Capturing Beauty Beneath Crystal Clear Glass
Take your lampworking skills to the next level by mastering one of the most sought-after—and technically challenging—techniques in beadmaking: encasing. Encased, or "clear-coated," beads feature intricate designs sealed beneath a flawless layer of transparent glass, creating incredible depth, brilliance, and a polished, jewel-like finish.
Although the results are stunning, successful encasing requires precision, patience, and careful heat control. Throughout this workshop, students will learn how to apply a crystal-clear layer of glass without disturbing or melting the decorative work beneath it. We'll discuss proper flame placement, temperature management, and timing to preserve the underlying design while achieving a smooth, bubble-free finish.
Students will create beautiful encased floral beads while learning techniques that can be applied to virtually any decorative bead design. Once the fundamentals are understood, you'll be encouraged to experiment with your own creative ideas, transforming colorful patterns, stringer work, dots, and abstract designs into dimensional works of wearable art.
Because clear encasing is a fundamental technique used in both Italian soft glass and borosilicate lampworking, mastering this process will strengthen your skills regardless of the type of glass you choose to work with in the future.
By the end of class, students will have completed several encased beads while gaining the confidence and technical understanding needed to create brilliant, professional-quality designs with exceptional depth and clarity.
Students Will Learn
- The fundamentals of encasing decorative beads with clear glass
- Heat control techniques for preserving the design beneath the surface
- Proper flame placement and timing during the encasing process
- How to avoid overheating, distortion, and unwanted melting
- Techniques for achieving smooth, bubble-free clear coatings
- Creating dimensional encased floral beads
- Applying encasing techniques to dots, stringer work, and abstract surface designs
- Understanding how encasing techniques transfer between Italian soft glass and borosilicate lampworking
- Annealing and finishing techniques for durable, wearable beads
This class is ideal for students who already have experience making and decorating beads and are ready to elevate their work with one of lampworking's most rewarding techniques. Encasing not only protects decorative elements but also adds remarkable depth, brilliance, and visual complexity, allowing your designs to appear as though they are suspended beneath crystal-clear glass.
This is a 3 hour class. It is for students 16 and up. Max 4 students per class.
