Your guide to gaining control and confidence in the hotshop.Stop guessing and avoid years of costly trial and error by understanding what the glass is doing and why.
• 99% ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 star reviews • • Helped hundreds of artists learn faster • • Grounded in 20+ years of teaching and studio work • • Money back guarantee • |
"As your technical understanding grows, your creative range will expand as well. Control replaces guesswork. Confidence replaces tension... at the end is a relationship with the material that’s productive, satisfying, and creatively rewarding." |
is this for me?
Does any of this feel familiar?
You don't know for sure if the punty will come off clean at the knockoff table...
You avoid trying a new shape or technique because you worry it'll end badly...
Feel doubtful that you're ready to add on another gather...
Box pieces that are “fine” but not what you wanted...
If so, it's time to stop guessing and gain the confidence that comes with understanding molten glass.
You don't know for sure if the punty will come off clean at the knockoff table...
You avoid trying a new shape or technique because you worry it'll end badly...
Feel doubtful that you're ready to add on another gather...
Box pieces that are “fine” but not what you wanted...
If so, it's time to stop guessing and gain the confidence that comes with understanding molten glass.
This series is specifically for artists working with soft glass who want more clarity, control and confidence in the hotshop.
It is not for borosilicate artists or casters or for absolute beginners. If you don’t know which end of the pipe to gather on, there's no substitute for getting your hands dirty with a couple hands-on classes. But once you have the basics, being able to get a piece from the furnace to the oven is different from knowing what you're doing and why it works—or why it didn't. Not every piece will be perfect of course, but losing momentum or frustrated by inconsistent results is no fun. Don't let yourself stagnate and waste time making mistakes that you don't need to make.
Especially because glassblowing is expensive!
Shop time, color, assistance, tools... That high price tag makes it easy to give up on all the progress you've made so far if you're feeling like the results don't justify the cost. But it doesn't have to be that way. Everyone -renters just making gifts for friends to professionals wanting to break into a higher-price tag market- can benefit from a deeper understanding of glass. And if the information in these videos makes you even 5% more efficient, the savings over your lifetime in the hotshop will dwarf the cost.
Glassblowing is not easy, for sure.
The road to mastery takes time and effort... but not all paths are equal. Some approaches lead to steady progress. Others leave long plateaus between breakthroughs. This series helps you reconnect the dots and glassblowing is a lot more fun when you’re consistently making work you’re proud of.
It is not for borosilicate artists or casters or for absolute beginners. If you don’t know which end of the pipe to gather on, there's no substitute for getting your hands dirty with a couple hands-on classes. But once you have the basics, being able to get a piece from the furnace to the oven is different from knowing what you're doing and why it works—or why it didn't. Not every piece will be perfect of course, but losing momentum or frustrated by inconsistent results is no fun. Don't let yourself stagnate and waste time making mistakes that you don't need to make.
Especially because glassblowing is expensive!
Shop time, color, assistance, tools... That high price tag makes it easy to give up on all the progress you've made so far if you're feeling like the results don't justify the cost. But it doesn't have to be that way. Everyone -renters just making gifts for friends to professionals wanting to break into a higher-price tag market- can benefit from a deeper understanding of glass. And if the information in these videos makes you even 5% more efficient, the savings over your lifetime in the hotshop will dwarf the cost.
Glassblowing is not easy, for sure.
The road to mastery takes time and effort... but not all paths are equal. Some approaches lead to steady progress. Others leave long plateaus between breakthroughs. This series helps you reconnect the dots and glassblowing is a lot more fun when you’re consistently making work you’re proud of.
“Spend money and time figuring it out yourself—or learn what you need to know from Glassblowers Guide.”
Beverley Coulson
“Nik’s expert instruction lets me learn outside the studio and make the most of my time when I’m there... it's an invaluable resource.”
Steven Clark
“The best teaching series on hot glass I’ve ever come across.”
Akua Agyeman
Beverley Coulson
“Nik’s expert instruction lets me learn outside the studio and make the most of my time when I’m there... it's an invaluable resource.”
Steven Clark
“The best teaching series on hot glass I’ve ever come across.”
Akua Agyeman
WHAT DO I GET?
Over 6 hours of HD instruction
- By the end, you’ll be able to cleanly and efficiently make all the fundamental shapes and understand how to apply that knowledge to anything else you want to make. It's not about memorizing a list of steps, it's about gaining a deep understanding of why glass moves like it does.
- Short, printable guides that distill essential ideas and moves . Perfect for quick reference when you’re actually in the hotshop working.
- Watch at your own pace and return to the material as your skills evolve.
- Opportunities for direct feedback because sometimes one small adjustment or answered question makes all the difference.
- No pressure, no risk.
What do people say?
"Nik is an extraordinary teacher. This series is incredibly well thought out and informative." Phil Vinson Mobile Glass Blowing Studios 
“This course helped us understand glassblowing in a way no one had ever explained before. It’s a guide we keep on hand and return to whenever questions come up.” Bianca y Dani of 40Plumas Spanish design studio |
"Life would be a hollow shell without the fun and beauty of glass blowing that Nikolaj taught me. Just kidding... but not," Fern Billet Renter 
“I was spending money renting but not getting better. This got me back on track. Just look at my sweet lamp!" Bill Morrison Lampmaker |
“I wish you had been my teacher when I first learned—life would have been so much easier.” Walter Lieberman Museum of Glass 
"I wanted to go to school for glass. Nikolaj helped me feel confident about that decision. I'm feel like I'm making the most of my time now." Roxanna Poppa Student at Center College |
Why make this anyway?
“The better I understand the mechanics of molten glass, the more freedom I have to make the work I want - and to help others do the same.” |
I started blowing glass in 2001 as a senior in college. Right after graduation 3 of us dedicated students and our teachers decided to build a public-access teaching studio. Suddenly -with just that one year of experience- I had to teach techniques I really only just learned.
To keep providing real value to students I focused obsessively on the technical side of glassblowing. It wasn't enough to understand the process clearly to do it myself, I also had to explain it to others. Both fundamentals like setting up a bubble and making a punty, and the advanced stuff students always want to see (reticellos, incalmos, goblets, etc.). It was a lot of pressure but it shaped how I teach and is why this website exists. I spent decades of my life and lots of money so you could do it in less time and for cheaper. I made mistakes so you don't have to. This series is the culmination of the most important lessons I learned in 20+ years and is what I would have LOVED TO HAVE HAD when I was starting out. Pure and simple, I want you to learn faster than I did and make the most amazing art that you can. I know from personal experience that it's a wonderful experience to work with the glass instead of against it, and I'm grateful to be able to share that joy and pass these lessons along to you. Nikolaj Christensen |