Are you interested in glass blowing art? If so, you’re not alone. This amazing art form has remained popular for centuries. Whether you plan on pursuing glass blowing as a legitimate profession or you simply want a new hobby, this is a wonderful skill to have.
While some glass blowers undergo an apprenticeship or attend specific colleges to learn the intricacies of glass blowing art, many are able to learn the craft by simply taking a glass blowing class. These typically involve paying a direct fee upfront. This fee will cover your supplies, tools, and other necessities as well. While most classes demand a complete fee from the beginning, there are also some that allow for a sliding scale fee.
The process of creating glass blowing art sounds difficult, but one you learn the ropes of it, you’ll find it isn’t as complicated as it seems. Artists begin by dipping their rod into molten glass. By combining techniques of spinning the rod with their hands and blowing an air bubble, they are able to create a very basic shape of what they want, whether it’s a vase, a bowl, a mug, or an abstract piece of art. You can also tweak the shape by pulling at the glass with specialized tweezers, scissors, and shears.
Another process of glass blowing art includes adding the color to the glass. This can be accomplished by rolling the glass in powdered colors created specifically for this purpose. Other materials include colored glass rods and larger pieces of colored ceramics known as frits. By including these elements in your glass blowing art, you can create thousands of different hues and textures.
Glass blowing requires speed, dexterity, and strength, as you will be moving and manipulating the glass constantly. You will use several different furnaces for your projects as well. However, one of the surprising advantages of glass blowing art is that smaller projects such as paperweights, bowls, cups, and sculptures can be created and taken home within a day or so of their creation. Their smaller size allows them to cool down more quickly, often within a few hours. Larger projects, however, need more time to cool down slowly to prevent cracking or breakage. Accidents are inevitable even in this stage, however.
These are only a few things to consider when regarding glass blowing as a hobby or profession. With patience, time, and practice, you will be able to create everything from glass orbs to complex Christmas ornaments effortlessly, resulting in a multitude of one-of-a-kind creations. Learn more today about how glass blowing art can benefit you!
