Beginning Glass Blowing

[bailey2092]

Hi everyone, I recently purchased some beginner flameworking classes and would like some advice. I eventually want to move on to pipes and other hollow forms, but this particular class is solid form just so I can get a better grasp on the basics. So, my question to you is if I want to get as much out of this class as possible while developing the fundamentals for hollow form glass what should my first project for the class be? Thanks!

[mattholimeau]

I would suggest you make whatever the instructor instructs you to make first. I was first instructed to make a small clear marble, but listen to your teacher - that's why you paid for the class, right? Solid forms are a good place to start.

[menty666]

Yup, gotta learn to crawl before you can run. If you sit there in your solid class thinking "how does this apply to hollow work?" you're doing yourself a disservice. Pay attention, learn solid first. Hollow work is a whole different animal.

Have fun, and welcome!

[bandicuss]

agreed^^ do what instructor says, i would have loved to have taken a class, ive wasted lots of material trying to learn on my own

[snoopdog6502]

You are very lucky to be able to start in a class. I had to fork out $600+ for equipment to start melting and was basically be fumbling around in the dark. Still fumbling but even my junk looks cool.

Any sort of classes for me would be a 300 mile drive. Im in no mans land, nobody does it out here in SE Washington.

In less then 4 months I have accumulated 2 torches, tanks,regulators,hoses,a bunch of hand tools,an oxygen concentrator and a kiln. Spent about $2,000 with some glass.

You on the other hand, can ask other people what they have to spare if you decide to get your own gear. Get good deals second hand from people you have met.

[Aaron Ellis]

Op what they said listen to your instructore. Solid is a good start also.

Snoop where do you live?

[snoopdog6502]

Op what they said listen to your instructore. Solid is a good start also.

Snoop where do you live?

Walla Walla,Wa. The closest lampworkers are in tri-citys 40 miles away but no classes.

[BIGSAVAGE]

I started by learning how to construct shapes using 4 mm rod. Starting with 2D (triangles, circles, squares) and moving on to 3D prisms. You can make anything you want by networking with small rod. Hollow work and other types of working that involve precision turning came later. First you just gotta learn how to melt stuff together!

But yeah.. Do what your instructor says.

[Zukie]

I wasnt fortunate enough to have an instructer, so it was many hours in my studio fumbling through things myself. Solid work is a great start, especially when learning how glass moves and works. I made only marbles for about 6 months before i even purchased a piece of tube. There is a reason they start you off with solid. Tube is an entirely different animal. (at least for me) Good luck and post pics of your creations.

[paulsafo]

i am about 6-7 months in and was lucky enough to learn from someone who had already gotten the basic fundamentals down. they were by no means an experienced blower. i was immediately attracted to implosions. a lot of folks will say you gotta start just by welding rods etc.. this is almost true, but if that doesn't maintain your interest.. then well it's not necessarily as productive as it could be. its good to do a lot of practicing welding rods and things, then take a short break to play! (play not waste!)


i would spend hours and hours splicing and melting rods and when shopmate took a break, i would make an implosion marble either frit or otherwise. making marbles/forming gathers will help you learn how the glass likes to move and naturally ball up. it will also help your "spin" on the hand. the hotter you get it, the more consistently you have to spin to keep it in shape. this will also teach you how to use gravity to shape the glass. try different sized gathers/marbles to get the feel of the glass. when you aren't behind the torch it helps to grab pencils pens or even take short rods with you of diff diameters and practice spinning with both hands!! i repeat with both hands! one more time with both hands.

once you can weld a rod straight (roll it on the table and it has to be perfect!) and once you can weld a rod strong (give it a 6-10 inch drop and see if it holds at the weld) then move on to pulling some stringers! always best to start with clear and save money where you can - also some colors are stiffer than others so keeping to clear while you get the motions and fundamentals down is probably a good idea.

after you get clear stringers down, start lining clear rods with color stringers and melt that in nice and even. once its melted in, use the same technique you used to pull a stringer, but this time twist as you pull. it will twist the clear and color into a 'latticcino.' here's a video . different colors can give really cool effects and help you learn the different torch flame paradigms for handling different colors in the beginning weeks/months. you can build on all of these techniques as you go. ultimately your instructor will know what's best in terms of what exercises are necessary, even if they don't seem necessary at the time or for the type of work you are wanting to do.. it may get boring at times if they aren't letting you "go wild." Just remember it takes a lot of patience and a lot of practice.

No matter how easy someone makes something look, doesn't make it easy. Most importantly, don't get frustrated!!!!!! you get out what you put in.


have fun and welcome. look forward to seeing your progress! be sure to post pics! there is plenty of information all over this thread just waiting to be absorbed for what you'll need for equipment, safety and supplies to get started in the right direction. happy burning!!!!!!

[oG Glocc Coma]

I was lucky enough to have a community college with a “lampworking” class.

It started off slow and we only met once a week for 3 hours but I got that for a whole semester of learning for $75 lab fee. The first week we made gathers and cracked em off and started again, the next week all we did was pull stringer, the week after that we did a gather then pulled the neck out like a stringer, seemed pretty boring to not just me but the everyone in class… I mean a whole class of nothing but stringers!!! Come on! There was a method to his madness, He was teaching us the basics and on the fourth week when we pulled a color stringer made a gather shoved em together then pulled neck and looped around… Holy shit I just learned a mushroom pendant without even knowing I had all the steps down! I ended up taking his class for 4 semesters!

Point to my story is there is always a reason you are learning something, more than likely its to make something easier down the road for you! Listen to your teacher and do everything they say to the best of your abilities! You’ll get it eventually

[Poisonglass]

You will be stoked to use your solid techniques on your tubes later when you realize what you can do with them.

[Poisonglass]

A simple solid form to make would be a marble or a tapered spike. There are many lessons to be learned from both. Those lessons also apply to hollow work, and just about everything else you might make. If your beyond that go for sculpting. human figure, animal, etc. i agree with what everyone is saying, if your instructor recommends you make something, go for that.

[Jxbey]

taking a stained glass glass at my CC but switching to nearby university(CCS detroit) in a year or two where they have a full glass working program im stoked but in class today teacher was talking about how when he started working stained glass he taught himself there were no classes i had the thought that i that i could be a college lampworking instructor that would be awesome atleast for a few semesters haha. after taking a course on solid forms i think youll have a much better understanding of glass and youll be able to make spoons no problem. are you able to get on a torch separate from your class and try hollow forms?