Ferns and Wildflower Sandblasted Mirror

Description

Artist Barbara Ball begins her process with a pencil drawing or a photograph that is then put into Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to create detailed, high-contrast black and white images on her computer. Those images are then printed on film and then on photo-resist mask material, which is applied to the glass. The process of seeing, drawing and making pictures is playful and experimental, and the process of creating masks involves much craftsmanship and attention to detail. Sandblasting itself uses a very fine aluminum oxide powder, in a pressurized tank, aimed at the glass through a small nozzle. The mask acts as a stencil to protect areas of the glass that will remain clear.