Nguyen Thang, a 29-year-old guitar lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, has ventured into the world of visual arts by self-learning how to craft vivid glass artwork using a hammer. 

Despite his background in music, Thang's passion for painting led him to experiment with various art forms, including canvas painting, pencil and paint portraits, and graffiti. 

His latest endeavor involves a unique method of tapping on glass to produce images.

In April 2024, he began experimenting with the technique after being inspired by a video he watched of a Swiss artist creating glass art in a shopping mall. 

Through trial and error, he experimented with different types of glass and hammers in an attempt to create soulful portraits.

Nguyen Thang uses a hammer with a pointed end to tap on the surface of laminated glass to create glass art. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

After many failed attempts, Thang learned how to control the hammer's force and angle to achieve the desired effect without shattering the glass. 

“The key is to carefully control the hammer's force,” Thang explained.

“Depending on the hammer's sharpness, each strike will create different crack patterns which I can then guide into a complete image.”

Thang uses laminated glass, commonly found in high-rise buildings, and hammers that have been sharpened to a point. 

Laminated glass is a type of safety glass that consists of two or more layers of glass bonded together with an interlayer, typically to prevent shattering and enhance durability.

Thang typically selects glass with a thickness of 6 to 8 millimeters, as the thickness significantly impacts the resulting crack patterns. 

Creating a single piece can take anywhere from two days to a week, depending on the complexity of the design, he said.

Thang’s glass artwork starts with sketching a basic outline on the glass with a marker, followed by carefully tapping out the image.

Finally, he cleans the shattered glass.

Thang sketches an image on glass before using a hammer to tap on it to create the final product. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

According to him, glass painting is unique because it relies solely on the effect of light and shadow, rather than the use of color.

“Capturing the essence of a portrait is the most crucial part, with a focus on the facial muscles, eyes, and lips,” Thang said.

German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven is featured on glass by Nguyen Thang who enjoys making glass portraits. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Balancing his career in music with his newfound artistic pursuit, Thang spends his days teaching at the conservatory and creating glass art. His nights are reserved for composing music. 

"Since I'm self-taught, I aim to develop my own techniques in the future,” Thang said. 

“I chose glass art because I love mastering different painting techniques. I am determined to perfect them.”

A piece of glass art created by Nguyen Thang. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Thang said this art form of glass requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep connection with the subject to create a truly soulful piece.

Since Thang's glass artworks are made from durable laminated glass, they require no additional preservation and can last indefinitely. 

Normally his pieces fetch from several million to tens of millions of dong, depending on the client's specifications and the time required for completion.

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