Art Glass Supplies

Creating glass art is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. You can create glass figurines for yourself, blow glass art to give away as gifts, or even sell your beautiful glass art creations. If you are a glass art creator, you are probably always on the lookout for art glass supplies. And if you are just starting out, you need to know what kinds of supplies are necessary. Our list of art glass supplies and where to get them will help you get started acquiring the items you need or replenish your existing supplies.

The first type of art glass supplies is safety equipment. Before you buy anything else, you should stock up on glasses, gloves, clothing protection and any other glass safety supplies you need. This will depend on what kind of glass art you are participating in. When coloring glass, you should always have good gloves. If you are into blowing glass, you need heat protection. And you should consider proper footwear in any art glass endeavor.

The second type of art glass supplies is decorative items. Things such as coloring and molds are needed in order to be creative in your glass making. You should also look into purchasing glass art books. These books come in a range of subjects, from safety concerns and getting started, to advanced techniques and creative ideas. You might also look into purchasing a coffee table-style book filled with pictures of stained glass art. These books can be very inspiring and help you create better glass art pieces of your own.

If you are into more specific glass art hobbies, then you may have different art glass supply needs. Individuals who make glass art beads and jewelry will need jeweler's supplies and equipment in addition to beads and bead-making supplies. If you choose to buy your glass beads instead of make them, you have a wide variety of options. Craft stores and internet sites offer infinite design possibilities for you to choose from.

If you are a glass blower, you will need special equipment for making your art. A glass blowing machine can be found affordably when you buy used. Check online at sites such as ebay. You might also check to see if there glass blowing shops in your area. Many times these places allow patrons the use of a glass blowing machine for an hourly fee. You will also need additional safety equipment if you are a glass blower, make sure you are covered and safe as this hobby can be a dangerous one.

Spun glass is a wonderful art form and a great way to decorate your home. If you are looking for design tips, spun glass decoration, and information on art glass supplies and antique stained glass or spun glass decor and gifts we can help by providing information, FAQs and reviews. Spun glass figurines also make wonderful gifts. A new piece of spun glass art depicting a happy couple makes an excellent wedding gift. Or hand down tradition with a gift of antique spun glass for a college graduation, a monumental birthday, or some other special occasion. If you choose to make spun glass beads and jewelry, then you know how rewarding this hobby can be.

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DIY - Stained Glass

Stained glass is fabulous, that is a fact. It can add a lot of luxury and charm to your home. Learning how to make it is not that difficult and you will see how in the following lines.

How to do it yourself.

As you have read stain glass production is a hard thing and you cannot do it at home. However there is an alternative that will allow you to make wonderful stained glass pieces.

The first thing you will need is the pattern. There are many patterns available in the internet so just spend some time and find the one you like the most.

Once you have your pattern number it and cut it apart. As you ca see stained glass is made of various small colored glass pieces so the pattern should correspond to this idea.

The cut and numbered pattern is than traced onto the glass. Use glass of different colors for ach part of the pattern. Break the pattern into pieces and foil them together. When all pieces have been foiled, place them into the assembly jig.

The next step is to solder the pieces together. It is important that you solder all foiled joints to create the metal web that holds the glass pieces. Use solder and soldering iron and fill carefully all joints.

In fact your stained glass project is finished. All you need to do is to clean it using water and a soft cloth. You can also add an ancient look by applying some patina solution after the cleaning.

Fake stained glass.

If the above sounds too complicated or you do not have the time and the tools to achieve it, try some fake stained glass projects. You can get some glass and pint it with glass paints to achieve the look of original stained glass.

You can buy glass paints from every craft shop. Usually they come along several stained glass patterns. If you do not like the patterns provided search for new ones in the internet.

Working with glass paints is not that difficult. All paint glass sets come along a transparent foil that you can place over the pattern and trace it. After the paints are completely dry you should peel of the pattern and stick it to the glass.

