Are glass blowing classes the best for you? Whether you want to learn more about how to create beautiful glass creations from an expert or you’re simply looking for a new hobby, these classes are perfect for all skill levels. While it may sound hazardous, working in a classroom setting is one of the safest ways to learn how to work around molten glass and heat.
How do glass blowing classes work? Most classes require a complete fee up front, but if this is too steep a price for you, try inquiring toward their policies regarding sliding scale payments. Also keep in mind that these fees also cover supplies, tools, goggles, furnaces, and other necessities. It may be likely that you’ll need to purchase clothes that are suitable for glass blowing classes. Ideally, these include clothing that is soft, comfortable, but close fitting, sturdy boots, and gloves.
Once you’ve enrolled in your glass blowing classes, you will be able to learn the basics of glass blowing, such as how to apply molten glass to the rod, or punty. You will learn how to spin the glass, keeping it in constant motion while creating air bubbles. These air bubbles help form the creation’s eventual shape. You will also learn how to use tweezers, scissors, shears, and other tools to pluck and pull the heated glass into the desired shape.
Many agree that the most entertaining step of the process is adding color to the project. This can be achieved by rolling the molten glass in colored glass powder, using a ceramic material called frit, or using colored rods known as murrine. During your glass blowing classes, you will find that different materials create a wide array of different and complex hues and textures.
Finally, you will learn the process of moving the glass from one furnace to another until the exact shape and color is achieved. These steps, more than anything, are considered some of the most difficult parts of the process, as it’s all too easy to drop your project and send it shattering. Even if you don’t break it, it can still crack or shatter in the cooling down process if the temperature is changed too drastically. This is why most projects take several hours or even days to cool down.
While glass blowing classes may initially sound like a difficult, unruly art form, you’ll be surprised to learn just how delicate and intricate your details will be. Best of all, it’s likely that the paperweights, cups, bowls, and other projects you do will be small enough that you should be able to take them home with you in a day or two. Learn more today about how glass blowing classes can transform how you look at art!
