Striped disk lampwork bead tutorial

Today I found a great Pinterest board that has some lampwork tutorials, gotta love Pinterest!  Click here to see that Pinterest. 

So we decided to share a link today, from that Pinterest board, to the Chesnut Ridge Designs blog where they have an excellent striped bead tutorial.  Click here to view it!

Blowing glass shards for lampworking or fusing, tutorial

Blowing Shards- a tutorial by Jennifer Geldard

A couple of people have asked me to do a tutorial about how I blow

my patterned shards... while nothing beats a live demo, I'll try to describe the process

as well as I can.

I start with a stainless steel hollow mandrel or blowpipe.

Heat the end to a glowing red so that the glass will stick well to the pipe.

I start my first wrap of glass a bit back from the very end so that

the glass can't travel to the inside of the tube.

I then continue to

wind on the glass as if I'm making a disc bead on the mandrel.

The process is very similar to making a hollow bead on a mandrel

except the other end of the bead is off the end of the tube somewhere :)

Be careful and try not to leave tiny holes in betwwen the wraps, or

when it's time to heat everything up, your bubble will collapse.

I like making shards with many colors of glass, so I'll change colors

often as I wind on the wraps, as well as add a bit of frit or twisties here and there.

As I get to the half-way point of the form, I start to wind each wrap

slightly to the inside of the previous wrap so that the shape begins to

close. What I'm aiming for is a hollow ball.

Don't forget to keep everything warm while you're building

up the walls... especcially where the metal touches the glass... the metal is like

a heat sink and will draw the heat from the glass.

Eventually the ball will close , and this is when I might add abit more color

with frits or some surface design. Try not to add too much

glass thickness to any one spot, or your bubble wont blow out evenly.

Ok... Now the tricky part...

Melting it all smooth and blowing your bubble:

The trick here is to keep the bubble molten without having it collapse

on you before you're ready to blow it out.

Remember that the tube is really a hole, and that the heat inside the bubble

wants to escape out that hole and make all your hard work collapse like a sad

little popped balloon hanging off the end of the tube. There are a couple

of things you can do to avoid this...

One, is to cover the hole at the mouth end of the tube with your finger

while you turn the bubble in the flame.

The second is to periodically blow in tiny soft puffs into the tube from time to

time to help the bubble keep it's shape. I do both of these things.

It is important to keep the mandrel/tube turning while you do this

so that the bubble stays on center.

To even out your wall thickness, you're going to want to expand and contract

the glass a few times before you do your final blow.... in other words,

puff up the shape a bit, and then let it collapse down a bit... back

and forth a few times. This really helps with your final bubble shape.

When you're ready, and the glass is evenly molten...the same glow

throughout the bubble, it's time to blow your big bubble.

Do not blow hard or you will blow out a side...

Not only does this ruin all of your hard work, but the little cellophane-like

glass pieces that float about are very dangerous to breathe in.

Using a soft breath should be just fine. If the glass isn't expanding

with a soft breath, it's not hot enough. Blow slow and steady until the ball is

about the size of an orange, and the walls are very thin.

As I couldn't photograph myself durring the blowing process, here are a

couple of pictures taken by Cindy Brown ( Cindybeads ) durring

my class in Omaha.

And then you're done!

I drop the whole shebang into a coffee can until it's cool, and then

bonk it with something heavy like a hammer ... the shattered pieces are

your shards. Have Fun!! Be Safe!!! And dont get too

discouraged if you fail the first few times...

it's a learning process, and you'll eventually get a feel for it!!

-Jen

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Wigwag lampwork stringer tutorial

We found this tutorial on the lampworketc. website.  The author, Mustang Dawn's information is listed below, be sure to check her links out!

Wigwag Tutorial

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I posted this over in a gallery thread so I thought I would re post it here. Wigwags are fun to make and really help you practice your heat control. This is how I make my wigwags.

1. Using the clear rod of glass wind a ½ inch long barrel shape on the bare end of 3/32 mandrel. Using clear for your base will give you a nice stiff glass to work with and will make pulling your wigwag much easier.

2. Next spiral encase with your base color rod that you want to use and melt smooth. Shape back into a barrel again using your graphite paddle. Make sure to cover your end of the barrel with your base color as well.

3. Now place stripes down your barrel with the different colors of glass. I use 3 to 4 different colors. You can use stringers and full size rods for your stripes to give you different looks.

