Method of Making Blown Glass Art: Mold Blowing

Glass art, or the process of making glass pipes, figures, cups and bowls from glass, has become incredibly popular. More and more homeowners are recognizing the beauty of glass and opting to put some of the artwork in their home. Some individuals even make glass art a hobby, creating various items for use around their homes.

Glass art is not something manufactured in a matter of seconds. It takes time and patience for a glass artisan to create an item. Previously, glass art was done through the method called free-blowing where the skill of the artisan is paramount in shaping the piece of glass. Currently artisans use mold blowing as well in order to craft their medium into specific shapes and sizes.

How does mold blowing work?
Mold blowing is when a glass artist uses a wooden or metal mold which is carved to produce the design one wants to achieve. The malleable heated glass is placed at the end of a blowpipe and then inflated to take the shape of the metal mold. Unlike free blowing, the shape of the glass as well as the texture is already determined beforehand.

Why use mold blowing?
Mold blowing allows glass art to be produced by the dozen with the same results. It can be used to make anything from glass pipes, tableware, water pipes and even bigger pieces like vessels. Mold blowing doesn’t take a long time to do mainly because the mold determines the shape and size of the material and may be repeated over and over again without extra work on the part of the glass artist. On the other hand, free-blowing usually necessitates that the artist apply various techniques to work the glass into the shape that they desire. Free-blowing often produces different results each time an artist uses the technique while mold blowing produces nearly identical items. If one is looking to buy a pipe or other glass item that is unique, look for a free-blown item. However, if one wants several items all the same, mold blown glass is needed.

Why glass art?
The large production of glass art today is not really surprising considering how exquisite glass is. Various stages in production allow colors to be introduced that make it even more outstanding, especially when the sun shines through it. With the right production processes, glass is incredibly durable as well as beautiful.

Right now, various items made from glass, both useful and decorative items, are being sold in various stores. From glass pipes to figurines, there are hundreds of glass items being produced. Considering how versatile glass items are, it isn’t surprising that more and more people are incorporating them in their homes. For more information to visit us http://www.extremepipes.com