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Glass is perhaps one of the most malleable and functional materials in the world. It can be worked into ornaments, jewelry, sculpture, windows, micro fibers, bottles and lenses. The vast use of glass, both ornamental and functional, is a testimony to how many different properties and capabilities it has. |
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Glass is composed chiefly of silicates
and alkali through the process of annealing: materials are fused at high
temperatures in seasoned fireclay containers, boiled down, skimmed, and
cooled. The molten glass is ladled or poured into molds and is either pressed,
blown or drawn. Metallic oxides impart color. These metallic oxides are
fused with
the glass in a melting pot, producing the jewel-like colors. Metallic element include the following: -Erbium (ER) Rose colored oxide -Fluorite (CaF2) - Calcium fluoride mineral. -Praseodymium (PR) soft, malleable, silver-yellow -Ruthenium (RU) platinum ore, a hard lustrous silver gray metal -Plagioclase Feldspars are commonly grey and sometimes red
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To analyze the properties of colored glass, one must consider three aspects that work in conjunction with each other creating an overall effect: hue, translucence and texture. When these aspects are varied, glass acquires a myriad of appearances. |
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The actual hue that is applied to glass can serve to enhance
the space around it and set a particular mood. For example the use of stained
glass in places of worship provides an aura of mysterious beauty and otherworldliness.
Even subtle differences in the color of a light bulb can vastly affect
our perception of objects and space cast in that light. The tint of a bottle
will sometimes give the illusion that its contents are cooler and more
refreshing. Simple infusions of color in solid glass forms often appear
magnified giving the entire piece an exaggerated sense of dimension and
heft.
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When glass allows a lot of light to pass through it, it appears to have less overall weight than when the opacity increases. Consider a bag of glass marbles. The clear marbles appear that they are larger, lighter and smoother than the solid opaque marbles. The fact that we can see through them and observe the interplay of light off the interior and exterior surfaces of the sphere triggers our minds to make these assumptions. |
| When texture is given to a glass form, its properties continue to change. Not only does texture affect opacity by obscuring a glass surface, but it affects the way color and light are perceived through that surface. Imagine a red windowpane, then imagine that the glass is frosted. Imagine its edges beveled or its surface molded in an irregular pattern. Each vision of this windowpane, although it retains the same red hue, must appear somewhat different. This is due to the influence that varying textures and their interaction with light have on our perception of that colored glass. |  |
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Our senses may be influenced by the color of glass more that we realize. What if the John Hancock tower was gold instead of blue? How would red wine taste in a green glass? What if the windows of Trinity Church were clear panes? If the uses of colored glass in these instances were altered somehow each scenario would have an entirely new niche in our perception. Maybe we'd drink less red wine. The Boston skyline could become a little more imposing. It's interesting to consider. |
| Site created by: Cheri Clarkin, Tricia Farrell and Matt Sargent |