is this book worth it?

[UrsaLunar]

We live an hour+ away from the nearest teacher, classes are awfully expensive, and time is limited, so oldest son & I took a couple of classes and planned on making our own studio (which we have, it needs tweaking, but that will have to wait 'til warmer months) ... and son & I are the type that learn best by watching (or reading) then trying on our own, so books are good.

... before taking our first class I went on a small book spree and bought:
"Flameworking; Creating Glass Beads, Sculptures & Functional Objects" by Elizabeth Ryland Mears
"Creating Lampwork Beads for Jewelry" by Karen J. Leonardo
"Glass Bead Workshop" by Jeri L. Warhaftig
"Making Glass Beads" by Cindy Jenkins (the hardcover edition just over 100 pages)
and "Beads of Glass" also by Cindy Jenkins (wait, that was a Christmas gift ...)

All of them have something different to offer, some are more informative than others ... but I know none of them are the end-all, be-all ... heck, I don't expect any book to be that.

Any-who ... at first class the instructor had a huge pile of books and in them was Bandhu Scott Dunham's "Contemporary Lampworking: A Practical Guide to Shaping Glass in the Flame" (Volumes 1 and 2, Spiralbound) ... she called the set a "bible" for lampworkers.

It's been several months since I thumbed through the book and it's not at the local B&N to thumb through so I don't know what all exactly is in it ... in your opinion, is this set of books worth having as well as the list above?

Thanks so much in advance!

[pjmarchwinds]

yes it is

[Maui Greenstone]

YES YES YES!!! and get glassblowing by Homer Hoyt as well. While your at it sign up for the loto for glass stock 2009. Newport, Oregon Bandhu is the headliner for the event.
I taught myself for 3 years on the hoyt and dunham books before i ever took a class. Look into some of townsends books too.

[Karen Hardy]

When I first started out, the best book I found was Corrina's "Passing the flame".
It's pricey (last I checked, it was in the $75 range) but it was
worth every penny. I learned a lot about glass and the properties
of various colors of glass from that book.

If you are just starting out you might look into something like that BEFORE you
get Bandhu's book (which, I agree - is incredible, but is VERY detailed and if I'd
read it as a newbie I might have gotten scared off before I started).

I do like Bandhu's book for the info on setting up a studio and kiln info,
which I do not think is covered nearly as well in any other book, so it
is excellent for that.

[Karen Hardy]

Originally Posted by Maui Greenstone

YES YES YES!!! and get glassblowing by Homer Hoyt as well. While your at it sign up for the loto for glass stock 2009. Newport, Oregon Bandhu is the headliner for the event.
I taught myself for 3 years on the hoyt and dunham books before i ever took a class. Look into some of townsends books too.

I'm just drooling that he's going to be there!
I hope he brings copies of the new edition of his books
for a signing party. I'm totally up for that.

[UrsaLunar]

Well, at this point we can't afford for me to get scared off as we're ... erm ... fully quipped now. Just looked "Passing the Flame" up on Amazon, it seems to be going for about $50 now, so close to same price as Bandu's set ... gah, so many choices!

Which of the two is better on technique then?

RE Homer Hoyt; my oldest son just started an internship with a glassblower a couple months ago (he made a paperweight yesterday!) and I was looking at Edward T. Schmid's books for him but until they're back in print they're outrageously expensive ... I've got Hoyt's book in my Amazon cart now for his Easter gift (hey, his little brothers still get baskets, gotta get the boy something too!) Thank you!!!

[ArtcoInc]

Originally Posted by UrsaLunar

My oldest son just started an internship with a glassblower a couple months ago (he made a paperweight yesterday!) and I was looking at Edward T. Schmid's books for him but until they're back in print they're outrageously expensive ...

I'm not sure what you mean by "back in print" ... I carry all three of Ed's books.

Be aware that Ed's books are for furnace workers, not lampworkers.

Malcolm

[UrsaLunar]

Originally Posted by ArtcoInc

I'm not sure what you mean by "back in print" ... I carry all three of Ed's books.

Be aware that Ed's books are for furnace workers, not lampworkers.

Malcolm

Ya know, I didn't even think of glass supply stores, for books I automatically think bookstores and on Amazon and BN.com it says out of print.

Yes, my son is interning with a glass blower, he does lampwork at home with me, but is doing furnace work at the glassblower's shop.

... ignore if you can't stand Moms gushing about their perfect lil' spawns ... So proud of him, he knows he wants to learn the art of glassblowing, but realizes how hard it would be to make a living on it - rather than be discouraged away he is going forward with the internship AND is looking into nursing schools for a career. Knows that as an RN he'd be able to afford to rent studio time at a hot shop and knows he'd feel fulfilled in that career as well.

[steph1214]

Definately corina's book will help you a lot!! You know, we all have to learn the basic triangles, bubbles, stripes and the like. Once i felt comfortable working with those it was cool how you could make bigger beads with those techniques and add others and you have a cool focal. She explains things well in her book, you will love it. it was my bible in the beginning!!!
steph

[honey*bee]

"Passing the Flame"!!

