By the Air of My Lungs
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Its chemical properties define glass as an amorphous material obtained through solidification of a liquid, not accompanied by crystallization. Another defining feature of glass is called liquid-glass transition – a property of amorphous materials to transform, through heat, from a hard and brittle state, to a soft and rubber-like one. It’s this property that enables glass to be molded, shaped and sometimes, reinvented. Glass blowing is a glassforming technique of shaping molten glass with the aid of a blow pipe, through inflation. It’s a very delicate process, in spite of very rough looking tools used. They’re a necessity because of high temperatures involved in the process, needed to melt and fuse sand, soda (Na2CO3) and lime (CaO) - elements most commonly used to create glass.
Tools of the Trade
The Process
Being a form of applied art, means a lot of these items are sold in household shops around the world, but an ever greater number of glassblowers today strive to create true art from their molten medium – by the sweat of their brow, and the air of their lungs.
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