Lampwork, Fusing, Beadmaking and Glass Blowing

 

Art glasses are products created for an artistic purpose. Contemporary art glass is very adaptable it and can produce some amazing effects.

 

 

Art glass is basically items produced where glass is used as a purely artistic medium, to produce three dimensional works and sculptures. The price of an art glass item may vary between a few hundred dollars to a few thousands. There are many companies that produce art glass items therefore almost everyone can get his own art glass item.

 

There are a few methods used to produce these items such as lampwork, fusing, beadmaking and glass blowing.

 

Here’s a brief description of each method and the effects it can produce.

 

1. Lampwork

 

This technique requires a gas torch to melt glass tubes. While the glass is molten it can be shaped using a variety of tools. This technique appeared in France in the mid 1900 .

 

2. Fusing

 

This technique involves firing several glass pieces in a kiln to high temperatures. When those pieces will melt they will link to each other to produce a single solid object. If the utilized pieces are of different colors, great color combinations can be obtained. Using this method you can create dishes and jewllery.

 

3. Beadmaking

 

The glass bead creation dates since the ancient Egypt. There are 3 kinds of glass beads:

 

Wound Beads: This method involves using a steel mandrel to wind the molten glass around it until it gets a bead shape.

 

Molded beads: This technique involves placing the molten glass into a pre-formed pattern

 

Drown Beads: This technique involves placing an air bubble inside molten glass and stretch it until it forms an empty tube. Then cut the tube in bead pieces.

 

4. Glass Blowing

 

This technique involves using a blowpipe to inflate a molten glass bubble. By rotating the pipe in the glass kiln and blowing into it, a professional artist can create beautiful objects such as cups vases and decorations. Adding some special effects such as texture bubbles or color-mixing to a glass design requires some skills.

 

Most of the above mentioned objects have an important place in our modern society and will probably keep on having it for a long time from now on.