Marvers aren't always needed for shaping, here's why

I know everyone says you gotta use a marver for smooth shapes, but for my abstract stuff, I just roll the glass on wet newspaper with my hands. It lets me feel the heat change directly, which helps with weird curves. It's a bit messy, but I like the control. Never had a piece fail from it, lol.

3 comments

3 Comments

tessa6371mo ago

Use a marver to avoid the mess and keep your hands safe. Sure, @williams.linda's friend sold one piece, but I've seen glass crack from uneven cooling on paper. Old school methods work for a reason, so don't ditch the marver yet.

fisher.adam29d ago

That newspaper trick can give cool texture, like the comic page thing... but it's not really shaping the glass, just putting marks on it. For actual form changes, a marver gives you clean lines that don't look accidental. Your hands might feel the heat, but you can't get a true flat or a crisp curve on soggy paper... it just smooshes. Sometimes that messy look works, but for real control over the shape, nothing beats a proper tool.

williams.linda1mo ago

Saw my buddy Dave try your newspaper trick on some wild organic shapes last month. He used soaked comic pages and got these insane textured imprints on the glass. Said his hands told him exactly when to stop rolling, and the piece sold fast at the local market.