glas:glassblowing

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glas:glassblowing [2025/12/09 11:07] – Dave Darbyglas:glassblowing [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Glassblowing+This topic is part of [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. 
 +====== Glassblowing ======
  
  
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-## What is glassblowing?+===== What is glassblowing? =====
  
 Glassblowing is the art of shaping molten glass by blowing air into it through a long metal tube. Glassblowing is the art of shaping molten glass by blowing air into it through a long metal tube.
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 {{ https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/glassblowing-1.jpeg }} {{ https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/glassblowing-1.jpeg }}
  
-### History+==== History ====
  
 The first glass used by humans was obsidian, a black glass forged in the fires of volcanoes and used by Stone Age peoples to make rudimentary tools. The origins of manufactured glass remain obscure but it’s thought to date back to Mesopotamia, around 6000 years ago. The earliest known examples of glass objects are beads, pottery glazes and later, hollow vessels made by shaping molten glass around a compacted sand core. The development of glassblowing, somewhere between 100 BCE and 100 CE in what is now Syria enabled large-scale production and a greater variety of shapes. Apart from the means of heating the glass (nowadays with gas furnaces), the basic tools and techniques have remained largely unchanged to the present day. The first glass used by humans was obsidian, a black glass forged in the fires of volcanoes and used by Stone Age peoples to make rudimentary tools. The origins of manufactured glass remain obscure but it’s thought to date back to Mesopotamia, around 6000 years ago. The earliest known examples of glass objects are beads, pottery glazes and later, hollow vessels made by shaping molten glass around a compacted sand core. The development of glassblowing, somewhere between 100 BCE and 100 CE in what is now Syria enabled large-scale production and a greater variety of shapes. Apart from the means of heating the glass (nowadays with gas furnaces), the basic tools and techniques have remained largely unchanged to the present day.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Shaping the gathered glass into a scoop before it’s blown.+_Shaping the gathered glass into a scoop before it’s blown._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Glassblower blowing glass into a mould.+_Glassblower blowing glass into a mould._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of glassblowing?+===== What are the benefits of glassblowing? =====
  
 - Glassblowing is a useful skill that can be turned into a career, supplying a range of decorative or practical items – from wine glasses to decanters, jugs, door knobs, lamps, sculpture and chandeliers – to the local community. - Glassblowing is a useful skill that can be turned into a career, supplying a range of decorative or practical items – from wine glasses to decanters, jugs, door knobs, lamps, sculpture and chandeliers – to the local community.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Blown glass being removed from the mould.+_Blown glass being removed from the mould._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Shaping the neck of a decanter.+_Shaping the neck of a decanter._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Hand shearing the neck of a decanter to form the rim.+_Hand shearing the neck of a decanter to form the rim._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 You can start by supporting your local glassblower, if you have one. If you’re interested in taking it further and training as a professional, the first step is to take a class or course to see whether you’ve got the required manual dexterity and hand-to-eye coordination. Every incipient glassblower needs a lot of help and practice in the beginning and there’s a lot to learn. Glassblowing isn’t for everyone: it can be scary (fear of fire and extremely hot objects is pretty innate) but it’s surprisingly safe when working in a controlled and supervised environment. A starter course will cost anywhere upwards of £100 per person per day. You can start by supporting your local glassblower, if you have one. If you’re interested in taking it further and training as a professional, the first step is to take a class or course to see whether you’ve got the required manual dexterity and hand-to-eye coordination. Every incipient glassblower needs a lot of help and practice in the beginning and there’s a lot to learn. Glassblowing isn’t for everyone: it can be scary (fear of fire and extremely hot objects is pretty innate) but it’s surprisingly safe when working in a controlled and supervised environment. A starter course will cost anywhere upwards of £100 per person per day.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Using a hand paddle to form decanter lip rim.+_Using a hand paddle to form decanter lip rim._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Forming the foot on a bowl.+_Forming the foot on a bowl._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 To set up a working studio you’re looking at an outlay of several thousand pounds, so you either need substantial savings or to get hold of a very generous grant. Day-to-day running costs are also high: think upwards of £2000 per month on gas and electricity alone. Unless you have money to burn, before taking the plunge you need to be sure of your market and that you can cover your costs. It also doesn’t hurt to have a back-up plan or some savings to see you through the lean times every small producer experiences. Working in a co-operative and sharing a furnace in shifts may be one way to maximise use of fuel and share costs. To set up a working studio you’re looking at an outlay of several thousand pounds, so you either need substantial savings or to get hold of a very generous grant. Day-to-day running costs are also high: think upwards of £2000 per month on gas and electricity alone. Unless you have money to burn, before taking the plunge you need to be sure of your market and that you can cover your costs. It also doesn’t hurt to have a back-up plan or some savings to see you through the lean times every small producer experiences. Working in a co-operative and sharing a furnace in shifts may be one way to maximise use of fuel and share costs.
  
-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/crafts). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [Glassblower.info](https://www.glassblower.info/) - big resource - [Glassblower.info](https://www.glassblower.info/) - big resource
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 - [History of glassblowing](https://workingtheflame.com/history-of-glassblowing/) - [History of glassblowing](https://workingtheflame.com/history-of-glassblowing/)
  
-## Specialists+ 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Craft production](craf:craft) 
 +- [Pottery](pott:pottery) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • glas/glassblowing.1765278424.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/09 11:07
  • by Dave Darby