Hot glass has the remarkable property of keeping any mark that is impressed on its surface. This is how optic decors are achieved: if you ridge or stamp your vessel while you work it, the patterns will be embossed on the finished object.
Optic molds are used to print certain patterns onto the vessel’s surface, before it is given a specific shape. This peculiarity of glassblowing redefines the status of ornementation, which is generally thought of as a mere supplement to the shaping process—as a finishing touch. Like second skin, optic decors naturally follow the blower’s breath and adopt the object’s curves. With La peau se souvient, we wanted to investigate the domain of those skinlike patterns.
This project is an attempt to broaden the (up to now limited) range of motifs offered by optic moulds. Digital tools allowed us to design parametric patterns and 3D-print them in order to produce new moulds.