Heating
The first step in glass blowing is to heat the glass enough to make it a viscous liquid. The glass is put into a furnace and heated to around 1000 degrees Celsius. A special glass blowing rod is used to then take small quantities of glass from the furnace for blowing.
Marver
The glass now has to be packed into a compact shape from which it can be blown into the required shape. This will ensure the expansion of the glass in the next step will happen symmetrically.
Blowing
The glassworker now blows into the other end of the rod. This causes the glass to expand, very much like a balloon. The artist can control how much of air is getting into the glass bulb by blowing further or releasing the air from the rod.
Shaping
This is where the skill of the glassworker is really tested. A number of tools help to mold and shape the blob of glass as required. Artists can selectively contract parts of the blob, change the curvature in different areas and mold the mouth.
Gather
More glass can be gathered as needed to add new patterns and shapes to the piece.
Store
The finished glassware is now stored and allowed to cool at a controlled rate. Cooling too fast may cause the glass to crack.