Glass may be intrinsically translucent - that is, characterised by a misty opacity rather than absolute clarity and transparency - because of the method of manufacture. A softened or diffused effect may also be achieved after completion of the form by abrading the surface of the glass mechanically or chemically.

Several prominent glassmakers of the Art Nouveau period used a method known as pâte-de-verre to make translucent glass.A revival of an ancient Roman process, this technique of fusing powdered coloured glass in a mould resulted in works that were distinguished by a subtle, elusive and luminous quality.

Scholars likened a certain type of early Chinese glass to blocks of 'thousand year old ice' on account of its watery translucency. Here, the fugitive luminosity and green tinted translucency of Robert Knottenbelt's i sing of time tide, complements the cellular structure and high-tech connotations of the work.

In contrast, our impression of the translucent orbs of Stephen Procter's Double Gather is of the gentle pulsing of natural light through twin forms composed in a fine equilibrium.