Pinhole Implosion technique with Gilson Opal inclusion.

This marble was made with a high risk of breakage due to the opal inclusion.Any air trapped near the opal while encasing would surely have cracked this marble from the center to the edges.This is caused in part by a slight difference in the rate these two materials,opal and glass,expand and contract upon heating and cooling.

Green Crater Marble.

Humboldt Green encased with concave lens.This piece is delicately crazed along the entire surface of the crater.A heavy backing color was laid in behind the green crater surface to spread the green thin and provide a stable base for this tricky color.

Green Crater marble. (back)

The backing of this marble is a style I call "Banded Window" and it is combined with a pinwheel design in its widest band.

Full Bloom

A light blue color was used here to keep an airy appearance in this marble.Not shown here is the backing design that uses a split design half of a broken marble.Sold to Brian Bowden.

Poking Through the Haze

Greenish spines extend into a hazy layer of bluish fog.

Gypsy Queen rod reversal backing (not shown).

Tally Me Banana

Green exotic with yellow pods form what appear to be bananas, with large opening in center.

Solid Rod Reversals

Gypsy Queen is a multicolored rod made by Momka's Glass. I twist the cane back and forth and condense the design after reversing the axis of the rod.

Fiesta Caterpillars

Gusano Rojo all around! These little fellas become the vibrant switchback designs pictured in the Solid Rod Reversal pieces.

Cook it like a little sausage.

The fiesta caterpillar gets attached perpendicular to the handle and subsequently the viewable surface as well.

Close up shot of condensing action.

A crescent shape is maintained to acheive a certain look.

The Bean Phase.

Heating just the color and rotating at a slight downward angle helps here.

Heating the color below the added section causes the two masses to merge

A horizontal rotating stance is maintained here.

See? It's working.

Be patient or you'll spin the edges of the design out of axis.

Smash it!

Point it straight down and press into the center of the mass for an even spread. When you heat for this step, concentrate the heat on the clear or you'll ruin the design.

Splat.

There are unlimited possibilities for combining this technique with other encasing techniques to make some interesting designs. Have fun!