The ancient art of lampworking was widely used in Italy in the 1300s. From there it spread to the rest of Europe and eventually further afield to the Americas and the rest of the world. Today there are lampwork bead artists found in most countries in the world.
Today many of these artisans choose to work from home studios. They take great pride in producing one-of-a-kind beads, marbles and other glass objects. They love what they are doing and are often prepared to offer quality guarantees to their customers. Some are well known for their special style that has developed through many years of studying and making beads.
Many types of glass are used but borosilicate and soda-lime are most common. Borosilicate is harder, more expensive and needs a higher temperature. However, it does not crack as easily. Oxygen is used instead of air and torches need to be larger. Soda-lime is much softer and offers more variety of colors.
Unlike glass blowers who require a furnace, these artisans use torches. A torch may be attached to a bench for a more stationary flame whilst a hand held one offers heat that can be maneuvered. A wire called a mandrel is used and it is coated with a substance that prevents the glass from sticking to it. A pick made of tungsten allows holes to be bored in beads and a reamer made of graphite is used to enlarge them. A kiln is necessary for annealing the beads.
It is important for a lampworker to introduce a glass rod slowly into the flame so as not to break it. The mandrel is dipped into a releaser so molten glass does not stick to it. It is heated and rotated while the molten glass is wound onto it, forming the base for the bead. The combination of the heat, gravity and use of several tools go into creating the shape of beads.
A combination of heat, tools and gravity are used for shaping of the beads. They can then be decorated using various different techniques and materials. Fibers of glass may be melted onto the surface. Copper, silver or gold may be applied in the form of metal leaf, wire or mesh. When colors with a silver base are used, a technique called striking has to be used.
There are also techniques used for working with the beads once they have cooled. They may be etched with acid for a matte finish, sandblasted, faceted with grinders and polished or even painted. These techniques offer a whole range of creative possibilities. Annealing is a process of cooling down glass at the correct temperature. If it is cooled down too slowly, glass has stress and it can crack immediately, after a month or even after a few years. Mass produced glass objects may not be subjected to proper annealing and some are not annealed at all.
An artisan lampworker will ensure that holes in beads are cleaned properly and do not have rough edges that can cut the stringing material. If they are not cleaned properly, the dust from the releasing agent is hazardous to inhale. Artist made beads are more expensive but they often vastly increase the quality of jewelry made with them.
Today many of these artisans choose to work from home studios. They take great pride in producing one-of-a-kind beads, marbles and other glass objects. They love what they are doing and are often prepared to offer quality guarantees to their customers. Some are well known for their special style that has developed through many years of studying and making beads.
Many types of glass are used but borosilicate and soda-lime are most common. Borosilicate is harder, more expensive and needs a higher temperature. However, it does not crack as easily. Oxygen is used instead of air and torches need to be larger. Soda-lime is much softer and offers more variety of colors.
Unlike glass blowers who require a furnace, these artisans use torches. A torch may be attached to a bench for a more stationary flame whilst a hand held one offers heat that can be maneuvered. A wire called a mandrel is used and it is coated with a substance that prevents the glass from sticking to it. A pick made of tungsten allows holes to be bored in beads and a reamer made of graphite is used to enlarge them. A kiln is necessary for annealing the beads.
It is important for a lampworker to introduce a glass rod slowly into the flame so as not to break it. The mandrel is dipped into a releaser so molten glass does not stick to it. It is heated and rotated while the molten glass is wound onto it, forming the base for the bead. The combination of the heat, gravity and use of several tools go into creating the shape of beads.
A combination of heat, tools and gravity are used for shaping of the beads. They can then be decorated using various different techniques and materials. Fibers of glass may be melted onto the surface. Copper, silver or gold may be applied in the form of metal leaf, wire or mesh. When colors with a silver base are used, a technique called striking has to be used.
There are also techniques used for working with the beads once they have cooled. They may be etched with acid for a matte finish, sandblasted, faceted with grinders and polished or even painted. These techniques offer a whole range of creative possibilities. Annealing is a process of cooling down glass at the correct temperature. If it is cooled down too slowly, glass has stress and it can crack immediately, after a month or even after a few years. Mass produced glass objects may not be subjected to proper annealing and some are not annealed at all.
An artisan lampworker will ensure that holes in beads are cleaned properly and do not have rough edges that can cut the stringing material. If they are not cleaned properly, the dust from the releasing agent is hazardous to inhale. Artist made beads are more expensive but they often vastly increase the quality of jewelry made with them.
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