Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I love all types of kiln-working, especially fusing and slumping. I also collect books on kiln forming glass. So I have read quite a few. One reason I collect them is because there is something missing from one that may be found in another. Or perhaps one author advocates this technique, while another may support that technique. Frequently some aspect I am looking for isn't there at all and in some cases I wasn't able to find it in any of my books. So, imagine my surprise when I cracked open this book and found that it is wonderfully complete and beautifully illustrated! Brenda covers everything that a beginner needs to know. Frankly, I spent a couple of semesters in a college kiln forming class, and I learned things in a few minutes of scanning this book that I did not learn in class! Just to briefly mention several, but by no means all, of the topics she has touched on in this book, you will find information on setting up a studio, types of glass, tools you'll need and how to use them. There is a fusing chart that shows the stages the glass goes through during the process. She explains the need for kiln wash and how to best apply it. How to use fiber paper, how to prepare a mold. She talks about sandblasting, glass etching, using an airbrush. She also covers common problems such as cracking, devitrification, and unwanted bubbles in the glass. It is all there. In fact, I don't really understand how she got it all in there in a book this size. For all the information it has, you would expect it to have double the pages! And that's not nearly all. There are projects. Whoa, Mama! Talk about some astonishing projects! If this is beginner stuff, then I am less than a beginner and I have been fusing for over a year already. Projects include an Iridescent Pendant for all you jewelry fans. Also, a really nice set of wind chimes. I love the tinkle of glass wind chimes and you'll love both the sound and the look of these. There are cast Dragonfly paperweights, which are really fun. An Open Pocket Vase you can hang on the wall and display your pretty flowers in. She teaches you how to make glass lace, how to do a mesh melt and a pot melt, how to make and use pattern bars and even how to make your own table top water fountain! And that is only some of the projects she has provided. Amazing items that you would be proud to give to any of your friends or loved ones. I can't praise this book highly enough. It is truly the best book on kiln forming glass I have seen to date. I recommend that you get a copy for your library and I guarantee you will refer to it for years to come. There is beauty, wonder and magic in kiln forming glass and Brenda Griffith has managed to capture all three in her excellent book. You'll love it too, I am sure.