How to Make Miniature Glass Animals

Miniature glass or crystal animals look great either in the home or office, and they make wonderful gifts as well. Miniature glass animals are also used for holiday decorations and displays, so if you have a background in advanced crafts and you're ready to experiment with glass products, this is a great choice.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Glass Beads
• Fame-retardant clothing
• Glass blower
• Beads
• Experienced glass blower mentor

Instructions

1. Prepare your design plan for the animal figurine. Draw a life-sized version of your animal, and don't try to get too complicated for your first new design. Glass blowing is complicated, and you'll need an experienced mentor and an easy-to-master design to turn create something successful.

2. Find a glass art studio and book your session with an experienced glass blower. After you arrive and don the proper attire, which will include heavy weight gloves, an apron, a pair of safety glasses, work boots, eye protection, and other flame-retardant clothing items, you can gather all your equipment to begin glass blowing.

3. Melt glass beads in the studio kiln with the assistance of your studio mentor. Remove any scum produced at this stage in the process and confirm that the glass has been melted perfectly.

4. Create a "bubble" of glass before blowing into the rod to expand the bubble and form the body of your glass animal figurine.

5. Use a glass blower while manipulating the glass between the two rods.

6. Add your chosen colors to the glass animal figurine after initial shaping. After shaping the animal to your requirements, break it off the glass rod and allow the glass to cool slowly.

7. Add beads or other decorative details to your animal once it has cooled completely.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask glass blowing experts for tips in the studio. Don't forget that you can re-melt your product to start again if you don't like what you've created.