What is Glassblowing?
Glassblowing is the ancient art of gathering molten glass on the end of a hollow metal rod and applying air pressure to inflate and shape it.
What is glass made out of?
The glass used in blown glass art consists of a mixture of roughly 70% silica sand, soda ash, and limestone. These three ingredients are mixed together and melted at roughly 2400F.
Why is glass art so expensive?
Glassblowing requires many years of training and is typically done in teams. Studio costs and glass color are expensive, and you also need to hire trained assistants in order to successfully complete projects.
Why is the glass always orange when you work with it?
Molten glass is so hot that it is always going to appear red or orange. Even when colored glass is added to the clear base, the glass will appear orange simply because of how hot it is. Once the glass finishes its cooling process and reaches room temperature, the true colors will finally show.
How do you add color to the glass?
Color can be added to the glass in three different forms: color bar, frit, and powder. Color bar is a solid piece of heavily concentrated glass color that needs to be preheated to 1050F in order to pick it up and apply to the clear base. Frit, crushed up pieces of color, ranges in size from coarse to fine and is applied by rolling the molten glass into it. Powder is similar to frit but even finer and is usually sifted onto the glass. However, it requires proper ventilation to safely apply it.
Do you get burned a lot?
Burns do happen, but not as often as you think. It is fairly obvious to not touch the glass because it is glowing due to the heat. Most burns come from the metal tools used to shape and cut the glass. Most tools are made out of steel, which does not show heat unless it is upwards of 1000F. You probably get burnt cooking in your kitchen as often as someone would in a hot shop.
Do you need to wear protective gear in a hot shop?
Yes, but you don’t need to be covered from head to toe. Safety glasses are always a must to protect from any flying glass shards. Pants are a good option to wear until you become comfortable working in a hot shop to protect your legs from common beginner burns. Closed-toed shoes are a must; otherwise, you are at risk of stepping on hot glass shards or getting it stuck in between your toes. A kevlar sleeve is usually worn on your forearm to prevent the radiant heat of the glass from burning you. Gloves typically aren’t used because they prevent you from being able to hold and handle the pipe properly, putting you at risk of burning yourself.