[Starrr]

I have an extra set of Bandu's books if your interested.

[Diane (clarus)]

I want to echo the recommendation for Corina's "Passing the Flame" along with her "Spotlights." Jim Kervin's "More than you ever wanted to know about glass beadmaking" is very technical, but it's a gem of a book for that kind of info. His books on famous beadmakers like Sharon Peters, Leah Fairbanks, Pati Walton, Jim Smircich and Kim Fowle Melaney are also excellent.

"Masters: Glass Beads" and "1001 Glass Beads" are terrific eye candy.

Another way to get visual techniques is to get DVDs. There's a place called Smartflix www.smartflix.com that rents all of the lampworking DVDs. Corina has a wonderful one on making stringers, and Jim Smircich has the best ones for technique. Lots of other ones available too - I haven't been over there for a while but they were very helpful when I was learning.

Good luck and welcome to the addiction.

-Diane

[Reenie]

The Bandu's books were really technical for me and I ended up selling them. I did like Corina's book over all the others because of the step by step detailed instructions. You might be able to pick one up cheap through amazon or even ebay!

[PerfectDeb]

passing the flame - easy, non threatening, great pics, simple language.

[Sarabella]

I get something different from every glass book I read. I liked Bandu's books, I think Drew Fritt's book on marbles is good too, even though I thought I would not make marbles. I have also read all the books you listed. The more you learn about how glass works, the more practical information you have to put into use. I learned something new from Corinna's stringer control DVD. I don't believe there is any one book, DVD or tutorial out there that will turn anyone into a glass expert. We are fortunate to have so many good lampworkers who write books and tutorials and make DVD's to share their knowledge!

Sals

[steph1214]

Oh yes, i took Jim Smircich's class and it helped me beyond this universe when it came to heat control. He is a master and you would probably love the videos. You know, everyone needs to know the guts of lampworking and not just the techniques. he helped me tremendously! I love his paddle, the one with the hole in the side of the graphite paddle. I make rather large rounder beads and it helps me to steady my arm, although i do not use it exclusively because i want to be able to steady on my own as well, i hate RELYING on something, ha!!
steph

[glassbead]

It depends on what you're doing as far as "Passing the Flame" or Dunham's book. "Passing the Flame" is only about making lampwork beads- it's excellent for that. And $50 is actually a bargain! Dunham's book is more about working with hard glass so is not enormously helpful when it come to beadmaking, at least not in the beginning.
But I know for a fact that you can interlibrary loan both of those books and try them out for free. I've done it. The main library in Little Rock has "Contemporary Lampworking" and Cindy Jenkins' next book- "Beads of Glass", which is also quite good. They also have "The Complete Book of Glass Beadmaking" at another branch, which is quite good too. If your library participates in that program, you might want to try it out. You already have a couple of books that I consider clunkers (I won't say which!), but all of these are, in my opinion, excellent.

[GiGiC]

I too am a newbie and have looked at both books. I bought passing the flame because it seemed less technical and more user friendly. I reviewed the other from my local library and it was just too much info for someone who had just started. IMO

[spring_a_leak_in_art]

Originally Posted by glassbead

It depends on what you're doing as far as "Passing the Flame" or Dunham's book. "Passing the Flame" is only about making lampwork beads- it's excellent for that. And $50 is actually a bargain! Dunham's book is more about working with hard glass so is not enormously helpful when it come to beadmaking, at least not in the beginning.

I have to agree both are excellent books...on two different topics. If you want to learn about making beads the go with Corina however if you want to go more into sculpture then go with Bandu. I have them both and they are excellent books.

[UrsaLunar]

OK, Corina's book, then Bandu's set is probably the way I'll go ... eventually.

I got a really nice PM about just enjoying the flame & the glass (safely of course) and learning organically and I think that's not a bad thing ... it's so easy to get caught up in the excitement that the idea of new tools, glass and manuals becomes a way of extending the flame fun when you're not in front of the torch.

Also ... my 2001 Jetta wagon is in the shop (I love that car, she doesn't realize she's a wagon and is just so much fun to drive and really has had very few issues *knock on wood*) and it *may* be the cadalidic converter so superfluous glass purchases (like the list of tools and glass and books I'd made) aren't happening for a bit ...

[lunamoonshadow]

Honestly, "Making Glass Beads" was gifted to me, & I read, read, read here & Wet Canvas's glass forum for a couple years & learned LOADS before I bought a used copy of Corina's book (for less than half price, well abused, complete with soda stains, just perfect--price and condition!)....I've got a couple tutorials now, but other than that, you can learn INFINITE amounts just by reading here, (and at WC) in the tips/tutorials (free) sections. There's AMAZING amounts of information, website links (melinda's cauldron creations site has dozens of tutorials on it--she's linked from here & WC), several glass societies have loads of links off their websites, you can spend DAYS (or, as I did, NIGHTS ) just learning, without every spending a dime on a printed book.

