Thom,Whats Glassblowing
Glassblowing is an art form that involves molding glass after it is heated with the aid of the blow tube or blow torch. Somebody who blows glass is called a glassblower. Since glassblowing can be a very creative way of expressing individualism and passions, and it is very much an art form.
Types of Glassblowing
Free-Blowing
There are a few methods of glassblowing which have developed over time. The first of glassblowing called Free-Blowing which was introduced during middle of the last century BC, and is still used today as a popular way to blown glass into many different shapes. Free-blowing involves the blowing of air into a melted glass which accumulates at one end of the blowpipe. This causes the forming of a stretchable skin on the inside of the glass blob. The glass artist can then grow the melted glass to a brand new blob and work it into a manageable shape. Skilled artists can make any type of shape by moving the glass pipe around and around until they are happy with their new shape. They can produce a huge array of different glass objects, ranging from hand blown glass vases to ordinary drinking cups.
Mold-Blowing
The second method of glassblowing is called Mold-Blowing. Mold-Blowing is a technique of glass blowing which was developed after the invention of the free-blowing method which occurred in the first century AD. A glob of melted glass is placed on the end of the blowpipe which is then put into a mold. In this method, the shape of glass is determined by shape of the mold rather than the skill of the glassblowers.