Lampworking is glassworking using a torch to melt and shape the
glass. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, deriving
from the ancient use of oil-fueled lamps. This age old art form has
been widely practiced in Murano, Italy since the 14th century. In
the mid 19th century lampwork technique was extended to the
production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a
popular art form, still collected today.
Early lampworkers used the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist
blowing air into the flame through a pipe. Today, most artists use
torches that burn either propane or natural gas for the fuel gas,
with either air or pure oxygen (which can be produced by an
oxygen concentrator) as the oxidizer. It was not until the late 1960s
that lampwork became recognized as a serious art form by German
born lampwork glass artist Hans Godo Frabel who utilized his
scientific glassblowing training to create relatively large pieces of
lampwork glass art in borosilicate. In addition to beads and artwork,
lampworking is used to create scientific tools, particularly for
chemistry.
There are many types of glass that can be used for lampworking;
two of which, soda lime (soft) and Borosilicate (hard), being the
ones that I use in my creations.
Soda lime glass
The most popular glass for lampworking is soda-lime glass, and is
available pre-colored. Soda-lime glass is the traditional mix used in
blown furnace glass, and lampworking glass rods were originally
hand-drawn from the furnace and allowed to cool for use by
lampworkers. Today soda-lime, or "soft" glass is manufactured
globally, including Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, China and
America.
Borosilicate
Beadmakers can use borosilicate glass, a very hard glass
requiring greater heat. This is laboratory glass, such as Pyrex. At
one time, soft (soda lime and lead) and hard (borosilicate) glasses
had distinctly different looking palettes, but demand by soft-glass
artists for the silver strike colors on the one hand, and the
development of the bright, cadmium based `crayon colors' in the
boro line on the other, has diminished the distinctions between
them.
glass. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, deriving
from the ancient use of oil-fueled lamps. This age old art form has
been widely practiced in Murano, Italy since the 14th century. In
the mid 19th century lampwork technique was extended to the
production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a
popular art form, still collected today.
Early lampworkers used the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist
blowing air into the flame through a pipe. Today, most artists use
torches that burn either propane or natural gas for the fuel gas,
with either air or pure oxygen (which can be produced by an
oxygen concentrator) as the oxidizer. It was not until the late 1960s
that lampwork became recognized as a serious art form by German
born lampwork glass artist Hans Godo Frabel who utilized his
scientific glassblowing training to create relatively large pieces of
lampwork glass art in borosilicate. In addition to beads and artwork,
lampworking is used to create scientific tools, particularly for
chemistry.
There are many types of glass that can be used for lampworking;
two of which, soda lime (soft) and Borosilicate (hard), being the
ones that I use in my creations.
Soda lime glass
The most popular glass for lampworking is soda-lime glass, and is
available pre-colored. Soda-lime glass is the traditional mix used in
blown furnace glass, and lampworking glass rods were originally
hand-drawn from the furnace and allowed to cool for use by
lampworkers. Today soda-lime, or "soft" glass is manufactured
globally, including Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, China and
America.
Borosilicate
Beadmakers can use borosilicate glass, a very hard glass
requiring greater heat. This is laboratory glass, such as Pyrex. At
one time, soft (soda lime and lead) and hard (borosilicate) glasses
had distinctly different looking palettes, but demand by soft-glass
artists for the silver strike colors on the one hand, and the
development of the bright, cadmium based `crayon colors' in the
boro line on the other, has diminished the distinctions between
them.
Hot Coles Glass - by Heidi Coles
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