Calla Lilly Blooms
Calla Lillies are one of my favorite flowers. Watch this bead “bloom” with Calla Lillies. It is a fun and simple tutorial.
Archive for the ‘Tutorials’ Category
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Surprise in Purples
notice the metallic halos around the dots on the tall bead
Yesterday, as I was working at the torch, I was playing with some colors that I wouldn’t normally put together. I was having kind of a ho hum session until I combined two colors, Eggplant purple and Silvered Plum. All of a sudden, the Silvered Plum dots that I melted into the Eggplant base developed a halo or ring around them and looked metallic. Wow! I got excited and decided to try and duplicate it and it worked. I did notice that I needed to give it extra flame time to develop the metallic halo properly.
I was so excited to see if it was on the beads this morning and share it with you. Here are the beads, fresh out of the kiln.
If you would like specific color numbers, please email me and I will share.
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Brake Line Tube Used in Lampwork
Brake Line Tube used to blow glass
Yesterday we talked about mandrels and how you can cut costs by making your own from stainless steel welding rod. But what is that odd ended thing in the photo on the right? It is a piece of brake line tubing. This is a little trick that another lampworker taught me years ago. You use it to blow smaller glass balls and ornaments. I got mine at the local automotive supply store. They were also kind enough to cut it in two for me. (got that with a smile)
I’ve had fun playing with my brake line tube. I practice blowing small ornaments every now and then but could probably use more practice, or maybe a glass blowing class would be fun.
What’s your favorite glass blowing tip?
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Trim $$ With Homemade Mandrels
mandrels come in many sizes
You hear the word “mandrel”, what is it? A mandrel is the rod that you use to make lampwork beads. The mandrel is dipped in a separating solution called sludge before it is heated by the torch and melted glass is swirled around it. If you’re a lampworker already, then you know what a mandrel is. But, did you know that there are alternatives to the standard mandrels that you buy from your glass supplier?
It is great to purchase a package of mandrels from a glass supply store because they come in a neat little package, each one is the same size as the next and all ends are rounded, not sharp or jagged. I especially like the larger mandrels from the supplier because they are lighter in weight.
But here is an affordable alternative to buying every mandrel, because we all know how quickly you can use up a thin mandrel and need to replace it. Buy Stainless Steel Welding Rod from your local welding store. It comes in bulk packages that are three feet long and costs a lot less than mandrels purchased from the glass supply store. You need to make sure you ask for “stainless steel” rod. My favorite sizes are 1/16″ and 3/32″ because they are easier to cut with heavy cutters.
I have become extremely lazy about cutting welding rod too. buying it in bulk gives you tons of mandrels because you can cut each rod into 1/3rds. As you cut the rod, don’t cut it in one swift cut, but rather “dent” the rod with the cutters, then rotate the rod slightly, dent it again, rotate, dent again . . . until the rod is cut and has rounded ends, not jagged. I can accomplish this in about 4 squeezes of the cutters. Anything larger than 3/32″ is almost too difficult for a person to hand cut, but you can use a cutting saw to cut through larger mandrels if you like. Just remember to smooth and taper the ends so that the beads you make don’t get hung up when you try to take them off. Also remember that larger homemade mandrels will weigh more than purchased ones. (you can see in the photo above that the large hole mandrels on the left were purchased and have easily managed thin handles which takes away the extra weight)
Do you have ways to trim $$ in your lampwork? Please tell me.
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Annealing Glass, Important or Not?
properly annealed beads
So, you’ve started making glass beads, awesome! You hear about annealing your beads, but what does that really mean, and do you really need to do it?
The definition of “anneal” : to cool slowly; to heat and cool to make less brittle; to strengthen or toughen.
In lampworking, annealing glass beads means to heat and hold at a temperature of 950 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, then slowly reducing the temperture over 6 – 8 hours until the kiln can be turned off at 500 degrees.
Why Anneal? The best way to explain why a glass bead needs annealed is this; a bead cools a lot like a cream soup. Have you ever made soup and as it cooled it got a “skin” on the top, but under the “skin” it is piping hot? That is similar to a glass bead. The outside of the bead will harden and be cooler than the inside, which is hotter. If you don’t control the speed in which the bead cools and allow the outside to cool at the same time as the inside, it causes internal stresses to occur and you will usually end up with a cracked bead.
Even if you don’t anneal your beads and you get lucky and have some survive, they are not likely to last long due to the stresses that remain inside the bead. They don’t even have to be dropped to just crack for no reason. A properly annealed bead will almost never crack. They are super strong and can literally be dropped on the floor without breaking. I call that “quality control”.
Now, if you have no intention of selling your beads or giving them as gifts, and you just want to keep them for yourself, then annealing is only important if you want them to last a long time.
What are your thoughts on annealing? I would love to hear from you.
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“Marverlous” Tool
two graphite paddles on left and a brass shaper on right with beads that were shaped with a marver
A couple of posts ago, We talked about the essential tools you need to get started in lampworking.
So, let’s take a look at one of the basic tools you will need, a marver.
A marver is a shaping tool used when working with molten glass. They are usually made of graphite so that molten glass doesn’t stick to them. You can purchase marvers at your glass supply store where you can choose many different sizes and shapes. I think for your first marver you would really enjoy something like the one in the picture on the left. It has a beveled edge, a rounded edge, a square edge, and a large flat surface. A very handy first marver. You can purchase something similar from Arrow Springs.
The marver in the picture on the right is a brass marver. A brass marver is a little different than a graphite marver in that it will “push” and “pull” molten glass easier, making sculpting quicker. Brass and graphite paddles have a different feel when working with them, so it comes down to personal preference.