Another option is to cut the pattern and trace it on the glass. Than you can pain straight over the glass.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://www.stained-glass-info.info/ A website that specializes in providing information stained Glass that you can research on the internet. Visit http://www.stained-glass-info.info/ now!

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The Art of Glasses

Glassware, traditional cocktail glasses have sloping sides and a stem, making ihem ideal for drinks served without ice or large, elaborate fruit garnishes. But you may also find ones with a rounded cup, reminiscent of the popular style in the twenties and thirties and jmilar to champagne glasses. These come in a variety of sizes, with capacity ranging from 3 to 6 ounces. The large ones are most suited drinks made with cream or fruit juice, and the smaller ones are porlect for dry aperitifs, other cocktails, and very alcoholic after dinner drinks. By the way, the thinner a cocktail glass is, the quicker it will chill in the refrigerator.

Rocks glasses are short, with thick bottoms, and are also known as low ball glasses. They are so named because they are most commonly used for serving measures of straight liquor poured "on the rocks." Old-fashioned glasses, another type of short glass with a bump in the bottom, are used for the eponymous classic blended whiskey and sweet vermouth drink.

Both these glasses are interchangeable and no in a range of sizes, holding 4 to 10 ounces, while a double old-fashioned glass has a capacity of about 16 ounces. Tall straight highball glasses, holding about 8 ounces, are the ones used for a spirits plus a mixer, such as scotch and soda or bourbon and water. Collins glasses are similar but larger and often frosted, and used for the sweetened gin and soda drink called a Tom Collins.

Balloon-shaped brandy snifters range in size from 5 ounces, small enough to cradle in the palm of one hand, to ones for holding up to 3 cups of liquid. Whatever size you choose, however, the most important feature is the narrow opening. This allows the drinker to sniff the drink's concentrated aroma easily. Always remember only to pour a thin layer of brandy in the bottom of the glass--it should never be filled above one-quarter full.

An American-style champagne glass, also called a champagne saucer or a coupe, or a tall, European-style champagne flute, is the natural choice for serving any sparkling wine or aperitifs prepared with champagne or sparkling wine, such as Kir Royale. Perhaps the most useful glasses to have behind the bar are wine glasses. The ideal white wine glass is thin with a tall stem and is tulip shaped, which bellies at the bottom and narrows at the top. The red wine glass has a shorter stem and is also slightly tulip shaped. The burgundy glass is the most versatile of the red wine glasses. It can, in fact, be used to serve beer and red aperitifs, too.

A useful, inexpensive, everyday wine glass, with a balloon shape, which is suitable for serving either red or white wine and numerous cocktails, is called the Paris goblet. Note that when pouring wine, a big glass should be filled only half full, and a small glass only two-thirds full. Dessert wines or brandies are served in a small, tulip-shaped liqueur glass, or in a liqueur saucer. You can also use the liqueur.

In serve fruit spirits and fruit eaux-de-vie. Dessert wine glasses ,iKo appropriate for serving fortified wines, as well as flips,, and other short drinks. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic punches are popular for celebratory gatherings and other large parties. Punch glasses are squat glasses lerized by having a handle and wide opening, but not a stem. If you are serving a hot punch, grog, or mulled wine be sure to use a h oof glass with a handle that will not become too hot to hold.

In addition to the above classic types of glassware, there is also a plethora of special glasses, such as the pousse-cafe glass for the famous layered cocktail, the flip glass, the sour glass, and novelty glasses for just about every occasion. But, as already mentioned, it is only worth acquiring all these glasses in the rarest of cases, because most drinks can be served in glasses you already own, even if the style is not quite right.

If, for example, you already have white wine glasses, I use them for fizzes and crustas. If your champagne flutes are not too narrow then you can also serve flips, frappes, and daisies in them, kinds of tall glass or Collins glasses have versatile uses and, for example, are ideal for highballs, fizzes, and milkshakes. Carafes or pitchers also have a place in your home bar. They are good for pouring fruit and vegetable juices, cream, and milk.