[Diane (clarus)]

The suggestion about just playing with the glass is excellent. One of the best tips I got in the beginning was reading a comment from Val Cox, who said to just spend time melting glass in the flame and seeing how it melts. Transparents are stiffer than opaques, and each glass has their own characteristics. Getting to know them personally is valuable.

Do check out your local library, and if any of your libraries within driving range have online card catalogs, search for the books there. Our county has all the libraries linked together and you can find out which branches have which books. Also look into seeing if there are any beadmaking groups in your area - you may find someone you can talk to and perhaps take a look at their collection.

Good luck, have fun and be safe!

-Diane

[deirdreschaneman]

Another great non-book resource is youtube. There are tons of tutorials on lampworking that people have posted.

[Puddy Tat Glass]

Passing the Flame is my favorite and I think I got more out of it on technique than any of my other books.

Dunham's set is very technical.

If I could buy only one book on lampworking it would be Passing the Flame.

[fcfmountain]

WWW.BeadmakingBooks.com is the site where you can buy Deanna Griffin Doves books. She's often overlooked as she's not as visible and forward as she should be. Her books sound very simple in nature and you might be tempted to think Foo-thats too basic. The last comment I heard from a professional fulltime beadmaker and teacher after reading one of her books was " That was very Humbling".
You can spend years thinking you know what you are doing and vaguely dissatisfied with the 40% of your work that just didn't come out right (but was near good enough to get by). Or you can correct what is happening by observation as to what is really going on and what you are really doing as opposed to what you think you are doing.
Take a hint from the music world,no matter how advanced or professional,they play The Scales before every preformance or practice-as that is what their music is based on,not the flourishes no matter how fancy.
Yes I have a dozen good lampworking books,they all have good things. Bandhu Dunhams two are there on the shelf. After perusing them I put them up for future use when I am ready for them. But my richest source is the Forums and listening to folks from around the world discuss their triumphs and trials. There's hardly a day goes by without checking, and I sit with a notebook on my knee as I can't possibly remember all the info that is shared here. Best source #1 People , #2 My Torch
TIM

[lunamoonshadow]

Originally Posted by fcfmountain

<snip>Or you can correct what is happening by observation as to what is really going on and what you are really doing as opposed to what you think you are doing.
<snip> But my richest source is the Forums and listening to folks from around the world discuss their triumphs and trials. There's hardly a day goes by without checking, and I sit with a notebook on my knee as I can't possibly remember all the info that is shared here. Best source #1 People , #2 My Torch
TIM

THIS!!! I snipped out these two bits from Tim's post--because it's EXACTLY what I said in MY post--the forums are SOOO rich in information AND IT'S ALL FREE!!! Seriously--I spent 3 years (yes, *years*) reading, every day (yes, I was on at least one, often two or three when you added jewelry forums!) every day or night, depending on what shift I was working, just reading before I got my torch. I was making jewelry loooong before I was thinking about making beads, but I was *buying* beads (It's Nikki's fault I found WC--she was offering a treat to WC members who won her very first eBay auctions...and she *made* me join--told me I didn't have to own a torch first )

99% of the books won't teach you which colors have issues with which other colors (the gorgous opaque batch of purple lauscha that wouldn't play with *anything* but itself or a bit of frit a few years ago--made lovely hearts for Beads Of Courage though! The batch of turquoise moretti that had black specks that wouldn't go away ) or which glasses need to be annealled at higher temps, or *how* to get a particular silver-glass to strike/reduce best, or which shade of purple looks closest to grape coolaid, or even that 90% of 96coe frits will turn black when you put them on 104coe ivory (though I'm sure that's in Val's frit book!). All that information is "forum" stuff !
When you get to the point that you want *really* specific information, there's $15-$40 tutorials on things like silver glasses, books on *just* frit, etc--but by the time you're "there", you can have LOADS of trivia & knowledge assembled in your head (or in a notebook ) just from reading online!

Info on silver glass? Go read all the silver glass swap threads--you don't even have to participate to get loads of information from those swaps, just read the threads . Frit? There's threads going back to the beginning of this forum asking "how do I use frit" with dozens of answers & links to other threads (I put the links in most of 'em )
CIM glass, same thing. And you can find the same @ WC

[Chau Nguyen T]

Don't ever forget library. Each state has a link for you to borrow books from different counties. Talk to your librian if you don't know how.You can borrow Bandhu book at library before you buy it. To tell the truth i'm lost with this book, too many techniques that it'd take me a life time to use. I need some things to see to do.
In LE tuts and techniques has a zillion knowleges that gathers from all of lampworkers in the group that speak the same bead making language that you understand.
You can go into each tutorial to see people how the bead is made, all of the advices, arguings, pictures. Then, sort, crop, copy and put it into a file. You'll be amazed that you'll have a book with all knowledges that money can not buy.
Our group here is the most generous, unselfish people who always stretch out a hand to help.

[Karen Hardy]

And don't forget our own book.
The LE tutorials book - check out my signature for the link.
It's the best deal in town at only $19.40 (our cost - no added $$).
Tons of tutorials by some really great people here.