The art of glass blowing is one that has been used for centuries. Whether you plan to pursue this craft professionally or simply for a hobby, the rewards that come with being able to manipulate glass into different shapes, sizes, and textures are tenfold. Here are a few things to consider when learning more about glass blowing.

When you break it down, the process of glass blowing is really very simple. Essentially, filtered sand, potash, soda ash, and limestone are melted together to form a mass of molten glass. Then the artist dips a steel blowing rod into the glass and gathers an amount of it on the end. Using a specialized table called a marver, the artist shapes the dollop into a cylinder before putting it in a furnace called the glory Hole, where it is heated even hotter.

During this step is typically where the artists adds color, if necessary. This can be accomplished with powdered colored glass, canes of colored glass, or frit glass, which usually consists of ceramics and is wonderful creating a wealth of colors. Once you’ve used your colors, it’s time to begin blowing. Contrary to popular belief, you needn’t blow into the glass the entire time—only during the shaping process. However, as your hands are constantly turning the rod the entire time, it’s important to have strength and dexterity when it comes to shaping your glass.

Of course, an artist can’t be expected to always create a masterpiece in one sitting. The shaping process can take ages. Along with blowing air bubbles, the artist also uses tweezers, paddles, scissors, and diamond sheers to pull and shape the molten glass until it looks the way he or she likes. This often involves reheating the glass in the glory Hole several times.

When the shape is achieved, the last step of glass blowing is the transfer of the shaped glass onto a different rod known as the punty. Once the artist has finished adding any last minute details or shapes to the glass, it is removed from the punty and transferred to an annealing oven, where it is slowly cooled. Smaller pieces only tend to take a few hours, while larger pieces can take up to several days. Cooling it slowly this way prevents it from cracking or shattering due to the sudden change in temperature.

As you can see, glass blowing takes a lot of work, which is why many glass artists use assistants for the tricky steps of transferring hot, shaped glass from one area to the next. Whether you decide to create bowls, glasses, plates, or just works of art, glass blowing is a truly versatile form of art that is rapidly growing very popular. Learn more today about how glass blowing can benefit you!