Dimensional powder paintings are created with finely ground powdered glass that is applied through sifters. Some of the sifters are wide, some narrow, and I also use a tool, called a chakpur, that is similar to the ones the Tibetan Monks use to create sand mandalas. The chakpur is a copper cone with ridges on it. A bamboo stick similar to a chopstick is rubbed along the ridges to control the flow of the powdered glass. The powders are fired at lower temperatures than traditionally used for fused glass, which helps them retain their texture, rather than melting.