Intro to Fused Glass

Instructor: Jennifer Olauson
Tuesdays 5:30-8:30pm
5 weeks: October 21 to November 25 (no class November 11)
Location: In-person Williams Building room 117
$240 + $175 materials fee (required)
Prerequisite: None

This beginner/intermediate glass fusing course provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of glass fusing and project creation. Participants will review essential safety tips and learn about various types of glass, including sheet glass, frit, and stringers, along with understanding glass compatibility and COE. The course covers basic tools and techniques, such as practicing straight cuts, circles, and curves, and introduces basic kiln firing schedules like full fuse, contour fuses, and slump.
A key component of the course is hands-on experience with creating an glass art project from start to finish. They will learn the steps for planning projects, selecting appropriate glass types, and creating prefab pieces like stringers, lace, and nuggets. Time is allocated for students to prepare these material pieces for their final projects.
Participants will gain skills in stacking and layering glass to achieve desired effects, understanding how placement of clear glass and color choices influence the final piece. The course also explores the incorporation of additional materials such as copper sheets, wire, and dichroic glass for artistic effects.
The class will explain kiln operation, including setup, programming, and maintenance. Students will understand what occurs during different firing schedules, how to adjust settings based on glass thickness and size, and troubleshoot common kiln problems, ensuring successful fuse and slump outcomes.

Syllabus

Review the basics of Fusing glass

  • Safety tips for working with glass
  • Learn about different types of glass (sheet glass, frit, stringers)
  • Learn about the basic tools used
  • Understanding different types of glass: COE, and compatibility
  • Basic glass cutting: practicing straight cuts, circles, and curves
  • Talk about the basic kiln firing schedules (full fuse, contour fuses and slump)
 
Project planning
  • The steps in planning a project
  • Selecting the types of glass for your project
  • How to create prefab pieces for your project such as stringers, lace, and nuggets.
  • Time will be spent creating the material pieces for the student’s finals projects, such as lace, and stringers and sliders 
 
Learn how to stack and layer glass to achieve desired outcome 
  • Impact of choosing where and to put clear glass and how much
  • Color theory
  • The effect of including other materials such as copper sheets, wire and dirco glass
 
Kiln operation
  • Introduction to kiln operation: setting up, programming, and maintaining
  • Understanding firing schedules and explain what is happening in the kiln during a full fuse, contour/tack fuse, and slump
  • How to adjust firing schedules to accommodate the thickness and size of glass pieces
  • Troubleshooting common kiln issues in glass fusing 

Supplies

The materials fee includes glass and other materials and the use of tools. Students should also bring:

  • Blank paper
  • Ruler
  • Pencil & eraser
  • 2-3 fine tip colour markers
  • Straight edge scissors
  • Paper towel
  • Glass cleaner
  • Safety glasses