What are the techniques and tools for making glass?
Humans have been making glass for thousands of years and even though there have been some advancements for how it is processed (automation, mass production, chemicals, etc.) the tools have been perfected quite at the beginning. Essentially, if something works, it works.
We differentiate two types of glass processing: hot and cold - whether you "touch" glass when it is hot or not.
You know you work with a "hot technique" when you're sweating and near the fire: glassblowing and flameworking are the most known of them all. Both are theatrical in many senses, fast paced, and works just like a choreography as your body knows and remembers the movements and routines of work.
There are plenty of "cold techniques" as well, like carving, sandblasting, fusing, slumping, casting, stained glass. These require a precise hand and let you work a slower pace.
Many artists combine techniques and even come up with their own inventions on how to merge and innovate them in a way nobody has ever done before.
One thing is for sure, that these are all hard work to learn and master. Often a lifetime of experience is needed for someone to properly manage to create their pieces, let alone innovate it.
I'm very lucky to have the chance to collaborate with people who are on the top of their technical skills. In the picture, Vendel from Decorlight Kft is bending a tube in the flame for my neon lamp (Knotneon, 2020). Later, I also learned how to make it, but took me a month and a million tries.