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This spider Won’t Hurt You
I found this YouTube video today that I thought you would enjoy. This guy in Romania makes these imploded spider pendants that are so cool. I think you will enjoy his very nice tutorial on how to make these unique beads. Enjoy!
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Lampworking: Let’s get Started
So, you’ve been thinking you’d like to start making glass beads for yourself. How do you get started? Can you take lessons or do you have to go to school? What supplies do you need?
Let’s take a look at some basic supplies that you will need to get you making your first beads:
Safety first, so you need:
- Fire Extinguisher – nothing huge and easily purchased at your local hardware store.
- Didydmium Glasses – You must protect your eyes from flying glass and soda flash. (and yes, you will have flying glass!)
Must have tools:
- Sturdy table with flame proof top (maybe tiles) to work on
- Gas Source – We’ll go into detail in another post on your options for a gas source, but for now let’s say either Mapp gas or Propane/oxygen mix.
- Torch Head – We’ll discuss torch head brands in a future post also. A minor burner is a great entry level torch head (this torch is not to be used with a mapp gas set up)
- Lighter – or an igniter to light your flame.
- Glass – 2 lbs is a good start. (We’ll talk about types of glass soon)
- Fiber blanket or Crock pot filled with Vermiculite to keep your beads hot. You don’t have to have a kiln right away. You should never sell your beads that haven’t been annealed properly in a kiln.
- Marver – this is a shaping tool to manipulate the molten glass.
- Mandrels – these are what you’ll make beads on,.
- Sludge – this is a separating medium to keep your beads from sticking to the mandrels.
- Rod Rest to rest your hot glass on after you use it.
- Catalog to order more supplies.
We’ll discuss each of these items in depth in future posts. You will learn where to buy your supplies, differences between brands, alternatives to commercial supplies and why you should follow certain steps to get the best beads.
Are you ready? Let’s have fun!
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SUCCESS! 5 Things Every Artist should Know
What is it that makes an artist decide to go into business?
Why would you want to abandon all of corporate America and the steady income to struggle to make ends meet?
You work harder and longer hours when you’re in business for yourself, right? Times are harder now with the economy struggling to stay afloat and people tightening their money belts.
Why? For the LOVE of the art, the passion for wanting to do it beyond anything else. That’s why. An artist feels it in their soul to create. It’s like the need to breathe air.
But, how do you, the artist, know it’s time to go into business for yourself? Here are 5 things that will help you decide it’s time:
- You are able to replace your current income with sales from your art. This may be a gradual transition and once you track your art sales, make sure they are sustainable. Take into account the “slow times” so you budget your money during “fat times”.
- You have a business plan. Too many people start a business without a business plan. A business plan just helps you stay focused on the direction and mission of your business. It is also a necessity if you ever want to take out a small business loan.
- You have taken a small business class or take advantage of the numerous resources available to small businesses. Everyone needs to take a small business class even if they have experience running a business in their career.
- You need a marketing plan. With the world of social media exploding , there is no reason not to market your business and most importantly, YOU!
- You need to have the hunger to succeed no matter what. There will be obstacles to overcome along the way, but if you truly have the drive, you will get through it because you are willing to do what it takes to succeed.
Follow these things and you’ll be well on your way to a successful career.
What’s your feedback? I would love to hear.
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Back to Basics: 12 Colors You Must Have
Lt to Rt-Ivory, White, Black, Clear, Yellow, Turquoise, Orange, Red, Green, Trans. Lime, Blue, Trans. Blue,
There are so many types of glass for lampworking to choose from out there. How does a new lampworker decide what to buy? Sitting at the torch last night, I started thinking; “If I was just beginning in lampworking, what 12 rods of glass would I be sure to stock?” Sure, I could get fancy and pick tricky, reactive glass, or striking glass, but I thought I should go back to the basics, pick just 12 basic colors that every new artist starting out should keep on hand and play with.
I won’t complicate your color choices with brands and COE, I will save that for another blog post. I will say that Moretti or CIM Messy brand glass are probably my first picks as far as brand goes. They are relatively easy to use, fuss free, soft glass. Now, on to twelve must stock colors:
- Dark Ivory – I picked this color because of it’s versatility. It is a richer color than light ivory and reacts well with a variety of colors and also has a whole different look when combined with silver foil.
- White – I picked white because it can be mixed with other colors to make a new color. It is a great base color to decorate over.
- Black – I don’t think I have to convince anyone that they need black in their must have pile.
- Clear – Again, this is a must have for every artist. It is great for both a base bead and to encase over other beads.
- Yellow – As a primary color, I think it’s important to stock yellow. It can be mixed with another color to make a new color.
- Turquoise – I like using turquoise and think everyone should have this color. It’s a great color to use with every one of the 11 other colors in this collection.
- Orange – I like the way orange will compliment all the other colors on this list.
- Red – Another primary color, red is a must have for this collection. It is also a year round favorite.
- Green – Green is a great color to have. When used with Dark Ivory, it creates a dark line between the green and ivory making it look like it was outlined.
- Transparent Lime Green – Lime is just a fun color to use. You can encase over opaque colors to change the hue. For example: lime over blue will make purple.
- Blue – The 3rd primary color, blue is another good color to have. If you mix silvered ivory, green, and blue together, you will get great, fun colors.
- Transparent Blue – Layering this clear blue over green or red will give you a new color.
If you would like specific color numbers, message me and I’d be happy to share.
What are your favorite 12 basic colors? Are they the same? Or, are they different? Tell me.
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