Discover the Best Glass Blowing Classes Near Me
Glass blowing is the process of shaping a piece of molten glass by blowing air into it through a tube. It has been practiced since the 1st century C.E.. Glass Blowers begin by heating a mass of glass in a furnace, and gathering it on the end of a blowpipe. They then inflate the glass by blowing through the blowpipe, and while it is soft, they mold it into a variety of shapes. Some Glass Blowers work alone, however, an assistant is needed to achieve some glass-blowing creations.
Why You Should Learn Glass Blowing
Some people learn glass blowing because they want to make it into a career. This specialized skill can lead to a variety of job opportunities including in art, design, and manufacturing. Many Glass Blowers work in art studios or other small businesses, making artisan products. Others work at glass factories, where they mass-produce items. Glass Blowers also make scientific glassware and can work for places like universities that use this equipment. Some Glass Blowers also repair original glass pieces.
While some people learn glass blowing as a career, for others it is a hobby. When it comes to blowing glass, there are endless creative possibilities, which can make this a very fulfilling form of artistic expression. Glass Blowers can experiment with different shapes, colors, and textures, creating unique glass pieces that are unlike anything else. It can also be rewarding to master the technical skills that are required for glass blowing, such as how to control heat and use a variety of specialized tools.
5 Ways to Learn Glass Blowing
Students who want to learn glass blowing have a number of different training options. One is free instruction. Even a quick online search will reveal a wealth of free glass blowing tutorials online. For instance, YouTube has a long list of free instructional videos covering topics that range from a basic overview of glass blowing for beginners, to advanced techniques like making intricate designs on the glass or working with canes.
However, students who are serious about mastering this skill usually find that the best way to learn is by enrolling in a formal class where they can learn from a professional. There are three main types of formal classes. Many people prefer in-person learning for this particular skill, since this format gives them access to the specialized equipment that is needed. Equipment such as a furnace is expensive, and even established artists often share studio space and equipment.
However, glass blowing classes also come in live online and on-demand formats. For live online glass-blowing classes, students use a computer and log in online to attend a live meeting. Live online classes are popular because students don’t need to travel anywhere. They also allow access to a wider variety of courses for this reason. Live online classes have become very popular in recent years, although they are still not common when it comes to a skill like glass blowing.
Like live online classes, on-demand classes are also done online, however, they are not live. Instead, students work through lessons at their own pace. Many people like the on-demand format because it provides a lot of flexibility. Another advantage of learning on-demand is that students can pause and rewatch content as much as they want, which can be beneficial to the learning process.
A fifth option is to learn about glass blowing by getting involved with other people who work in this industry. For instance, an apprenticeship is a popular way to learn this skill. By working as an apprentice, a student can get hands-on experience, and also learn by observing an expert Glass Blower. Other learning options include going to craft fairs, museums, and galleries, talking to other Glass Blowers, and looking at work created by other people.
In-Person Glass Blowing Classes
Students have a number of different options when it comes to learning glass blowing in person. New York City has a thriving artistic community, which includes many Glass Blowers, and students will find in-person glass blowing classes there. For example, UrbanGlass is located in Brooklyn, which is less than ten miles from New York City. This organization was founded in 1977, and works to advance the use of glass as a creative medium. It is the biggest public-access glass facility in the New York metropolitan area, and runs a variety of different classes on glass blowing and other glass-related skills. It also serves as a studio for more than a hundred different artists.
Introduction to Glass Blowing is an UrbanGlass class that is focused on fundamentals and basic hand skills. After learning the basics, students gradually work up to more complicated shapes and techniques. They also learn color techniques such as wraps and overlays. This class is $855, and there are six three-hour sessions. In Shapes & Forms: Intermediate Glass Blowing–another UrbanGlass class–students focus on cylinders, spheres, cones, and bowls. The instructor covers smart setups, and using heat to blow glass smoothly and efficiently. There are six class sessions, and each is three hours long. Total tuition is $815. To take this class, students should have some previous glass blowing experience.