4. Melt your stripes smooth and roll it into a barrel again.

5. Heat the end of the boro punty and your barrel end. Once they are glowing attach the boro punty to the end of the barrel.

6. Heat the barrel until glowing making sure your have a nice even heat throughout the barrel. This is what gives you a nice smooth wigwag. If you have uneven heat you will have ridges in your wigwags.

7. Next take the barrel out of the flame and let a skin form over the barrel. This is where you have to read the heat. The barrel can not be soft or too firm. Pull out about an inch from the front of the barrel and let it rest a few seconds, then twist one way 4 to 5 turns. Next keeping the flame toward the rear of your barrel pull out another inch of glass and twist the opposite direction 4 to 5 turns. Keep repeating this step until your barrel is too small to pull off any more glass. Your wigwag is now made.

Tip: When using wigwags I like to press them into my bead to keep the wigwag from spreading out.

Have Fun!

Attached Images

  

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by Mustang Dawn 

Wavy Bead Tutorial

Wavy Bead Tutorial

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I would like to add that I do not claim to have developed this technique. There are other ways to make a wavy bead. This is how I do it.

1. Start by making a disk about 1 inch in diameter. For this Tutorial I used SS5.

TIP: - Try to make your disk layers as skinny as possible. More layers will add to the depth of the bead and make your end result that much more interesting. I try to have at least 5 layers or more in the disk.

2. Next, using a 6mm clear rod place a fairly large dot on the disk (does not matter which side you start on).

TIP: - Hold your mandrel perpendicular to the flame so that the disk is parallel with the flame. Once you place your dot pull your rod toward the flame and flame cut just above the disk. (See Picture)

Place another dot the same size directly opposite of the first one.

Now place another dot in between the first two.

TIP: - DO NOT - touch the mandrel with the dots.

DO NOT - Let the dots touch each other.

Make your dots as large as possible without doing the above.

3. Perform the above procedure on the other side of the disk placing the dots in between the ones on the other side.

TIP: - These clear dots (When melted) will travel across the face of the bead creating the wave pattern. The larger the dot, the farther across the face it will travel.

TIP: - When placing dots on the face of the disk, wait for a second before pulling it towards the flame to flame cut. This will ultimately leave more glass where you placed the dot.

4. Your next step is to melt everything down into a bead.

TIP: - When you first begin to melt down your wavy bead start by melting the tips of the dots where you flame cut them. After these are all melted down and even with the edge of the disk you can get more aggressive with the melt down.

Here is a pic before encasing it with clear

Here is a pic after encasing it with clear

Here is another example using a 3 color twistie.

1. Make your disk.

2. Apply your dots.

3. Melt it all down.

Before encasing.

After Encasing.

Final TIP: - Soft glass moves much different than Boro. Soft glass users will want to slow down the melt down. You may have to pull it out of the flame and let it cool for a few seconds, pull it out of the flame and let it cool for a few seconds, pull it out of the flame and let it cool for a few seconds, You get the idea. If you are using soft glass and you end up with a big blob and don't get that unmistakable wave pattern then your probably melting to fast!

I hope this helps some of the people out there that have struggled with this technique. Please post your questions and your pics.

Happy melting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Below we have included the information and links for the lampwork artist who made this great tutorial, Rob Keys!  We hope you enjoy this tutorial as much as we did.

__________________
Rob Keyes
Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.

My Etsy, My Ebay, Wavey Bead Tutorial.

Feathered rainbow lampwork glass bead video by Jeannie Cox

If you have ever wanted to learn how to make a feathered looking lampwork bead, or if you don't even know how to even make a lampwork bead at all, this is the video for you to watch!  We are hoping to try out this technique ourselves in our glass studio!

Click here to view this lampwork glass bead video by Jeannie Cox!

Excellent lampwork video

This is a wonderful lampwork video that we found on YouTube and decided to share with our readers today!  For people that do not know what lampwork is, it is the art of using a torch on glass rods to create glass beads and vessels.  

Click here to see the lampwork video!

Multi layered rose petal lampwork glass beads tutorial

We found this tutorial in the free tutorial section on Lampworketc by Fine Folly Glassworks.  For lampworkers, it is excellent to follow.  For non lampworkers it allows you to see how glass beads are really made!  


This tutorial will show how to make a multi-layered rose petal bead using dots instead of spreading layers of encasing between each layer of petals. It is an easier method to make multiple layers of petals. I am using a Hothead Torch to make this bead and it takes about an hour, more or less, depending on how you work.


