The Art Glass Academy: Basics of Glassmaking

Welcome to the course: Meet your instructors

Lecture I: A Quick Look at the History of Glass

Lecture II: Tools, Exercises and Safety Essentials

Welcome to the Hot Shop!

Exercise 1: Cleaning rods and pipes

Exercise 2: Bit gathering and glass drop

Technical Illustration 1: Bit gathering and glass drop

Exercise 3: First bubble types

Technical Illustration 2: First bubble types

Exercise 4a: Tweezing a Rose

Technical Illustration 3: Tweezing a Rose

Exercise 4b: Tweezing a Swan

Technical Illustration 4: Tweezing a Swan

Exercise 5: Basic paperweight

Technical Illustration 5: Basic paperweight

Lecture: Mold Blowing Techniques

Exercise 1-1: Wooden mold (symmetric)

Exercise 1-2: Wooden mold (asymmetric)

Exercise 2: Graphite mold

Exercise 3: Iron mold (asymmetric)

Exercise 4: Plaster mold

Exercise 5: Sand casting

Technical Illustration 1: Mold blowing (even thickness)

Technical Illustration 2: Mold blowing (thick bottom)

Lecture: Free Blowing – Crafting One-of-a-Kind Pieces

Exercise 1: Basic punty

Technical Illustration 1: Basic punty

Exercise 2: Spherical form (ball)

Technical Illustration 2: Spherical form (ball)

Exercise 3: Cylindrical form (cylinder)

Technical Illustration 3: Cylindrical form (cylinder)

Exercise 4: Flat form (plate)

Technical Illustration 4: Flat form (plate)

Exercise 5: Lip-cutting exercises

Technical Illustration 5: Lip-cutting exercises

Exercise 6: Outward-folded rim

Technical Illustration 6: Outward-folded rim

Exercise 7: Inward-folded rim

Technical Illustration 7: Inward-folded rim

Lecture: Getting Started with Attaching Hot Glass Bits

Exercise 1: Attaching handles and foot bit

Exercise 2: Dog-shaped decanter

Technical Illustration 1: Dog-shaped decanter

Lecture: Colors

Lecture: Decoration techniques

Exercise 1: Applying color powder

Technical Illustration 1: Applying color powder

Exercise 2: Applying color rod

Technical Illustration 2: Applying color rod

Exercise 3: Dot decoration with lip thread (colored rim)

Technical Illustration 3: Dot decoration with lip thread (colored rim)

Exercise 4: Combed thread decoration

Technical Illustration 4: Combed thread decoration

Exercise 5: Bubble and soda bubble decoration

Technical Illustration 5: Bubble and soda bubble decoration

Exercise 6: Bubbles with pineapple mold

Technical Illustration 6: Bubbles with pineapple mold

Exercise 7: Optic mold

Technical Illustration 7: Optic mold

Exercise 8: Color powder combined with optic mold

Technical Illustration 8: Color powder combined with optic mold

Technical Illustration 9: Crackled surface

Lecture: An Introduction to Cold Working

Exercise 1: Fine rim (Drinking glass)

Exercise 2:Thick rim

Exercise 3: Grinding

Exercise 4: Sandblasting

Exercise 5: Engraving

Lecture I: Crafting Your Career Path in Glass

Lecture II: Building Your Technical Skills in Glassmaking

Lecture III: Understanding the Economic Aspects of the Profession

Lecture IV: Engaging Customers and Effective Marketing Strategies

Downloadable Content: Business Model Canvas

Downloadable Content: Workbook

TAGA Launch Panel

Charlotta Björkendahl

Markus Jäntti

Björn Weckström

Kaisa Koivisto: The Evolution and Future of Studio Glass

Jaakko Liikanen: Teaming Up – Glassblower and Visual Artist Collaboration

Aada Vainio: Working with Both Studio and Industrial Glass

Final Project Assignment

Q&A Session (April 14, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (April 28, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (May 12, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (May 26, 2025)

2025 Autumn Semester Kick-off (August 25, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (September 22, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (October 6, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (October 20, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (November 5, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (November 19, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (December 3, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (December 17, 2025)

Common Q&A Session (January 14, 2026)

Common Q&A Session (February 4, 2026)

Common Q&A Session (February 18, 2026)

Common Q&A Session (March 4, 2026)

Common Q&A Session (March 18, 2026)