Glass Art Course

Lesson 1 • Studio Safety and Protective Gear

Establishes mandatory safety protocols for heat, sharp edges, and chemical exposure. Safe habits introduced here apply to every hands-on chapter that follows.

Lesson 2 • Glass Properties and Terminology

Covers physical and chemical properties of glass relevant to art-making. Accurate terminology enables precise communication in all later technical chapters.

Lesson 3 • History and Evolution of Glass Art

Traces glass art from ancient Egypt through contemporary studio practice. Establishes cultural context that informs design decisions throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Tools and Equipment Overview

Introduces hand tools, kilns, torches, and cutting equipment used across all disciplines. Students identify and maintain tools correctly before any technique is attempted.

Lesson 1 • Scoring and Breaking Techniques

Teaches straight, curved, and inside-curve scoring with proper pressure and speed. Accurate scoring is the prerequisite skill for every assembly-based project in the course.

Lesson 2 • Cold Working Surface Techniques

Explores sandblasting, engraving, and polishing to alter glass surfaces without heat. These finishes add texture and depth to completed art pieces.

Lesson 3 • Grinding and Edge Shaping

Introduces wet grinders for refining edges and achieving tight fits between pieces. Grinding skills directly support stained glass, mosaic, and fusing assembly quality.

Lesson 1 • Copper Foil Method

Teaches the Tiffany-style copper foil wrapping and soldering process for detailed work. Foil technique enables tighter curves and finer detail than lead came allows.

Lesson 2 • Soldering Skills and Finishing

Develops consistent soldering technique for both lead and foil panels, including patina application. Proper finishing protects joints and achieves professional surface appearance.

Lesson 3 • Lead Came Method

Covers stretching, cutting, and fitting H- and U-profile lead came around glass pieces. Students build a complete leaded panel using traditional glazing techniques.

Lesson 4 • Design Principles for Stained Glass

Applies colour theory, light transmission, and lead-line composition to panel design. Strong design decisions made here determine structural and aesthetic success of the final panel.

Lesson 1 • Slumping and Mold Techniques

Introduces slumping fused blanks over and into molds to create three-dimensional forms. Students select molds, apply kiln wash, and fire slump schedules.

Lesson 2 • Fusing Design and Composition

Covers layering, cutting shapes, and arranging glass for full and tack fuse results. Compositional decisions made here directly affect texture and colour in the fired piece.

Lesson 3 • Surface Decoration in Fusing

Explores glass paints, enamels, and reactive glass for surface effects before firing. Decorative layers expand design possibilities beyond shape and colour alone.

Lesson 4 • Compatibility Testing and Glass Pairing

Explains COE compatibility testing to prevent cracking in fused pieces. Students test glass pairs before committing to project designs.

Lesson 1 • Small Vessel and Sculptural Forms

Advances from beads to blown vessels and figurative sculptural elements at the torch. Students apply all prior flameworking skills to complete a multi-component piece.

Lesson 2 • Surface Decoration on Flameworked Pieces

Explores stringer application, raking, and encasing for decorative surface effects. Decoration techniques add visual complexity to beads and small vessels.

Lesson 3 • Bead Making Fundamentals

Introduces mandrel preparation, winding glass, and shaping beads with gravity and tools. Students produce a set of consistent round and shaped beads.

Lesson 4 • Basic Rod and Tube Manipulation

Teaches heating, pulling, twisting, and joining glass rods and tubes at the torch. These fundamental moves underpin every flameworked form in subsequent sections.

Lesson 1 • Lost-Wax Casting Process

Teaches loading cullet into molds, firing cast schedules, and controlled cooling. Students cast a solid glass object and evaluate surface and interior quality.

Lesson 2 • Pâte de Verre Technique

Introduces packing crushed glass paste into open-face molds for translucent, textured results. The technique produces unique colour gradients impossible with other casting methods.

Lesson 3 • Mold Making for Glass Casting

Covers wax model construction and investment mold preparation for kiln casting. Accurate mould making determines the fidelity and surface quality of the cast piece.

Lesson 1 • Mixed-Media Integration

Explores combining glass with ceramic, metal, stone, and found objects in mosaic work. Mixed-media approaches expand expressive range and material vocabulary.

Lesson 2 • Substrate Preparation and Adhesives

Addresses substrate selection, sealing, and adhesive choice for indoor and outdoor mosaics. Correct adhesive bonding prevents delamination over time.

Lesson 3 • Tesserae Cutting and Preparation

Covers nipping, wheeled cutting, and hammer-and-hardie methods for shaping tesserae. Precise tesserae shapes control grout-line width and compositional clarity.

Lesson 4 • Grouting and Surface Finishing

Teaches grout mixing, application, and cleanup to unify the mosaic surface. Grout colour and texture choices significantly affect the final visual impact.

Lesson 1 • Pricing, Proposals, and Client Relations

Covers cost calculation, proposal writing, and managing client expectations for commissioned work. Professional communication skills directly affect career sustainability in glass art.

Lesson 2 • Quality Control and Critique

Establishes criteria for evaluating technical execution, design integrity, and finish quality. Structured critique skills enable continuous improvement in professional practice.

Lesson 3 • Multi-Technique Project Planning

Covers sequencing tasks, estimating materials, and scheduling production for complex pieces. Effective planning prevents costly errors when combining multiple glass techniques.

Lesson 4 • Portfolio Development

Teaches photography, documentation, and curation of glass art work for professional portfolios. A strong portfolio is the primary tool for securing commissions and exhibitions.