Based in the North East, Eileen Leatherland is an architectural glass artist who recently completed a PhD project about her investigations into surface coated window glass. In her talk on 1st May, she explained how she had identified the creative potential of this functional material partly by accident back in 2000, when a piece of surface-coated Pilkington K glass was fired in the completion of some studio artwork, revealing an unexpected pink/purple iridescence. The glass surface displayed an unusual ‘interferential’ colouration (due to the tin oxide in the coating). This colouration was not in the body of the glass, but caused by refraction of light rays on the surface, where different wavelengths of light gave off different colours. Low emissivity Pilkington K is a surface-coated glass which helps to control thermal insulation. As a glazing material, it has many fast growing applications, largely concerning energy conservation. What Eileen decided to do, as an artist in studio practice, was to research, identify, understand, control and manipulate this effect. This led to her PhD thesis: “Possibilities for the use of Low Emissivity Glass by Surface Coating Manipulation within a Creative Context”.
Her methodology involved the manipulation of the surface-coating of low emissivity glass by sandblasting and its fusion with surface manipulated traditional float glass at elevated temperatures. Through rigorous scientific testing, she observed the Pilkington K glass in four ways: for its colour; iridescence; reflectivity; and bubble formation. The glass was test fired from 600 degrees to 900 degrees, with an optimum firing temperature of 775 degrees. Under microscopic observation, she noticed that where the surface had a linear formation, which refracted light, it had a shiny look; but where the structure was chaotic, the resulting surface was dull. Colours ranged from gold to pink to blue. Gold had a bubbled surface, purple had no bubbles, just ripples and pink combined the two.
Prior her research, there had been no documented information regarding the creative use of functional surface-coated flat glass. As a result of her investigations, Eileen had effectively developed new methods of creating a colour palette, by exploiting the aesthetic qualities of the Pilkington K glass under certain conditions. She developed new techniques that can be applied to several areas of creative glass, providing the glass artist with an alternative palette of effects.
Her methodology involved the manipulation of the surface-coating of low emissivity glass by sandblasting and its fusion with surface manipulated traditional float glass at elevated temperatures. Through rigorous scientific testing, she observed the Pilkington K glass in four ways: for its colour; iridescence; reflectivity; and bubble formation. The glass was test fired from 600 degrees to 900 degrees, with an optimum firing temperature of 775 degrees. Under microscopic observation, she noticed that where the surface had a linear formation, which refracted light, it had a shiny look; but where the structure was chaotic, the resulting surface was dull. Colours ranged from gold to pink to blue. Gold had a bubbled surface, purple had no bubbles, just ripples and pink combined the two.
Prior her research, there had been no documented information regarding the creative use of functional surface-coated flat glass. As a result of her investigations, Eileen had effectively developed new methods of creating a colour palette, by exploiting the aesthetic qualities of the Pilkington K glass under certain conditions. She developed new techniques that can be applied to several areas of creative glass, providing the glass artist with an alternative palette of effects.
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