the dowel and pass the wire through the holes so the bee wouldn't rotate on the dowel. |