Check out more of the same content as well as the best bar equipment click on the links below

Barstool - We have information on the best bar stool for each and every bar style.

Bar supply - Bar supplies & bar equipment online. Your entire bar supplies, beer supplies, & wine supplies online.

Jello Shots - Make that party come to life with a jello shot!

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10 Things to Avoid When Cutting Art Glass for Fusing - Part 2

This article is a continuation from the article titled "10 Things to Avoid When Cutting Glass - Part 1". It was written to give you some basic rules and guidelines to make your experience a lot more pleasant and successful. I am writing this based on my 25+ years of experience in working with art glass, both stained (copper foil and lead came techniques) and fused glass. I have come to love cutting glass. In fact, it is my favorite part of the process.

So, here is what NOT to do when cutting any glass (Tips 6 - 10), especially art glass:

6. Never delay breaking your glass soon after making the score. Glass has a unique property of "healing" itself after a period of time. In other words, though the score may still be visible, it may not break along it any longer. What is happening is that the molecules that have been disturbed near the surface of the glass when the score is made will eventually return to normal.

How long can you wait? I don't have that answer. It may still break after 5 minutes or 15 minutes or a half an hour, possibly. You can bet that tomorrow it will not break though. Why take the chance? Glass will break the best and the most predictably right after scoring, so go ahead and break it right away, as soon as possible.

7. Avoid scoring and breaking too tight a curve all at once and expecting it to break predictably, especially an "inside curve". Always break curves in stages, a little at a time, in graduated steps, whether it is an outside or inside curve. It just makes life easier, and I am all for making it easy, aren't you?
8. Cutting on the "wrong" side of the glass will make things difficult. By this I mean the side of the glass that is more uneven or bumpy. It will be hard to guide your cutter where you want it to go if it has to go over bumps and crevices. Usually one side of the glass is smoother than the other, so it is better to choose the side that is smoother so you have more control over your glass cutter wheel. In the case of dichroic glass, it may be safer to cut it (and to mark it!) on the side which does not have the dichroic coating, to protect the coating from damage.
Do you know how to tell on which side the dichroic coating is on clear glass? It is difficult to see sometimes, isn't it? Here is a trick: place the glass against a black or dark surface. Make the point of a pen touch the glass and look at the reflection of the pen point on the glass. Does it look like the point is not touching the glass? Then the dichroic side is face down. Does it look like the point is touching the glass? That indicates that the dichroic side (the metallic, reflective side) is face up. Neat, huh?

9. Never force the break when it seems to stop. The trick to cutting glass is to work with it, not against it or trying to force it to do what you want. It is much better to think of it as "coaxing" it to break where you want it to. When you align your breaking pliers (or your hands) on either side of the score, apply firm, steady pressure and just keep applying it until the score seems to stop "running".

This will tend to happen especially if it is a long score or if you are breaking a curve. When it stops, simply turn your piece of glass around and start the break again from the other end of the score. It usually works like a charm.

10. Do not get frustrated! Remember, this is, for most people, supposed to be a fun hobby! Make it enjoyable, make it a game, a challenge, and just have fun with it. Smile when you make a "mistake" because it is not really a mistake. It can be a valuable lesson. We really do learn the most from our mistakes. If everything went perfectly the first time, it wouldn't be much of a challenge and, consequently, not very satisfying when we finally get it right. Think how great it will feel when you have learned how to do this successfully.

Also, remember, sometimes glass will break badly simply because it is glass! It is inherent in the glass, especially some of the hand-rolled glasses (like Bullseye and Uroboros), that they can be a bit temperamental, so don't take it to heart. Just start again. Chances are you can still use the piece of glass that broke badly for something else.

I hope some of this has helped and that your glass cutting experience will be easier, more successful, and certainly more satisfying. Enjoy and have a good time!

