Murrini Portraiture: Animal Forms

Service Description

This engaging 6-day course explores the classic practice of murrine, with a strong focus on planning and composing images in glass. Students will learn to translate designs into glass using a clear, step-by-step approach. Beginning with a brief history of murrine — from the ancient Egyptians to Venetian studios and contemporary work — students will use the Franchini technique to create original murrine while developing a deeper understanding of image construction. Through hands-on flameworking, participants will build detailed designs in glass cane, learning each stage of the process before slicing to reveal the final image. As the week progresses, designs will grow in size and complexity, leading to finished pieces using a range of techniques, with optional cold working. The course also introduces a ‘fast murrine’ approach, focusing on efficiency without cold working between phases, allowing expressive imagery to be created in less than a day. Students are encouraged to explore this method while remaining open to a slower, traditional process. Day 1 – Fundamentals • Brief history of murrine • Tools and process overview • Demonstration of first steps • Preparing glass rod and practicing basic pulls Examples: simple cane (flower center), 30-minute skull Day 2 – Elements & Theory • Angles, proportion, and shape control • Making and manipulating forms Examples: petals, bundling canes, frog face Day 3 – Techniques & Shapes • Advancing and refining the pull technique • Building image elements Examples: combining petals, fish Day 4 – Assembly • Developing image components • Hot and cold assembly techniques Examples: flower with petals, star/heart Day 5 – Finishing Pieces • Finalizing designs using learned techniques Examples: decorative flower details, two animal faces Day 6 – Final Assembly & Challenge • Merging weekly elements into completed work • 30-minute face challenge with surprise assignment* Class Schedule: July 13th - 18th, 2026 starting at 10am *Hotel Big Mama is a highly recommended place for anyone traveling and is close to the studio.