Flameworking: Creating Glass Beads, Sculptures & Functional Objects

The author is really good at providing detailed step-by-step instructions with good pictures so you can see what she's talking about. She lists the tools you will need for each exercise. She builds up slowly, starting with simple exercises (such as leaves and morias), then combining those exercises together to form detailed projects (such as the flower candleholder).I'd like to see her go into annealing a little bit more. As it is, she doesn't really explain that aspect in much depth (she talks about using a kiln, and even about using the kiln as a place to hold hot glass pieces, but never specifies when pieces should be placed there). While annealing isn't AS important in boro, it is still important to at least flame-anneal the pieces. I suspect the author just flame anneals automatically and didn't think to include that information. However, no book is perfect, and there is annealing information available free online, so it is only a minor drawback in an otherwise fantastic book.As others have stated, this book is directed at borosilicate users. Soft glass users may find some useful tips here, but a lot of the methods discussed just aren't very relevant. There are plenty of soft glass books out there, however, and I was overjoyed to see a book directed at hard glass users.

This is a book for the midlevel or advanced student who is experienced enough in the art of lampwork glass bead making to realize that they can never compete with the millions of Asian beads which flood the market, all made by children in slave workshops and imported so the amateur bead stringers can sell them at flea markets and other bricabrac venues. There is not much here about beads, even though it is in the title. The author demonstrates how she makes a few basic beads then thankfully goes back to the main subjects which are the making and development of non-bead sculptural objects.I'd say anyone who has learned all the basic bead making techniques in soda lime glass would be ready for this book. Boro is a harder glass, less drippy and so one must learn a whole new repertory of skills. Trouble is there are very few boro teachers.The author starts with a simple intro to the basics, such as COE, compatibility and annealing. She goes on to discuss equipment, especially some differences of necessary equipment for boro sculptural work versus for soda lime glass beads. One important point here is that she explains about the holding oven, which is differently set up than your annealer. A person (I did) can work for 20 years making beads and never use a holding oven but they need it for sculptural work. In starting to discuss techniques she reviews the basic safety points. Also she reviews the basic daily routine things you do like how to heat rods, test for compatibility, et cetera.(I don't think it is a deficit that she doesn't talk much about annealing details. Such a topic is better left to the manufacturers of glass rods and kiln controllers, since much of it specifically relates to programming the specific devices and temperature details for the specific striking glasses.)(She mentions tank safety and setup but doesn't mention oxygen concentrators nor this basic fact: that expensive oxygen concentrator which will run a Minor or a Lynx won't run bigger torches. Expect to use either multiple concentrators, a concentrator + tank setup or a tank depending on the torch.)She finishes the basic sections with helpful hints on how to heal devitrification, cracks and creases, then goes on to explain details about boro colored glasses, boro rods and tubing, et cetera.Then come the exercises, which in my estimation are absolutely fantastic. Its like having a boro teacher right there. First we learn to cut a rod and operate our torch, then gathering, fusing, dealing with gravity effects. This is followed by leaf making practice (big bold leaves not the tiny little things I was making before I got the book), embellishment, variations. (She does this without those expensive leaf mashers they sell at glass equipment shops.)An important chapter is the one on casing, since colored boro is 'way more expensive than clear. Next exercise is making hearts (again big ones, made with huge mashers - look like 2 inch ones).The chapter on sculpting fishes also introduces frit usage. She pours the frit onto a marver which is a helpful thing to know since the first time years ago that I used frit I melted the container dipping glass into it. Next exercise is on how to put together a flower.Exercise 9 is making icicles. (Boro icicles are bigger and more fun than soda lime ones since the glass is so much more forgiving.) Then come the tubing exercises. The cutting exercise she uses is a lot easier than the one I learned. Pulling points is the next exercise then on to making more things.Using what we've learned so far she makes candle holders, plant stakes, bouquets of flowers, kinetic mobile sculptures, a sculpture to hold the fish others. She ends with a teaser, a gallery of famous works, including many artists and many styles. My favorite one is one of Milon Townsend's little people holding together a wineglass.(I'll end this with another mention of my favorite harangue. Please, please, never buy any bead or other art object made by slaves. Only buy artisan made glass art. Thank you.)

I'm a borosilicate crystal glass artist with a Carlisle cc which is a really big torch. I'm really enjoying it. If you're a bead maker or soft glass person then this book is not for you but may be interesting if you are trying to figure out how to make glass art with a torch that is much larger than beads . Overall I love thebook. I've been working with boro full time for twenty years and I did find inspiration . The pictures are color and beautiful . I would consider it a "how to" book. Really neat and it is one of the few books that exist for us that work with boro or "hard" glass!

This was the first book I ever found on flameworking.It is one of the few books I have come across specifically on Boro glass.The book was easily accessible, well laid out and easy to read. It is quite basic and this book did not answer all my questions, in fact it raised more questions that it answered, BUT the authors' passion for her art had a magical effect on me.This is THE book that ignited the passion I have for flamework. I left reading this book with a total desire to answer all the questions that it had raised, and that set me on my own path into flameworking.I am now a glass artist in my own right, and my work does not resemble anything in this book, but I am oh so grateful to Ms Mears for sharing her passion.

I am new to flamework. I ordered this book to prepare me for a seminar. It was ideal for this purpose. It is written clearly. The photographs help to illustrate the author's points. I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to flamework. To be fair, the book does not focus on beadwork. It provides an overview of flamework including the making of beads and figurines.

I absolutely love this book. It has such a good way of explaining and teaching this wonderful art. A must for your glass working library.

Some things were a little too basic I think. By the time you get to this point in lampworking you should know the equipment required. It's helpful and I will use it, just not as in depth as I'd hoped.

A gift to my husband the lampworking - he refers to it often.

Awesome book for anyone starting to work with HARDGLASS.This book is mostly hard glass, do not expect it too cover softglass.

Fantastic can't wait to get started.

En 176 pages, ce livre de Lark books, montre toutes les possibilités du travail du verre, pas seulement pour la fabrication de perles, dont il en est question, sur quelques pages, mais aussi pour la fabrication et la conception des objets , dont toute la gamme ( une partie du moins) est montrée en détail. Pour ceux à qui l'anglais rebute un peu, l'abondance de photographies , de très bonne qualité, rendent la compréhension possible, en se passant de textes. 20 pages de galerie d'objets, donnent une idée du large éventail de possibilités de ce travail, qui permet à l'artiste d'exprimer sa créativité..Une fois le matériel de base acquis( qui est un peu onéreux, il faut le dire), le chemin est libre pour créer des objets magnifiques et très variés, qui vont des simples formes qui peuvent devenir carillon, suspension colorée ou simple sculpture ou objet d'art.Un livre qui intéressera ceux qui travaillent le verre, ou s'en intéressent de près ou de loin à la création dans une matériel dont la malléabilité et la beauté des pièces obtenues on fait leurs preuves.

Creating Glass Beadsとあるので購入してみたが、期待した内容とは違っていた。ただ、日本ではホウケイ酸ガラスのスカルプチャーを扱った本は少ないし、あっても無色透明のものばかりなので、カラフルなホウケイ酸ガラスのテクニックは参考になるかも。　内容的には基本的なことに多くのページを割いているので、これからホウケイ酸ガラスでスカルプチャーやとんぼ玉を作る人には参考になると思う。

Wonderful!