Coloration

Color adds an important element to glass. Color can change the whole mood of the glass because of the unique way light travels through this medium. For this particular shape the artist has chosen to simply wrap a little white colored glass, called a bit, around the outside of the piece. This is intended to have no real structure or pattern.

Coloring techniques range from quite simple to extremely elaborate designs. Some examples of coloring may include rolling frit (tiny chips of colored glass) on the outside of a piece or using a solid color encased in clear glass to give the illusion of solid color. The artist can also wrap a bit of color around the outside of a piece with the use of a threading wheel, which helps to make it even. Using involved pulled and decorated cane, called "Latticino," will create a distinctive pattern in the glass, while using glass tiles, or "murinis," will form complex and difficult coloring patterns. Additionally, the application of gold leaf can be used for surface decoration, while simply filling the furnace with colored glass instead of clear will allow the artist to set a tone for their work