Choose a piece of glass work to practice sandblasting. Test the pressure of the sandblasting gun on varying thicknesses of glass. Adjust the pressure of the gun to affect the overall image of your design. A heavy blast will reshape the glass as well as give it a frosty exterior.
Adjust your design according to the function of the piece. A drinking vessel does not need sandblasting on the lip of the glass. Art glass that is sandblasted will no longer be transparent. Cover the glass you wish to remain transparent with tape or glue. Practice pieces allow you to learn how to angle the gun over your design without removing the tape or glue.
Use tape or a glue gun to form a design on the art glass. The surface of the glass should be dry and free of debris prior to sandblasting. Cut into the tape a design, or shape the glue thickness to reinforce your image on the glass surface. Practice forming the design as well as sandblasting the design on a trial piece first. The glue and tape may dislocate under the pressure of the sandblasting gun. Try different techniques to shape your design, such as shallow or deep etching.
Cover any parts of the glass that you do not want to sandblast. Avoid these areas when working with the sandblaster. If you may want to create a hole in the glass to insert other pieces, apply the sandblaster to the area for an extended time until it has broken through the layer of glass. Protect the edges of your hole at the correct diameter with tape or glue. A hole that is too small is more difficult to adjust than one that is a slightly larger than necessary.