Begin Glass Fusing

Want to try the art of fusing glass? Start here!

We understand that it can be difficult to know where to start with glass fusing. It is actually very easy to create beautiful works of art with glass. Let us show you how.

What is fused glass anyway?

Fused glass (sometimes known as 'kiln-formed glass' or 'warm glass') is an artistic technique where clear and/or coloured glass is melted or fused together in a kiln to produce a huge range of art pieces, from jewellery to bowls, sculptures, panels and ornaments.

Kiln-formed glass can be split into three basic techniques: Fusing, Slumping and Casting. Once these simple processes are mastered there is really no limit to the creative potential of this amazing material. A wide variety of techniques have been developed by artists over the years offering endless inspiration to the new glass artist. We provide materials, advice and learning on all aspects of glass fusing. If it involves putting glass in a kiln, we can help!

Glass fusing - the technique of joining two or more pieces of glass by heat in a kiln.
Glass slumping - to heat glass sufficiently so that it bends under its own weight, taking the shape of the mould on which it rests.
Glass casting - filling a mould with glass, then heating until the glass is molten so it fully takes the shape of the mould.

What do I need to get started?

To get started you need glass, cutting tools and a kiln. We sell a Glass Fusing Starter Kit which has everything you need to set up a home studio except the kiln, but we can help you with that too. We sell the best quality glass kilns available and provide a lifetime of free advice on buying, setting up and using it.

Glass Fusing Kit - all you need to get started (except the kiln)
Kilns - we can advise you on the best kiln for you, and how to use it.
Learn more about glass types and why we recommend Bullseye Glass

Key Techniques:

There are three key skills to learn when beginning glass fusing: cutting glass, layering glass and firing glass in the kiln. These simple techniques are the basis for glass fusing success:

Cutting glass - Or should we say breaking glass? Cutting sheet glass rarely involves actual cutting. Instead you score along the face of the glass using a glass cutter (we recommend a Toyo to start with) then break the glass along the score with breakers. It is actually very easy to do. Take a look at Bullseye's Improve Your Cutting Tipsheet for more information.

Layering glass - Glass acts differently in the kiln depending on its thickness. Keep in mind the 6mm rule: Glass likes to be 6mm thick on firing. Too thin and it will draw in and distort, too thick and it will spread out and flow. To keep the shape of your piece, layer it up to about 6mm before firing - commonly with two layers of 3mm glass, or three layers of 2mm glass. Layering also creates depth and interest in your work. For more information, look at Bullseye's Heat and Glass Tipsheet.

Firing glass - Putting you glass in the kiln for the first time is an adventure. Firing schedules can seem daunting, but for fusing there are only two basic firing schedules you need: a tack fuse (where the glass sticks together but retains its texture) and full fuse (where the glass melts together to give a smooth, glossy surface). For more information, see our Kiln Schedules page. For help on programming your kiln, see our Video Tutorials.

First Projects:

These three kits are each a great introduction to the art of glass fusing. They are easy and produce great results. They each come with all the glass you need and full instructions to complete the projects.

Coaster Kit (comes free with any kiln you buy from us)! Make four glass coasters and gain confidence with the three key skills of cutting, layering and firing.
Dichroic Cabochon Kit - create beautiful pendants with this introduction to dichroic glass. Learn more about layering and how to turn your glass cabochon into finished jewellery.
Kiln Carving Kit - use the power of your kiln to 'carve' designs into your glass with ease. Understand how glass changes in the kiln.

Building Skills - Introducing reactions, frit, powders and stringers

Once you have got to grips with the basics of fusing, try these projects to add new skills and learn more about working with accessory glass.

River Rocks Reactions Kit - learn about frit, as well as the reactivity of certain glasses and how to use this to your advantage.
Glass Cityscapes Kit - use glass powders to create a cityscape in glass. Learn how you can 'draw' with glass powders.
Experimenting with Stringers video tutorial - learn about the different ways to incorporate glass stringers into your work.

Taking Shape: Using different types of mould for slumping and casting

Now you are gaining confidence, try using moulds to shape your glass to create bowls, vases and cast glass pieces. Take a look at the moulds we offer, each one comes with its own instructions and firing schedule to get the best results. It's a good opportunity to play with your kiln controller. Remember, for slumping and drop out moulds you must fire your flat piece (usually to a full fuse) first before putting it back in the kiln on the mould to re-fire using the appropriate schedule:

Basic slumping moulds - turn your pre-fired flat glass piece into a bowl, plate or curve using a slumping mould.
Drop Out Moulds - create vases by allowing the flat glass blank to drop through a mould ring during firing. The tricky bit is catching the 'drop' at the right moment in the kiln! This is quite an advanced technique.
Glass casting moulds - instead of creating a flat piece first, fill a casting mould with glass frit or billet and fire it until the glass melts to take on the shape of the mould.