I didn't realize I missed this so much. Both the community and the art.
TL;DR: I'M BACK! And hopefully this time for good
Hot Glass ArtisansHot Glass ArtisansHot Glass Artisans by *AJGlass
Art rarely gets hotter than this!
About hot glass:
Making items out of hot glass is more difficult then making those same items out of other, more easily manipulated, materials. Unlike conventional clay, or fimo, filo, metal, stone, paint and fabric, working with hot glass takes an entirely hands-off technique. Touching glass when molten will produce instant second degree burns (or worse) so the urge to reach out with a hand and grab it while hot is strongly discouraged, though hard at times to resist. Thankfully there are many tools which can be used in place of hands with which to work hot glass.
About oxides in glass:
Colors in glass are created by adding trace metal oxides to various mixtures of ingredients such as lime, sand, and soda. Oxides can include gold (for red), copper (for green), cobalt (for blue), etc. Adding oxides can also change the stiffness of the glass and how much heat is needed to melt it. The oxides can also affect how different colore