NO MORE WASTING TIME & MONEY IN THE HOTSHOP.
  • Glassblowers Guide
NO MORE WASTING TIME AND MONEY IN THE HOTSHOP

Free videos


​Scour the internet and library stacks all you want, there just aren't a lot of educational resources out there for learning how to blow glass.
While YouTube videos are fun to watch,
 shaky cellphone footage with blown-out sound are of limited use as teaching tools.
These free videos are just the start of how Glassblowers Guide will help you on your way towards glass mastery. 
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Two ways to make pulled cups -or twisty cups- that use the properties of molten glass in very different ways.​ Having multiple ways to make a thing means more opportunities for success in the hotshop and a deeper understanding of glass as a material.
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You know "BIG GLASS" when you see it. We'll go over a bunch of tips and tricks for getting massive amounts of glass out of the furnace while keeping it safe and under control.
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​This six minute video will save you hours of frustration! There's lots of ways to cap and the main thing is to find what works for you and to know whether you got the cap or not as soon as you've completed the move. If you're guessing, you're probably messing up!
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If you want to put multiple wraps on a piece at the same time, look no further than the "spider wrap." You can throw a bunch of clear or colored glass onto your piece in a jiffy!
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Or an hourglass, or a cooling tower. Whatever you wanna call it, this video covers 3 different ways of making forms with a waist. It's tricky to get right, but it feels just wonderful when everything is setup right and the bubble drops ​out into a perfect line.
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1st in a two part series on how to get a bubble hot, stretch it out, and then get it horizontal at the bench and work it with control. It's a must-know move for working with tall shapes in the hotshop.
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20 min. dive into good starter bubbles reveals a key relationship in the glassblowing process. They say that how it ends usually depends on how it starts, so learn to look at the starter bubble with a critical eye and you'll be on your way to a successful piece.
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2nd of a two part series on how to get a bubble hot, stretch it out, and then get it horizontal at the bench and work it with control. It's a must-know move for working with tall shapes in the hotshop.
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THE COURSE


Glassblowing will always be hard but going at this alone without consistent and capable instruction makes it way harder!
The good thing is that you don't have to figure it all out by yourself and can s
have years off your education by learning from the experience of others.
Understanding Hot Glass is our main course to help you on your journey.
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feedback

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"I was spending money renting but not getting better. This got me back on track to having fun making beautiful artwork. Check out my sweet lamp!”
​Bill M.
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"Nik is an extraordinary teacher and this series is informative and well thought out. Highly recommended to anyone working in hot glass.”
​Phil V.
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"Excellent, I wish you were my teacher when I first learned. Life would have been so much easier.
I can't recommend Nik's videos enough!"

 Walter L. 
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"Life would be a hollow shell without the fun and beauty of glass blowing that Nikolaj has taught me! ​Just kidding...​but not."
​Fern B.

Mini Courses

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about me
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Nikolaj Christensen How to blow glass
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Here are the broad strokes... I was born in Copenhagen in 1980 and fell in love with glassblowing while studying architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. After graduation, I helped found a teaching studio called Third Degree Glass Factory, and honed my skills there before traveling to Scandinavia through an American/Scandinavian Foundation grant. Since 2008, I have run East Falls Glassworks, Philadelphia's public-access glass studio. 

I also have an awesome senior dog and a beautiful wife, though you probably want to know more about the glass, right? Well, below are some pictures of stuff that I have made. You can also check out a line of custom lighting I make here: www.LetterpressLighting.com. I used to make a lot of tight, rigid, and technically challenging shapes, but now I like to get a lot looser with it. Times change.... 

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In any case, I took my first lopsided gather back in 2001 and spent decades now improving my control and abilities. I know how hard this medium is and want to make it better for the next generation of glass artists.
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Pure and simple, I want to help you make beautiful art. 
Nikolaj Christensen



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