The Science behind the Art of Glass

So here I am…..Living my artistic life. Using only the creative side of my brain, right? That would be so very wrong. There are so many things in the art of glass that use both math and science.

Let’s start with math. So when glass is in its liquid state, it likes to be 1/4″ thick. Sounds pretty simple, just always make your pieces 1/4″ thick. Well that would be boring. So now we can figure out a way to use that “rule” to our advantage.

I use this rule in both my Coral Burst series as well as my Crackle Poppies. I use heat work to create areas where the glass pu

lls up and creates organic shapes and visual texture.

Now lets add the science into the mix.

Some of the art glass that is manufactured has “ingredients” in the glass that can react with one another. This can create some amazing depth and interest to the art pieces.

Here are a few examples where the glass reacted to the metals I added to the glass.

So while we all sat in those science and math classes during Junior High and High School lamenting that we were “wasting our time” with something we “would never use again”, I am here to tell you that science and math are fun.

Don’t even get me started on geometry.

Posted on November 18, 2019 by talljules