I'm thinking of this now because somebody asked me what I'd recommend to stock a new studio with an adequate supply of frit. My first impulse was to suggest that such a question was rather like asking which letters to buy for your laptop keyboard. Then I got to thinking about it, and it really is a good question. Not sure it has an answer, but it's still a good question.
There's a discussion going on Warmglass right now concerning beginning glass resources (books and tutorials). I've just suggested that your own project notes are an essential part of the journey, a sort of do-it-yourself tutorial that should never be missed. So here's the template I used.
A ring mottle is not some wierd kind of pigeon. It's a type of patterned colored glass used by some of the best-known stained glass artisans in history, i.e., Tiffany, LaFarge, etc. (I believe Tiffany's studio invented ring mottle, but don't quote me.) The ring mottles are gorgeous when you see them in person but I don't think they photograph [...]
One problem with being addicted to creating glass art is that it's not exactly a compact hobby. Coldworking equipment (grinders, laps, rociprolaps, saws, etc) take up considerable space and create a lot of mess, kilns also require some space, and you need somewhere to store extra sheet and frit glass, molds, mold-making materials and supplies, kiln furniture, tubs of abrasive [...]
