Commissioning Hard Edge glass art explained

by Kevin Rossiter, October 2022

A Best Practice Guide to buying Hard Edge Glass Art

If you're commissioning Hard Edge glass art, either as a home owner, private collector, gallery owner, interior designer, architect, or plain old glass art fanatic, there are 4 stages to each project.

Expect to be involved at each stage - commenting and approving - while enjoying the whole experience. It’s easy and with the added bonus that it can be a quite memorable experience with an extrordinary result:-

“I think it looks absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to show it off” KS, London

Once the style, size, price, delivery and payment are agreed, we start looking at the practicalities of producing your glass art piece.

This process is divided into 4 stages:

1 - Design What will it look like? We can exchange photographs of your display area, colour palettes, ideas, preferences - a unique sketch-to-design approach. You may also wish to name your piece, or give it a title.

2 - Production How’s it made? From cutting to kiln, you’ll see videos so you can watch exactly what's happening and what everything looks like. It’s a very open, fascinating process.

3 - Delivery How does it arrive? Enter the world of packaging, couriers, and getting it safe & sound to your doorstep.

4 - Installation How do I display it? Where to display and how to do it most effectively. Choice of stand, table, wall, plinth or baselight display options.

You can expect regular design and video communication throughout, with as much or as little involvement as you like during development. 

It's a collaborative effort, a new level of art retail experience with a clear predictable outcome, which is an appealing approach for customers new to buying Hard Edge glass art, customers who want or even expect to join in.

The Hard Edge glass art style explained

Imagine ..... creating a gorgeous sweep of intense colour that feels to move as you move. Glass is sensual.

Imagine .... a dull space brought to life, reimagined with a radiant centrepiece.

Imagine .... the thrill of showing it off to friends and clients alike. Your original artwork, one of a kind, won’t fail to impress.

A recent customer twice said

"Omg it’s absolutely gorgeous!! Better than perfect. I LOVE it. 

Thank you thank you thank you"

"I could not be happier. The bowl is absolutely stunning. Linda is also the most amazing, helpful person to work with! 

Would give more than 5 stars if I could"

If you're a curious person, you might even ask why do people commission glass artworks?

Design

Under the Sea - Glass wall art by Linda Rossiter, Glass Art by Linda

Under the Sea glass wall art
Glass Art by Linda

Hard Edge style glass bowl by Linda Rossiter, Glass Art by Linda

Hard Edge fused glass bowl
Glass Art by Linda

What will it look like?

Typically a new customer contacts Linda at the Studio, having seen something they like on the website or Instagram.

Maybe you want a similar geometric design, but in a particular distinct colour scheme?

Or maybe the same vivid colours, but with a different design?

You’re encouraged to talk to the artist by sending photos, links and examples of what you like, or show examples of ornaments, paintings or contemporary art works you already own. Or perhaps the wall or area where you’d like to display your Hard Edge glass art piece?

“I’ve seen this. Can I have one similar but bigger?” Maybe you prefer a different set of colours with style modifications, eg, larger size or new colour palette. 

With this information, the size, colour palette, price & delivery of your piece are agreed and you’ll be asked to pay your fee.

Glass colour samples - Glass Art by Linda

Next, an initial b&w design will be sent to you, so you can see the shape and size on pdf or printout.

You’ll also be sent pdf and video colour samples of real glass, which looks like a paint colour swatch only nicer as it’s beautiful, coloured, glass.

This is an opportunity to see the final colour scheme of your work, and also an opportunity for you to change your mind on small details, eg, more blue, less purple please.

You’ll receive further samples until you’re completely happy.

Once palette and design are approved, you’ll receive a final colour pdf, which you can print out to try on your own wall if you like.

Design and palette brief - Glass Art by Linda

You can now approve Design, Colours and Size of Work, confident it’s going to be perfect.

This is all done through email, or Etsy messages.

As you can see, commissioning Hard Edge glass art is quite different to buying an oil painting, watercolour, framed print, sculpture or other contemporary wall art. 

Hard Edge glass art is a powerful new medium of expression, and needs thinking about a bit differently. It’s a fresh colourful approach to glass art.

The project now moves to the Production stage - making your Hard Edge glass art piece.

Production

How’s it made?

Bringing your design to life, from cutting to kiln, is both complex and fascinating.

While it’s being made you’ll see videos to show progress, and also to double check you’re happy with the way things are developing.

Many customers find this a thrilling experience as they get to see their own original work of art being made.

“OMG I could watch this for hours! Absolutely love it!”

Here’s a selection of fused Hard Edge glass production videos so you get the idea.

Delivery

How does it arrive?

When you make your actual shopping cart purchase, delivery costs will be calculated in advance and shown in £GBP or $USD. 

Expect everything to take 2-6 weeks from start to finish.

Once the work is complete, it’ll be sent to you by tracked courier, double boxed, using double-walled boxes, one inside the other, with padding in between, strong and sturdy enough for glass to travel without fear of breakage.

We also use recycled packaging materials wherever possible.

Each finished Hard Edge glass art work comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity so you know it’s a handmade original by Linda. There’ll never be another piece the same as yours.

Installation

How do I display it?

In 1508 when Michaelangelo started to paint the Sistine Chapel Ceiling in Rome, it took him 5 years, and he spent a lot of it nearly upside down, with no shred of sympathy from his paymaster, Pope Julius II.

Today art’s much easier, and installing a Hard Edge glass artwork takes five minutes to an hour, depending on the display style you’ve chosen.

How you display your piece will depend on its size, shape, palette

- and how it complements your existing home decor or interior design ideas.

If you send photographs of your display area, we’ll suggest display options to make your piece stand out as you intended and more.

For example, do you want a stand? Will you need lighting? Is it a side or main table display? Will I prefer a wall mount or stand up plinth, or even a baselight to make it even brighter and more dramatic?

You can learn more about displaying Hard Edge glass art here,

The final result will be the perfect display for your original Hard Edge glass artwork, just as you imagined when you first bought.

Here are examples of Hard Edge glass display showing the three main methods for display - wrought iron stand, stand-off wall mounts, and clear acrylic stand.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling - Michaelangelo

Michaelangelo: Sistine Chapel Ceiling in Rome

Examples of Hard Edge glass display

Biarritz fused glass artwork on a wrought-iron stand

1 - On a wrought iron stand

This contemporary custom stand gives prominence and character

Biarritz fused glass artwork mounted on the wall with stand-offs

2 - Wall mounted with stand-offs

Stand-off wall mounts give an added level of attractive wall light reflections

Biarritz fused glass artwork on a clear acrylic stand

3 - Clear acrylic stand

Perfect for when you need the stand to be invisible

A finished mounted display example

This is a simple yet effective display that dominates space.

Use your imagination - what would be the best way to display in your chosen location?

Will you need to consider lighting? Or even moving things around to show your piece to best advantage?

Send us photographs of your display area and we’ll send you some useful display ideas, plus a professional opinion.

Next steps

What do I do next?

You’ll probably have some questions now, even if you’ve already got a clear idea of what you want and where you want to display it.

- Can you make me one like I’ve seen here on your website? 

- How much will it cost? 

- Can you make me something in these colours? Like my favourite Kandinsky print?

- Can you make me a picture of my house only in glass?

- How big will it be?

- Do you make matching accessories or collections as well?

- Will my Hard Edge glass art investment increase in value?

- Are there any Do's & Don'ts for commissioning art?

Your questions will never be the same as anyone else's, so write in and tell us what you’re imagining and we’ll do our best to reply promptly and properly.

Can we give a customer the last word?

"So glad I was lucky to find you on Instagram."

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