Stained glass is another craft that involves working with glass. Valeria Divinorum is a visual artist and architect based in Queens. She specializes in stained glass sculptural objects, and teaches a number of stained glass classes. Stained Glass Lessons is a two-hour course that costs $175. In this class, students learn how to make a design, cut and smooth pieces of glass, and use copper foil to wrap the pieces. After that, they learn how to join the pieces with solder, create 2D and 3D shapes, and alter the finish of the piece. Participants are encouraged to take at least two stained glass classes in order to master the techniques.
Stained Glass with Fused Elements is a stained glass class offered by Shiny Sparkle Labs in Brooklyn. Shiny Sparkle Labs is a glass fabrication studio that offers a variety of glass-related workshops. It is an initiative of the Shiny Sparkle Studio, which is a boutique glass fusing and casting facility located in a historic building overlooking the Statue of Liberty. In this class, students learn how to cut, grind, foil, and solder flat glass. They also learn to use stingers, frit, and powders. Finally, they design and create their own project.This class is $375, and there are two sessions.
There are also glass blowing classes in Los Angeles. Moonlight Glass in Venice Beach offers a Glass Making class for $165. This studio was founded in 1999 by John Mooney, who has been blowing glass since he was in college, and started teaching glass blowing twelve years ago. The studio is located three blocks from the beach. This class is appropriate for beginners, or for students who want to refresh their glass blowing skills. Participants make paperweights, glass tumblers, small glass bottles, and ornaments. All materials are provided.
Santa Monica College offers a class called Glass Fusing: Big Ideas for Small Projects, which is $298, and runs for 7 sessions. Students learn how to fuse glass to create a wide variety of objects including ornaments, jewelry, and suncatchers. They also learn about glass choices, cutting, composition, wire wrapping, and gluing. There is a materials fee of $50, or $15 for advanced students with tools, which is collected at the beginning of class. In order to sign up for this class, students must have a valid U.S. phone number and a valid California address. Santa Monica College is located about two miles from the beach and offers many different classes designed to help people enhance their careers or explore their personal interests.
Students interested in working with glass might also be interested in Beginning Copper Foil at Allen Kenoyer Stained Glass. This class has 5 sessions and costs $150. This business is located about 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, and offers a variety of glass-related classes including mosaics, stained glass, and fused glass. In Beginning Copper Foil, students learn how to score and cut glass in both lines and curves. They also work with copper wire to create a stained glass window. Close-toe shoes are required. Students should also wear long pants and safety glasses, and purchase a kit prior to the beginning of class.
Students who live in Houston can learn to create a variety of different glass pipes in Glass Pipes, which is offered by Juggernaut Glass. In this class, participants learn how to craft a chillum, spoon, or steam-roller-style pipe. Juggernaut Glass is a community of instructors and glass artists that specializes in a form of glass blowing that is known as flameworking or lampworking. This glass pipe class is two hours long and costs $125. Juggernaut Glass also offers a variety of other glass-blowing classes, such as one focused on making pendants, and another where students make holiday ornaments.
The Richmond Art Center, located about half an hour from downtown San Francisco, is a community organization that encourages the making and sharing of art of various types, including glass blowing. It offers Beginning & Continuing Glass Blowing for $500. Students begin by learning glass blowing fundamentals and practicing techniques. After that, they work on more advanced pieces.
Students in Charlotte can learn glass blowing in person by taking Intro to Flameworking Boro Weekend at the North Carolina Glass Center in Asheville, which is about two-and-a-half hours out of Charlotte. The North Carolina Glass Center is a nonprofit studio and gallery. It works to help emerging artists by providing low-cost studio access. Intro to Flameworking is a weekend-long class that covers the basics of working with borosilicate glass.
The Clay Lady Studios in Nashville offers stained glass workshops, including the Spring Stained Glass Suncatcher Workshop. In this $95 class, students learn how to work with stained glass, and create a stained glass suncatcher. The Clay Lady Studios was created by Danielle McDaniel, who has dedicated her life to art’s transformative power. Hundreds of students and artists visit her studio each week.
