Our eight-week glass foundation course is a great way to explore a wide variety of techniques and processes involved in creating with glass. Each Wednesday you will explore hot glassblowing and kiln-forming techniques together with some lampworking, sandblasting and more. You will come away with a thorough understanding of the principle glassmaking processes with lots of hands-on experience.

Over eight weeks you will spend time in our two main studios - The hot shop and the kiln room. In addition we will also explore lampworking and surface techniques such as sandblasting.

The hot glass component will cover the fundamentals of glassblowing, including furnace-work such as gathering, shaping, forming and blowing. Objects such as glass spheres, paperweights and vases will be explored. As you progress though the weeks you will gain further experience as we focus on the development of key glassblowing skills, becoming familiar with shape, speed, heat and tool use, working on objects such as bowl or plate forms, using colour bar and working in teams, we will also use trails and foot bits to finish off your pieces. Throughout the course the focus will be on hands-on techniques, as well as enjoyment of this fascinating material.

In the warm glass module we will look at the basics of kiln forming namely the fusing of sheet glass, including glass cutting, shaping, assembly, inclusions, and kiln firing and slumping practices. We will then go on to investigate intermediate techniques such as using reactive glasses, pattern bar techniques, kiln carving, fossil vitra, optical fusing and other stimulating procedures. Finally we will have a chance to work on some kiln casting fundamentals such as open casting, exploring mould-making with refractory moulds to create solid glass forms. You will gain confidence in tackling kiln projects in the future and develop your own design repertoire.

This course represents an excellent value as each full day with a limited number of students works out at just over £160 per full day.