Glass Fusing - Beginners

Course intent

This course of 3 evenings is a voyage of discovery into glass fusing and aims to give you hands on experience for creating objects in fused glass.

What will we cover?

You will have an opportunity to experiment with fusing different coloured glasses and including glass accessories such as confetti, frits, rods and stringers. You will learn how to cut glass accurately and you will be given a brief introduction to the theory of glass fusing. You will produce at least one piece of fused glass per session. It is a good idea to do some research beforehand and arrive with potential projects/ideas to develop in addition to those that will be suggested by your tutor. You will be producing small glass pieces such as hanging decorations, coasters, dishes, small jewellery items or pieces to integrate in a stained-glass panel, or mosaics if you have complementary skills in those areas. The fused pieces will be ready for collection from the centre about 7 to 10 days after the course.

For courses of more than one session, you will find you make the most progress if you attend every taught lesson and complete any self-directed study opportunities provided.

Who is this course for? Is there anything I need to know before joining?

Suitable for beginners with no previous knowledge and for learners with mosaics or stained glass experience who wish to expand their glasswork skills and introduce fused highlights in their leaded or foiled project.

This course is not suitable for pregnant women or lactating mothers or people on blood thinning medication as there is a small risk of cuts. If you have any queries please email the tutor on adultlearning@surreycc.gov.uk

To protect each other from the spread of Covid-19, wearing face masks, social distancing and regular hand washing will be compulsory in the studio.

As our courses are taught in English, please contact us if you have any concerns about your level of English.

What do I need to bring to the first class? Will there be any extra costs?

Please bring a notepad, a pen, a pencil, a rubber, a clean cotton tea towel and most importantly a fine waterproof marker pen (Sharpie in a metallic colour is best) and safety goggles. If you have never cut glass before or need a refresher, bring a piece of about 1 sq. ft. greenhouse glass, 3mm thick (not less, not more, not toughened or safety glass), the shape and condition are irrelevant. All specialist tools and materials are provided for classroom use only.

It is essential that you wear closed toe shoes, not sandals or flip flops, as glass splinters could be a problem and bring an apron or wear old clothes. Safety goggles can be obtained from the tutor at a cost of £2 each.

If you choose to work on a technique that requires a specialist face mask, you will be provided with one Face Fit Protection (FFP3) mask at the beginning of the course and you are expected to take this home and bring it back for all subsequent classes. Should you forget your mask, a replacement can be purchased from Reception

Access to the Glass Studio is via the Harvey Road entrance.

If you have any queries please email adultlearning@surreycc.gov.uk

What can I do when I finish the course?

You can join a stained glass course where you can learn about building a panel with leads (architectural stained glass) or copper foiling (Tiffany technique to create small items such as free hanging panels or mirrors) Learn to paint on glass with traditional paints/techniques. All classes have kiln access so you can further develop fusing skills. All skills/ techniques complement each other in the creation of a stained glass panel or object.

Additional information

We welcome learners with additional needs and disabilities. When you enrol please let us know if you would like to discuss your extra support needs with a member of the Supported Learning Team who will then contact you as soon as possible. If you are enrolling within 10 days of the course start date, we may not be able to contact you before your first class. Surrey Adult Learning values and supports equality and diversity by promoting fairness and respect at all times.

How to enrol

You can't currently enrol online for this course, so please call 0300 200 1044 to express your interest or to make an enquiry for further information.

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