Contemporary Lampworking Volume III

If you didn't get this for Christmas - then you want to put it on your wish list for your birthday, Valentine's Day, or what-ever-you-can-think-of day.

If you have, or have looked at, Vols I and II in this series, and found them to be very technical and a little intimidating - this is a very different book. It has matured into a much more accessible book.

Included are essays and interviews with contemporary glass artists, much eye-candy and photos, historical tidbits, and some full-on step-by-step tutorials. There is a section devoted to kinetic glass sculpture, and a section on Lauscha.

Not lightweight tutorials either, but step by step photos of items like the hollow skull (lifesize) in boro by Christopher McElroy, a Dragonfly by Michael Mangiafico in soft glass, or Kimberly Affleck's signature Seahorse bead.

There are a few surprising tutorials too - such as the spun sugar pterodactyl and the glass tube sausage cooking.

Part travelogue, part philosphy, this book is an amazing testament to the glass renaissance that we live in, and the amazing spirit of sharing that has made that renaissance possible.

It is a hard cover, spiral, stay-flat binding - so you can take it to the torch, 320 pages. Richly illustrated.

Here's some pics - this is the tutorial on making eyes - artificial eyes, in the traditional blown glass style from Lauscha, by Walter Hellbach.

Here is a stripey, ribbed style bead, by Norikazu Kogure.
Kimberly Affleck's Seahorse.
These are the stunning insects by Emanuel Toffolo. Yes - those are glass.


Seriously, if you aspire to be a better flame worker, or if you consider yourself to be an artist who works in glass and you want to stretch your abilities - then this book is a must. It's the next best thing to hitting the road and taking classes with the masters.