Customer Reviews

Beginning Glassblowing

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was my first book, and I have recommended it to students since. Hand-written (not typed) and very personal, he lends a good sense of humor and personality to an otherwise intimidating medium. It gives you the feeling that you're hanging out listening to a good friend describing a casual hobby instead of an overly serious instructor. It's just fun to read, and gets you really excited about digging in to some good old molten glass. The second book is just as good as the first. I'd give them 10 stars if that was an option.

This is flat-out the BEST book currently available on learning how to blow glass. Ed has been working with and teaching others how to work with hot glass for years. Buy it. Read it. Do it!

Edward Schmid has created an excellent book that not only thoroughly covers the subject of glassblowing, but is a work of art unto itself. The entirely hand-written book is filled with artistic flair, from stylish emphasis of text to beautiful and fun full-page illustrations of key concepts. The book's consistent informal and friendly tone ensures that the learning process is as painless and enjoyable as possible.

My only complaint is that there doesn't seem to be enough detail about how to shape the glass. Mr. Schmid seems like the type to simply suggest lots of experimentation, but some more inexperienced readers may have difficulties thinking of ways to do so.

Contrary to an earlier review, this book most certainly does cover glassblowing.

Ed's book is exactly what a novice glassblower (not a torch worker or flameworker) needs as a guide after taking a class, or before taking one to see what it will be like. Ed's down-to-earth approach makes glassblowing more approachable and most of all-FUN. He goes through the tools, getting around the hot shop and explains and "demonstrates" many, many basic glassblowing skills and techniques. Ed shares his wealth of knowledge so clearly that it's almost as if he is sitting at the bench with you.
The "pencil" drawings and his handwriting add another wonderful dimension to the book. If you want to learn or improve your glassblowing skills, buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

This book arrived the day before I set foot in a local glassblower's studio to take my first class in blowing glass. Right after the first lesson I went home and read the first 40 pages of Beginning Glassblowing. EVERYTHING Schmid said was useful, to the point ,and made the stuff I learned in the studio have a stronger impact. It is an incredibly clear and user friendly book. I learned from the illustrations, and I was able to remember things from the book the next time I stepped into a real studio. This book has been an excellent companion, an inspiration and handy reference. Get a copy if you want to get into hot glass.

This is a Great Book for Beginner Glass Blowers. It is Fun as well as educational. It is in the form of a Journal. When I took my first class on Glass blowing this book helped me big time! Ed drew little pictures that were VERY helpful. I learned so much from this book and my work improved greatly from it!

I got this for my teenage son who had expressed an interest in glass blowing. He tells me it is a really interesting book, and also fun to read.

I learned a great deal from this book and even more from Ed's Advanced Glassworking Techniques. If you're planning on taking a class, want to learn about glassblowing or already blow glass and want to improve, I promise you'll find value in these two books. Ed explains the process in a really straightforward and fun way; he's much more knowledgeable and helpful in book form than just about every 'teacher' I've met in person. Since there are about 100 ways to skin a cat or make things out of glass, even if you've worked around skilled glassblowers you'll still get insights about why glass does what it does and how you can coax it to do what you want. I think I read the Advanced book about 100 times over the years and I highly recommend these books to anyone getting into glass.

And the bonus of it all is I met Ed briefly at Pilchuck and he's a super nice guy to boot.

I have found it difficult to find books on GLASSBLOWING. This hand written, hand illustrated book is easy to read, easy to understand and parallels the instruction I am getting in my local hot shop. I have found it useful for the beginning student to review techniques from class, and a nice preview of skills I have yet to try. Helps me put my mind in the hot shop, even when I can't be there in person.

This is a wonderful book. I did not buy it from amazon because the price was outrageous!!! When I got the book and read it almost cover to cover the first day. Sadly it was not very helpful because I have been blowing for 6 months at this point and the guy I am taking lessons from cover almost everything in there. Some stuff we have not gotten to yet but will be covering this month. It is nice to have a reference book and would be good for anyone just getting into the art.