Thanks for reading this little guide. Happy cutting!

Arlene Holtz is a professional artist working in fused glass and oil painting. She has worked with art glass for over 25 years, making stained glass windows as well as fused dichroic glass jewelry and other fused art glass objects. She enthusiastically loves to share her knowledge and has taught many classes in stained and fused glass. Visit her website at [http://www.ArlenesArtworks.com]

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10 Things to Avoid When Cutting Art Glass for Fusing - Part 1

How to Make Your Glass Cutting Experience More Effective and Fun
Some people have learned glass cutting as part of an introductory stained glass or glass fusing class or workshop. Others have only learned the very rudimentary skills in a trial-and-error fashion, or by a friend giving them a few pointers and maybe (if you are lucky) a demonstration.

This guide is meant to give you some basic rules and guidelines to make your experience a lot more pleasant and successful. I am writing this based on my 25+ years of experience in working with art glass, both stained (copper foil and lead came techniques) and fused glass. I have come to love cutting glass. In fact, it is my favorite part of the process.

So, here is what NOT to do when cutting any glass, especially art glass:

1. Avoid pressing too hard when you make the score in the glass. You will know you are pressing too hard because the score line will be a VERY visible "scratch" and you may even see tiny shards of glass flying away from the score line as you move your cutter wheel across the glass surface. Sometimes you can still break along such a score line, but the results are not very predictable. This is especially important when cutting some of the thin dichroic or other fusing glass.
2. Also, avoid pressing too lightly when making the score. This will be evident in several ways. You will not be able to hear the score being made and/or the score line will be very faint, if visible at all. In thicker glass especially it will be very difficult to break along such a score or the break will not follow the score line and may veer off in a direction you do not want. A good score will be visible, consistent, and will break easily. It will be made with a medium but firm, consistent pressure. I have found this easier to do using a pistol-grip glass cutter which is more ergonomic to hold. Also, by leaning my body weight into my score, rather than relying only on pressure from the wrist, I have had better success. Standing while scoring is recommended rather than sitting down, I have found.

3. NEVER re-score over a line you have scored already. This is a definite No-No! When you do this, you not only ruin your cutter very quickly if you do it repeatedly, but you also run the risk of your glass not breaking well. By scoring more than once at the same place, the molecules become very "confused" (my term!) and do not follow the rules of breaking. Besides, a good glass cutter is expensive, so why make its useful life so short?
4. Do not run your glass cutter right off the edge of the glass and make it go "clunk" as your cutter hits the table. It may sound kind of interesting, but it also will shorten the life of your cutter, and it is really not necessary. That brings me to the next point.
5. Don't forget to start your score near one edge of the glass piece and end at another edge of the glass. This may seem obvious to the seasoned glass cutter, yet it is very important. Here is a clue about how close to the edge you need to start and finish your score. It does not have to be exactly at the corner of both edges. In fact, starting and ending your score on the top surface of the glass near the edge (within about a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch from the actual edge) is sufficient. Thanks for reading this little guide. Happy cutting! For the rest of this guide (Tips 6 - 10), see "10 Things to Avoid When Cutting Glass - Part 2".

Arlene Holtz is a professional artist working in fused glass and oil painting. She has worked with art glass for over 25 years, making stained glass windows as well as fused dichroic glass jewelry and other fused art glass objects. She enthusiastically loves to share her knowledge and has taught many classes in stained and fused glass. Visit her website at [http://www.ArlenesArtworks.com]

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Stained Glass Painting - 6 Big Myths Which Hold You Back

Here are 6 big myths of kiln-fired stained glass painting. Throw away these silly myths and take your stained glass painting to fantastic heights! Fasten your seat-belt and be prepared for the ride of your life.

The way we paint will change the way you paint!

Myth #1 - "Paint your trace lines first"

This seems obvious, and it's what all the books tell you to do.