Virtual Glass Blowing Classes
Virtual instruction has become popular in recent years. Like a live class, a virtual class features real-time instruction and includes live interaction with the instructor and other students. However, students who learn online have the additional benefit of not having to commute to class. Because they can attend from wherever they want, they also have access to a larger number of classes. A downside to learning glass blowing online is that online students generally have to supply their own materials and equipment, and Glass Blowers need specialized, and often expensive, equipment. As a result, students who want to take online glass blowing classes may find that there are only a limited number of options in this format.
However, there are other online courses that involve working with glass. For instance,
A Starry Night in Glass Mosaics is offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden, which is located on 385 acres in Chicago, and offers a range of virtual classes in addition to its extensive gardens and natural areas. This class has two sessions that run live online via Zoom, and students learn how to create a mosaic of the “Starry Night” painting by Vincent Van Gogh. Materials are supplied. Tuition is $249.
Another glass-related glass is Glass Etching, offered by CraftJam. CraftJam offers both in-person and virtual workshops in a variety of different crafts, and emphasizes the many benefits of being creative. The Glass Etching workshop is $27.22, and takes place via Zoom. It is designed for beginners. Students need four glasses, etching solution, brushes, and stencils. In the class, they learn to master the technique of etching glass.
Some students who are interested in glass blowing also enjoy learning to create other types of hands-on art. For instance, Introduction to Weaving is an eight-session class designed to teach a variety of different weaving techniques including basket, twill, pile, and twining. Instructors also teach students how to make their own loom. This course is also offered virtually through the Chicago Botanic Garden. The price of the course is $374.
Another hands-on art class that can be useful to artists is Color Mixing, where students learn to mix accurate and vivid colors in a variety of different hues. They also create charts for permanent reference. This is a six-session class, and costs $374. Students work in watercolor, but can apply their knowledge to other mediums.
Private Group Glass Blowing Classes
A private group class is another way to learn glass blowing. CourseHorse offers glass blowing classes for private groups. It also offers group classes in a wide variety of other art-related topics. For instance, Glass Etching is a private class where participants learn to etch designs on glass. After creating stencils with an x-acto knife and cutting board, they transfer their designs permanently to drinking classes, using etching creme. Up to 60 people can attend this class at one time, and it lasts for 2 hours.
For events booked through CourseHorse, there are no booking fees and no registration is required. CourseHorse sends a class confirmation within 24 hours. There is also a flexible change policy, where as long as the minimum group size has been met, changes to the total size can be made up until 72 hours before the event. In addition, most events can also be brought to a private home or office space. Contact CourseHorse for more information about scheduling a private event.
What Will I Need to Learn Glass Blowing?
Glass blowing requires a lot of specialized equipment. A furnace is needed to get the glass hot enough to melt; around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Most glass blowing furnaces are powered by gas. Glass Blowers also need a blowpipe, which is a hollow steel tube that is used to gather molten glass and blow air into it, a bench to work on, and a yoke, which is a stand that supports the blowpipe when it is in the furnace. In addition, they need tools like knives, tweezers, and molds for shaping the glass, and an annealing kiln, which is a kiln that is used to gradually cool the glass object. Finally, safety gear is needed to protect from burns, and can include safety glasses, gloves and sleeves, and a leather apron. With an in-person glass blowing class, this equipment is usually provided.
In addition to all of this equipment, Glass Blowers need glass to work with. Glass is made primarily from sand. Glass Blowers work with many different types of glass. For instance, borosilicate glass is common because it is relatively durable and heat-resistant. Soda-lime glass is also popular because it is relatively inexpensive. Many Glass Blowers also use recycled glass.
Is it Difficult to Learn Glass Blowing?
It takes time and practice to learn glass blowing. Students need to learn to use specialized equipment including a furnace, a blowpipe, and various tools. They also need to learn to handle the heat involved, which includes learning how to protect themselves from burns. In addition, Glass Blowers must develop the precision and control required to work with molten glass. However, while learning all of these things may be difficult, almost anyone who is willing to work at it can ultimately learn glass blowing.