PICTURES OF TWO FINISHED BEADS
 

FINISHED BEAD NOTES: Both beads have three layers of petals. The bead on the left has the first two bottom layers of petals placed directly on top of each other, and vines around the core. The bead on the right has each layer of petals staggered and Goldstone around the core. The second bead is the one being made in this tutorial.


TO BEGIN:


You will need to make the following stringers to work with. I used the effetre glass listed below and the tools shown to make this bead.

Mandrel dipped in bead release (I use Sludge Plus)
Tools as desired to work glass
Clear
Bead Core Color (Pea Green)
Vine or Goldstone (Goldstone Adventurine was encased in clear and then pulled into a stringer)
Flower Petal Base Color (White)
Transparent Petal Accent Color (optional - Pink/Rose Opalino)
Flower Center Stamen Stringer (optional)

A simple Stamen Stringer can be made using a rod of clear and drawing 3 to 5 opaque stripes on it's side for 1 to 2 inches with a yellow/gold stringer, and then heating and pulling it to a stringer thickness. The yellow and clear stringer above on the far right was made this way.

FLOWER CENTER NOTE:
You can also use a pointed tool like the stamen stringer is used, to press in the center and then apply a tiny dot of clear. After melting the clear dot in you will get a bubble in the center. For another option, you can apply a CZ in the center of each flower.



LET'S GET STARTED!


1. Wrap your core color one stringer-wrap around. Smooth it out and let it cool a bit (second picture). If you don't let it cool before wrapping with the clear stringer it may merge into the clear. Wrap your slightly cooled core with a clear stringer. Slightly over-wrap with the clear so that clear goes around the mandrel on both sides. You are encapsulating your core color. You don't want your core color to come up through the clear on the sides or in the middle (see third picture). Melt the clear smooth and let it cool a bit.



2. Wrap your vine or goldstone stringer if you want it on the bead next. Melt it in, cool slightly and then wrap with a clear stringer (third picture). Make your clear wrap a barrel because it will give you the right amount of glass as it rounds into a ball. Melt the clear round and let it cool a bit.

One way to get your bead to come to a round shape is to heat it to a glow and then take it out of the flame and keep turning it. As it starts to cool it wants to pull into a round shape. You can repeat this process to bring it round, or use your graphite roller to make nice rounded ends. You want a nice round shape at this point because your dots will melt across this shape and continue it.



3. Using your Base Petal Color stringer and make 3 or 4 or 5 small dots, depending on the flower shape you want (second picture). The size of “O” around and tall is a good size. Dots really spread and keep on spreading with each layer you add. Place your dots ½ to 1 “O” size apart around the imaginary circle of the flower space. If you place them to close they will merge.

The first picture shows a stretched tiny amount of glass being added to that dot to make it the same size as the other four dots. Take time to add teeny bits more to make all the dots on the flower circle the same size. Melt in your dots completely (fourth picture). Allow the bead to cool slightly.

NOTE ON PLACING YOUR FIRST DOTS
 
To space your flower rings evenly you can add teeny clear dots where the centers will be. Use your mandrel as your guide. Put the top dot on and then roll it to the bottom and add your next top dot. Then turn your mandrel so that you can see the top and the bottom dots. THEN place a dot right in the middle using your mandrel to center it. Repeat on the other side.

If your teeny clear dots are to big use your tweezers to pick off the extra. They will push your petals apart if they are to big, but will make no impact if they are just a tiny clear spike-dot.


NOTE ON CORRECTING DOT PLACEMENT
 
When you look at your dot placement around your imaginary circle sometimes one dot is to close or to far away. I heat the dot a bit and use the flat edge of a brass tool to scoot the dot over a teeny bit. You can almost always get away with it because each dot sits on a layer of clear, which gives protection to the petal underneath to prevent it's distortion as you move the dot gently. I move it on 2 or 3 nudges to keep the dot as round as possible.

The bead on the right shows a large clear dot to close to the top 2 white ones. I would scoot it to the center and/or pick it smaller if need be before proceeding.


4. Place dots of the transparent color for the shading in the same size "O" or a touch smaller in the middle of the flat white dots. Take the time to adjust your dots to be the same size so they spread the same.

If you want solid colored petals don’t add the transparent dot layers. Just do solid color dots and clear dots between.



5. Melt in your transparent dots completely (first picture). Keep melting to shape the bead as round as possible. Let it cool a bit and then apply clear dots like you did the transparent dots. Melt in completely (third picture). Make the clear dots at least as large as your initial dots.





