Norway was the first country to start production and use of glass fishing floats around 1840 where glass floats were on gill nets in the cod fishery and then adopted by Japan in the 1940s. Glass fishing floats aren't seen much anymore and ones available for sale range in price depending on the colour. I have friends in the antique business with a whole window full of them that are just beautiful when the light comes through.
I've done this small study in watercolour in a sketchbook to help me decide if I want to invest time (and patience) to create a full sized painting in oils. There is a lot of detail and this is just a crop of the whole reference that I would use.
Studies really are the key to working out decisions on composition, colour and technique to avoid painting half way through a large piece and deciding nothing is working.
I'm looking carefully at the subtle changes in value and hue that painting glass presents and thinking how I can translate that into oils using just a palette knife.
I think another study is in order using oils and a knife before I make a final decision.
