Glass Terms and Techniques

 Electroforming- is a metal forming process that modifies components through electrodepostion on an item or form. The part is produced by a chemical disposition of a conductive layer on a base form. All of our electroformed pieces are copper plated and vary in different patinas.

Heady Glass- is a term used to distinguish high-quality blown glass art that have bold and daring designs while maintaining functionality. These are unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that are often collected.

Scientific glass- refers to borosilicate glass pieces that are made with ground glass-on-glass joints.

Borosilicate- (aka 'boro') is a type of glass made with silica and borontrioxide as the main glass constituents making it known to be more resistant to thermal shock/heat.

Fumed- fumed glass is created when a glass artist takes a piece of .999 silver or gold and attaches it to a molten glass rod. This rod is then held into the flame and as it heats the silver/gold vaporizes and leaves deposits of these metals onto the glass. It is this process that gives fumed glass it's distinctive iridescent hue(s).

Bong- bong (also known as a water pipe) is a filtration device generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, or other herbal substances.

Wig Wag – A decorative technique that involves creating intricate, wavy patterns by layering and twisting colored glass.

Reticello – A classic Venetian glassblowing technique that involves crisscrossing fine lines of color within the glass to create a lattice-like effect.

Linework – A style of glassblowing that features clean, precise colored lines running through the glass, often in a swirling or symmetrical pattern.

Millie (Millefiori) – Short for Millefiori, meaning “a thousand flowers” in Italian, this technique involves layering colored glass rods to create detailed images or patterns that are then sliced and embedded into glasswork.

Honeycomb – A pattern made by trapping air bubbles in a way that resembles the hexagonal structure of a beehive.

Cold Work – Any process that alters glass after it has cooled, including cutting, engraving, or polishing.

Reversal – A technique used to create complex, symmetrical designs by carefully folding and manipulating sections of colored glass.

Perc (Percolator) – A filtration feature in a bong or water pipe that helps cool and diffuse smoke for a smoother experience.

Dichroic Glass – A type of glass that has multiple micro-layers of metals or oxides, giving it a shimmering, color-changing effect.

Sandblasting – A process where high-pressure sand or grit is used to etch or frost the surface of the glass for added texture or design.