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Another way to help form molten glass within the glassblowing process is by using a block. This is an 1/2 egg shaped wood block that is kept in a pail of water. It is used to help form an even shape of glass in the early process of glass blowing. The more the glass is balanced and the blown bubble is even and centered, the better the end product will be. Blocks vary in size, depending on the amount of glass you are forming.

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After the frit was placed on the small amount of molten glass (see prior image), the artist is using tweezers to texture the glass. The uneven surface will result in trapped air bubbles when the peice is dipped in more molten glass to enlarge the gather. You've probably seen this in paperweights that have air bubbles and bits of colour - just like this peice will have upon completion.

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A small amount of molten glass is at the end of the rod. The craftsperson is gently pressing the hot glass into a pile of frit, coloured glass beads (a pearlized very light blue). This will provide a bit of colour within the glass piece. The next steps involve collecting more molten glass over the colour and then forming / blowing the peice into the desired shape.

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I know it looks like the glass is on fire. Let me explain. This is a paper weight. In order to get the glass off the rod, a pinched line is created at the point you wish to break it off which is at the rod. The line is made by very large tweezers (16" long) that have been lightly waxed. Sometimes the wax is a bit too much and gets too hot, flaring up on the glass. It lasts only a second, so I got lucky in this shot. The flare causes no harm to the piece ... but it gives a really cool picture. The artist ALWAYS keeps the glass moving (rolling the rod) or it slumps off balance, so there is some blur in the image. I think that's OK - it represents the constant dance between artist and molten glass that creates a peice.

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Most people are surprised to find out that the hot, hot, hot glass is shaped by a wad of wet newspaper held in the craftperson's hand. The glass, moving in a thick liquid state from the glory hole (furnace to bring glass up to malable temperature) can only be shaped in its hotest form ... once it starts to cool, it goes back to the glory hole before being shaped some more.

© All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without the Written Consent of Gail Shotlander (aka shotzy)