6. Place your second ring of base-color dots on the divides/edges between the petals about in the middle of the petals or in just a bit toward the center (first picture). It is more important to get a round circle of dots then to sit exactly on the petal divides. Repeat the process of melting in and then placing your transparent dots and your clear dots.


PROBLEM NOTES:
In the top picture on the left you can see that the very top (melted-in) dot is bigger than the other four melted in dots. This is because the first base color dot was bigger than the other four. Beware of this or you'll have mixed sized petals. To counter it a bit, put a smaller dot of Transparent and Clear on the larger base dot and it should spread less compared to the others.

In the bottom right picture you can see the right edge of the mandrel has a tiny spike area. A small amount of clear can be run around the bead, not touching the mandrel, and then carefully melted and pressed toward the mandrel with a small brass or graphite tool to fix this.





7. Repeat the steps for your third layer of petals, including the clear dots at the end. Round the bead with more heating (half in and half out of the flame).





8. After rounding the bead let it cool a bit and then if you are doing the stamen centers do the following:

a. Take your stamen stringer and pull it into a point in the flame - to a small point shaped like a sharpened pencil. This is so that when you push it into your rose center it doesn’t punch through your petals and make a round hole in them, but instead it pushes them down and in with the stamen stringer - so that it appears only as stamen coming out. Take the time to pull and re-point your stamen stringer for each flower center.

b. (First top left picture above) Heat one flower to a glow. Move it out of the flame a bit and take your pointed stamen stringer - carefully center it and gently press it in toward the mandrel.

Take the bead with it still in the center out of the flame and blow on it gently until the stringer easily snaps off. Return the bead to the flame and roll the bead to reheat just a bit. Repeat this cycle for each flower until all of them have a stamen center.

Then apply a tiny dot of clear on top of the stamen spot if the break is below the surface of the bead, which it almost always is. You can pull your clear stringer to a point to be able to place it in the center on the stamen if it is a wider stringer. If you put to big a clear dot on, gently pinch/pull off excess clear with tweezers. You want a tiny dot of clear to fill the center indent hole, not one that over spreads your petals (see the two pictures on the bottom left).

After all of your flowers have stamen inserted and a tiny dot of clear on top of the stamen, gently melt in the dots. Keep half your bead out of the flame as you turn so you are heating the surface of the bead, not the core. You do not want to overheat and shift the inside of the bead or make your petals slide or elongate.


DIFFERENT CENTER OPTIONS: You can also use a pointed tool and after heating the center, gently press it in and then apply a tiny dot of clear. After you melt in the clear you will get an air bubble in the center of the flower which is a pretty look, or you can apply a CZ for another center treatment.



9. You are done at this point unless want a layer of clear on the outside of your bead to magnify your flowers. If you do, then let the bead cool a bit and apply your final encasing layer and melt it in.

ENCASING LAYER NOTE: If you don't allow your bead to cool before applying the encasing layer your design with smear or shift with the melting in of the encasing layer. Be sure to keep your bead half in and half out of the flame as you melt in your encasing layer or you will still overheat your inner bead and cause it to shift. Even if your bead gets cool enough to get a slight crack before applying your encasing layer, it should heal in the flame as you melt in the encasing layer.

10. All done now… so smile at yourself, garage the bead or put it where you normally do.


SOME FINAL NOTES:
If you can’t seem to make this bead at present, practice your dot control - practice learning to place dots where you want them and in the size you want them. It will get easier with practice. Pay attention to how the glass stretches when you add more to a dot, and how long to take to lift off your stringer to get a set size of dot. Almost musical or like a dance step, there's a rhythm to it.


ON BEAD SHAPE:

If you are getting to much of a donut shape, you can widen your base bead a bit, like this picture shows. It will give a wider bead base as you add layers of dots and round the bead up.


ON MORE DEPTH TO THE ENCASING DOT

I added 2 layers of clear dots to each petal layer on this bead - except for the final single layer of clear dots. It gave a bit more depth to the encasing, and it also increased the spread a bit.

Then I used a pointed brass tool to press in the centers of the flowers. Brass drags glass and I wanted to see if it would take the petals in and down with it. It did a bit. I added a goldstone Adventurine dot to the plunge hole, tamped it in a bit, then covered it with a teeny dot of clear and melted it all in.

This bead has only 3 flowers, so it has gone toward the donut triangle shape a bit, but you can see the layers and the press into the center fairly well.