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"Glass
Blowing" Now The Modern Art
shared by: www.alkalam.pk
Glassblowing is a glass-forming technique that involves
inflating the molten glass
into a bubble or parison with the aid of the blowpipe or blow tube. A
person who
blows glass is called a glass-blower, glassmith or gaffer. Glass blowing is
a pro-
cess that is used to shape glass, limestone, sand, potash and soda ash must
first
be combined and heated in a furnace at over 2000°F (1093.3°C). While
the
glass is in a molten state, the art of glass blowing is performed.
Glassblowing
involves three furnaces. The first, which contains a crucible of molten
glass is
simply referred to as "the furnace." The second is called the "glory hole"
and is
used to reheat a piece in between steps of working with it. The final
furnace is
called the "lehr" or "annealer", and is used to slowly cool the glass over
a period
of a few hours to a few days, depending on the size of the pieces. This
keeps the
glass from cracking due to thermal stress. Historically, all three furnaces
were
contained in one, with a set of progressively cooler chambers for each of
the three
purposes. Many glassblowing studios in Mexico and South America still employ
this method. Glassblowing is a glass forming technique which was invented by
the
Phoenicians at approximately 50 B.C. somewhere along the Syro-Palestinian
coast.
The glassblowing tradition was carried on in Europe from the medieval period
through
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance in the demise of the Roman Empire in the
fifth
century. Typically the glass blowing process was used to create containers
capable of
holding liquids. Today, glass blowing is used to create works of art &
craft projects.
In fact, it is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. The
major tools
are
involved for this art: the blowpipe (blow tube), the punty (pontil or punt), bench,
marver, seers, blocks, jacks, paddles, tweezers & a variety of shears. With
the glass blowing process, a variety of shapes can be created by the
glass-blower.
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A View of The Glass Blowing Process |
Pitchers made through Glass Blowing Technology |
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