Pew Pew Laser Blog

Fluted Bowl with a Two Color Optic Twist.

I made this a fluted bowl (with a two-color optic twist) in my Beginner's II class at Seattle Glassblowing Studio last November.

The optic twist technique is pretty interesting. I mixed the blue and yellow frit together and picked it up on a single gather without a starter bubble. (The bubble would get all messed up during the color application.) I then heated the glass and shaped it for the optic mold. I dropped the glass into the mold, which cuts the outer layer of color into stripes. I heated the color again, and turned the pipe while dragging the color stripes along the marver, adding the twist. To finish the color twist, I used the diamond shears to grab a nubbin of glass on the bottom of the piece and rolled the pipe down the bench rails while holding the nubbin with the shears.

I then shaped and blew the bowl form out, and heated the rim to give it the ruffled shape.

As always, thanks to the husband for the photography.

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