But, when you paint a room, what's the first thing you do once you've cleaned all the surfaces?

You paint an undercoat!

It's just the same with glass. When you first paint an undercoat over the whole surface of the glass, your tracing lines will have a beautiful surface to stick to. It's amazing how much easier it is to paint a neat tracing line when you're no longer painting on bare glass but an on unfired undercoat instead.

Take care to paint the undercoat as lightly and evenly as possible and then to let it dry. Then start to paint the other details.

Using an undercoat is common sense when you think about it, and it works like a dream.

Myth #2 - "Paint and fire your trace lines before you paint your shadows and matting"

Well, this is so much a part of received wisdom that we feel a bit like Galileo when we tell you that it's just not true.

Of course, if you really want to, you can certainly paint and fire your trace lines first, but the point is you don't have to.

In fact, you can paint many shadows before you paint your trace lines: your glass painting will become extraordinarily delicate and suggestive when you do this.

Here's what you do.

Start by painting a light, even undercoat over the whole surface of the glass and let it dry.

Now paint some light, dry trace lines where you want some shadows to be, and let them dry.

Then reinforce these lines with second coats and let them dry.

The final step is to paint a light wash over the whole surface of the unfired glass, and, while this paint is still wet, use your blender to soften the trace lines and turn them into gentle shadows.

Once the paint is dry, you can then trace further details. The effect is gorgeous: gentle blurs and shadows which soften the boldness of your trace lines.

Myth #3 - "You must fire a layer of paint before you paint on top of it - otherwise the paint will blister in the kiln"

There are several causes of blistering, but painting on top of unfired paint is not one of them: we often paint six layers of paint, then fire our glass just once. That's right: we layer up our paint and fire our glass just once. The paint never blisters. So what causes blistering? There are four main causes.

A. Too much gum Arabic in your paint: the solution is to dilute your paint so that it contains a smaller proportion of gum Arabic.

B. Not waiting until a previous layer is completely dry: the solution is to allow earlier layers always to dry completely before you paint on top of them.

C. Correcting a line or shadow before it dries: the solution is to allow a stroke to dry completely before correcting it.

D. An incorrect firing schedule: consider slowing the rate of increase, lowering the top temperature and/or decreasing the amount of time that you hold the top temperature.

Follow these suggestions and you'll be able to paint on top of unfired paint as much as you wish. The effect can be astonishing - and your paint won't blister!

Myth #4 - "You can't paint on both sides of the glass and fire the glass just once"

When you paint on both sides of a piece of glass, you create a magical sense of depth.

For example, you can take a blue piece of glass and paint waves on top and fish beneath (as if you were peering through the waves to see the fish below).

The advantage of doing this in a single firing is that you can adjust both sides before fixing them permanently in the kiln.

Most people don't even consider painting on both sides of the glass. And, of those who do, most of them believe each side must be fired separately, but this is just not true.

At our studio, we place our glass on a bed of plaster of Paris: the heat from the kiln is more than enough to fire paint on both sides at once, and the underside never sticks.

Try this technique for yourself and see what we mean!

Myth #5 - "You can't mix oil and water"

Again, this seems so self-evident that no one ever questions it or even considers how to take advantage of it.

But we did, and here's the technique we've pioneered.

First of all we use some water-based paint to shade and trace as usual.

Then, before firing, we use some oil-based paint and add more details. It's amazing, but the oil-based paint doesn't disturb the unfired water-based paint below.

Then we fire the glass just once. In this way we can add as many as six layers of paint all on top of one another and finish our glass in a single firing.

Myth #6 - "The best way to mix glass paint is to mix a teaspoonful at a time"

We've left this myth till last because we first wanted to demonstrate the 5 amazing things we can do in our stained glass studio. And the reason we can do them is that we ALWAYS paint with a LUMP of paint.

