A process and system for forming a curved glass article from a sheet of glass material is provided. The process and system includes supporting a glass sheet on a shaping frame and then heating the sheet of glass material while supported by the shaping frame such that the central region of the sheet of glass material deforms into an open central cavity of the bending frame. The process and/or system are configured such that a steep, localized temperature differential is formed in the region adjacent the outer edge of the glass sheet during the heating stage of the shaping process.