Whether it's a holiday, a special occasion, or a "thinking of you" present, we have something guaranteed to delight every glass artist!
 

Gift Certificates are available in a variety of pre-determined amounts. However, we can make a gift certificate in any amount you desire, as well. These are great for those times when you are not sure what to buy for a friend or family member who loves working with glass!
 

Lampworking is a term that refers to the historical beginnings of working glass in a flame. Originally, the source of the flame was an oil or paraffin lamp, that was "fanned" by a foot-powered bellows. The artist doing contemporary lampworking now uses instead, some form of gas fueled torch.

Today, we often refer to torch work as flameworking or glass beadmaking. Regardless, we are referring to the same process of forming beads, buttons and a variety of objects with glass rods and tubes that have been heated in a flame until the glass is soft and malleable. At that time, the glass is manipulated and shaped into the desired object. The possibilities are stunning and limitless!
 

Glass Casting is a generic name for a diversity of materials and techniques that require the use of a mold to form glass objects. Generally, designs are made in a material like clay, then are reproduced into a negative mold made of some type of refractory material. The mold is filled with glass billets, dalles, cullet or frit. After firing, the artist has a positive reproduction of the original design, in glass.

Casting includes the specialized technique of Pate de Verre. This ancient glassworking technique was rediscovered in the Art Nouveau period of the late 1800's and can be literally translated from the French as "paste of glass". This unique method of casting glass begins with the grinding of glass into fine powder. The powder is made into a paste by combining it with a binder, and a fluxing medium to facilitate melting. This paste is then brushed or tamped into a mold and dried. After firing and annealing, the object is removed from the mold for finishing. Pate de Verre has a very dense matte color and finish, due to the air trapped in the powder.

These are but two of the methods that glass artists use to cast glass. Additionally, there are many types of molds that can be used, as well as, materials from which they can be made!
 

Nartique Glass offers a wide variety of art glass and glass crafts DVD's and Software. We believe that a picture is definitely worth a thousand words! And sometimes, you just can't make that workshop! Understandably, there are some techniques that are so much easier to pick up when you can view the process "live" rather than through still photos!

Our inventory will continue to grow. If you are looking for something on our site and cannot find it, use our Contact Us form. We will do our best to track it down, and possibly add it to our regular inventory. We want to provide you with what you need...so we appreciate any suggestions!
 

Glass etching is the process of abrading or roughening a piece of annealed glass in select areas in order to produce a design. It is a way to produce a "frosted" or matte design on the surface of a piece of glass, but it is much more than that!

Glass etching, glass engraving and glass carving can also be used to carve a design deep into the glass to create a relief effect, or to produce a shaded design that looks like delicate airbrushing, but is permanently etched in the glass.

Glass etching and carving include the use of creams, stencils, sandblasters and abrasive equipment. Engraving generally requires the use of diamond drill bits to scratch into the glass. Using the same equipment and techniques, it is also possible to etch or carve on stone, ceramic or wood, and even to etch designs on metal!
 

Glass Fusing is composed of a number of different kiln-forming processes. In its purest form, fusing refers to the glass artist's act of cutting, layering and heating glass in a kiln or furnace until they bond. The glass is heated to extreme temperatures until all the glass pieces melt and "fuse" together.

This process is also referred to as kiln-forming glass, but this term often implies additional manipulation of the glass inside the kiln. After initial fusing, glass can be kiln-formed by shaping glass over (draping) or into (slumping) a mold during a second firing. Glass fusing is often referred to as "Warm Glass" and it also includes the heating of enameled glasses until the enamel bonds to the surface of the object .

Although fused glass has been around since ancient times, much of its history and the knowledge of its techniques were lost for many years as glass artists focused on Stained Glass and Glass Blowing. During the 1980's, thanks to a dedicated group of glass artists, glass fusing has experienced a resurgence of interest. Today fusing is hot!!! It is a glass process just like Stained Glass or Mosaics...once you know the terms, tools and techniques, creating fused glass projects is rewarding and the results are amazing!
 

Metal Enameling and PMC are frequently used today, in the creation of exquisite pieces of jewelry. Metal Enameling is very much like using enamels on glass, except, in this case, you are applying enamels to copper, silver or gold. The enamels are a mixture of silica, lead oxides, salts of soda, potassium, boric oxides and flux. Enamels are sifted dry or applied wet onto the metal, and then fired in a kiln. This colorful, decorative metal process has a long history in our desire to adorn ourselves with jewelry.

PMC: Precious Metal Clay is a relatively new jewelry-making material. It was developed in Japan in 1991 by Mitsubishi Materials Corp. It consists of microscopic particles of precious metals (silver or gold) which are suspended in a mixture of organic binders and water. PMC looks and is worked in a similar manner to modeling clay. Once the PMC object is fired in a kiln, the binder burns off and the metal particles fuse together into pure (0.999) silver or gold.

Metal Enameling and PMC are great metal working techniques that can be utilized on their own, or can be combined with glass. The results are stunning pieces of jewelry and decorative objects!
 

Mosaic is an art form that has been produced since ancient times. First, by the Greeks and then by the Romans, who developed and spread the medium across their empire. Thousands of years ago these civilizations developed the materials and techniques that we still use today.

Mosaic is the technique of using small fragments of glass, ceramics or stone to create designs and patterns. They can be applied to walls, floors, and a myriad of surfaces for decoration. It just requires the patience to master the skill of cutting tiles, laying out your design and gluing. Now you know what to do with all those leftover glass fragments from your other glass projects!
 

This is a catch-all category for additional glass processes like Glass Painting that has a growing line of exciting products. Some of these products include glass paints that are oven-baked for permanence, ceramic paints that are air-dried, peel-off paints...even outliners. These, as well as, other creative materials that can be applied to or used in conjunction with glass, will be gradually added to our inventory.

Jewelry, of course, is a popular end-product of working with glass...and so, we have included here useful materials for the glass jewelry-making processes, such as: wire wrapping, stamping, chain-making, fittings and findings, etc.

If you are looking for a particular book, and can't find it in one of the other categories, check here. If you still can't find it, use the Contact Us form and we'll do our best to track it down for you!
 

Stained Glass is a generic name for decorative windows made of colored pieces of glass. Traditionally, this colored glass was fitted into cames and set in iron frames.

Stained Glass developed during the Middle Ages with the development of Gothic architecture in northern Europe. Through the support of the Catholic church, artisans simulated by "staining", the production of brilliantly colored glass for cathedral windows at Chartres, Canterbury, and elsewhere. Most stained glass windows illustrated bible stories and helped teach Christianity to people who could not read.

In many ways, Stained Glass could be considered a misnomer because, in addition to glass colored by staining, glaziers used, and continue to use, glass colored throughout by metallic oxide, glass colored by flashing, and glass decorated with enamel.

Louis Comfort Tiffany greatly influenced the way we create Stained Glass today. Color, detail and illusion were produced within the glass itself (vs. staining) and by plating one layer of glass over another. Tiffany also invented the very popular technique of copper foiling, replacing the tradition of joining glass with lead channels.

Today there is tremendous interest in Stained Glass by hobbyists, craftspeople and artists alike! For those interested in exploring the many facets of glass, there is an ever-increasing wealth of new materials, information and equipment available!