We always mix several ounces of glass paint at a time, add a little gum Arabic and just enough water so that the glass paint is like a bulbous jelly fish that's been washed up on a beach.

This lump, of course, is too thick and dark to paint with as it is. But this means we can dilute it a little at a time and so prepare small batches of glass paint which are the perfect consistency for the next couple of strokes. So the lump lasts for ages. We cover the lump when we aren't using it, and we re-mix it from time to time.

Liberate your painting - paint with a LUMP! Painting with a lump is your passport to a whole new world of beautiful glass painting.

What happens when you throw away these 6 big myths of stained glass painting?

It doesn't matter what all the books say. It doesn't even matter what the experts say. The only thing which matters is what works. We threw away these 6 big myths some years ago, and you can see our painted stained glass in buildings across the world. If what we say strikes a cord in your heart and excites you forward to new skills, we'll be absolutely thrilled.

Stephen Byrne is a director of the Williams & Byrne stained glass studio: see the studio's portfolio at http://www.williamsandbyrne.com To pass on the studio's knowledge and experience, there is now a site where you can download stained glass designs and step-by-step guides to beautiful stained glass painting. Get these downloads and there'll be no holding you back from painting stained glass as beautifully as you've always wanted to: visit http://www.realglasspainting.com

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How to Cut, Score and Break Glass

Glass can be cut into strips, geometric shapes, circles, ovals, curves and with a glass saw, almost any shape.

Some Things to Keep in Mind

Warm glass (glass at room temperature) cuts easier than cold glass
Work surface needs to be flat
Score on the smooth side of glass rather than on the textured side
Hold glass cutter in a vertical position as you would a pen or pencil
Don't use excessive pressure. Too deep of a score can result in a bad break
For protection, it's a good idea to wear glasses or another type of eye protection

Straight Cuts

When making a straight score, start scoring the glass from the point farthest from your body and pull the glass cutter towards you. Once a score line is made, use running pliers (if strip is at least 1" wide) by placing the running pliers centered on the score line and gently squeeze the handles. You will hear a slight cracking noise and see the glass separate along the score line. Or, hold the stained glass sheet over an edge of a table with the score line slightly overhanging the edge. Use breaking or grozier pliers and apply gentle pressure in a downward motion along the score line. This can also be done with your hands using the same downward motion. Practice will make for perfection, soon.

Curve Cuts

To make a curved cut, use the glass cutter to cut off sections one at a time. This allows you to work into the curve. Glass likes straight lines or lines with gentle bends. If the shape has irregularities or small projections, these are easily removed with a nipper or glass grinder. In other words, don't rush the cut especially if it is an inside curve. Just chip away at it a little bit at a time.

Cutting Circles

Score the glass in the shape and size of the desired circle. Use a permanent marker to place a dot where you start scoring to avoid going over the starting point. Next, place the scored line side of the glass down on a piece of corrugated cardboard. Use light pressure and press along the score line until you see it run the circle. Then, turn the glass over to the side you first scored on and score several tangent cuts radiating out from the circle. Finally, break each tangent score line with breaking pliers. The circle should cut clean without any jagged edges.

How To Avoid Common Problems

Cutter wheel wears out quickly - Lift your cutter up instead of sliding it off the edge of the glass or cut on a surface covered with vinyl or carpet
Bad breaks after scoring - Too much pressure was applied on the glass cutter
Score line looks like dotted line - Cutter wheel is dull and needs to be replaced

Be sure to turn your pattern template over when you are tracing your pattern onto the backside of the glass where it smoother. Failure to do this will end up in wasted glass and lots of wasted time, not to mention frustration.

I started out as a stained glass admirer. After a class in stained glass, I became addicted. At first I made stained glass to decorate my homes, which lead to friends asking me to make stained glass for them. Now I am a full time professional making stained glass as well as instructing others on how to make stained glass. My studio is located outside of Chicago, Illinois. For more information on making stained glass go to http://www.creativity-in-glass.com

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