Am I still a newbie???

[honey*bee]

I know the standard for being a newbie is that you have been torching for less than a year. Well I am coming up real fast on that one year mark and still feel like a newbie. I torch at most 1hr a day, and there is still a lot of stuff that I haven't even though about doing. Am I still a newbie or is it time to take a big girl pill?

[Rhonnie]

To me it is all relative....

I had my first class last February. Does this mean I am no longer a newbie. I think not!

I do not think it is the amount of time behind a torch that determines when someone feels they are ready to not be considered a newbie. It is a feeling.

I feel that I am still a beginner and have a long ways to go. I too have not attempted several aspects of lampworking and perhaps, may never attempt them. But I believe that some day I will have mastered what I can do and only then be ready to call myself experienced.

Will that be this year or next I do not know, but I will be sure to let you know. 
In fact, you might hear my shouts of joy.
Rhonnie

[honey*bee]

That how I feel about it, also.

[swamper]

I've been doing this for over 6 years and I am still a newbie - your beads are great BTW.

[teachertracey]

I've been here for a while now, and I still consider myself a newbie. Now and then I get brave and post something I really like in the big show, but I haven't had enough glass experience yet to be anything but a newbie.

I like your beads too.

[Donna T.]

5 years here and I still consider myself a newbie. There are still so many things I don't know how to do or how to even attempt. But I keep trying every week to try something new I've learned on LE.

[Mr. Smiley]

In the grand scheme of things, I'm still new to this... I hope it always holds mystery and awe for me... if I ever figure out how it's all done and can actually do it, I'll have a big long cry and quit. :lol:

[lbloomer]

I think this is a question we all ask ourselves from time to time. I remember this coming up not too long ago in another thread, and someone posted a link to Ann Schermo's website, she had a wonderful chart for assessing you skill level. (see http://www.schermobeads.com/classes/skilllevels.htm ).
Hope this prints into a link, I've never done this before..
That said I've been at this for 2 1/2 years now, and I consider myself an "advancing newbie", I say that because I can see I am making progress, and that excites me! And there's so much more I need to learn, and I love that. This continues to be an enthralling medium for me.
Jaquetta

[teachertracey]

That chart is pretty thoughtful, imo. I guess I'm an advaced beginner according to that. I do think that some folks are born naturals. It's the same for my line of work...anyone can become a teacher, but some people just have that inane ability to be a great teacher. Some folks must be the same way with lampworking.

[honey*bee]

That is a good chart, I have a couple Intermediate skills but I am predominately still advancing newbie.

[Puddy Tat Glass]

Jaquetta I like that chart. I think it'll give Honey*Bee a good idea of whether she's a Newbie or not. But eventually Honey*Bee you just have to let go of the Newbie title and dive into the deep end of the pool. I tried to hang on as long a I could too. I still feel very "Newbieish" from time to time...especially when it comes to color combinations and reactive glass. I'm just amazed at the beautiful beads made by the advanced lampworkers. I celebrated my 2nd year of lampworking on March 31st, in some ways I think I've made it to the intermediate stage and in many others I'm still a beginner.

[lunamoonshadow]

That chart is nice, but....
I'm all over the place!
Heat control--good.
stringer/dots--suck.
understanding of glass, safety, all that stuff-great (heck, I was reading the forums & getting educated for 4 years before I got my hothead & I'm a freakin' information sponge)
I'd not have a clue where to file myself in there other than "new" or "beginner". I'd probably be bored stiff with the "this is how you turn on the torch" & "this is why you don't breathe frit" four hour lecture part of the class...but...if you expected me to make 10 perfect spacers...well...yeah, I'll confess, that's unlikely to happen ;)
I lack physical time on the torch (I worry about torching when I get in late after working 14 hours--I really am afraid I'll set myself on fire if/when I get flame-mesmerized!)
~luna
*still* a newbie after too many years :oops:

[chrissij]

I didn't look at the chart, but I'd classify myself as a newbie.

[pinkcb]

I think this is a question we all ask ourselves from time to time. I remember this coming up not too long ago in another thread, and someone posted a link to Ann Schermo's website, she had a wonderful chart for assessing you skill level. (see http://www.schermobeads.com/classes/skilllevels.htm ).
Hope this prints into a link, I've never done this before..
That said I've been at this for 2 1/2 years now, and I consider myself an "advancing newbie", I say that because I can see I am making progress, and that excites me! And there's so much more I need to learn, and I love that. This continues to be an enthralling medium for me.
Jaquetta


Schermo is about the most level headed and through person as I have seen on LE. That's a great chart......gonna be a noob for a looooooooong time though!!

[Oenone]

I'm all over the place too, but objectively I guess I'm getting to be somwhere between Advanced Beginner and Intermediate with a definite lean to Advanced Beginner :)

I guess I'll have another look at it in six months or so. In the meantime, I'm loving the Newbie Gallery!

[PerfectDeb]

its just cos you dont wanna leave us other newbies huh? those pros scare the shite out of me!

and that chart throws me in at advanced beginner - i'm comfortable with that

[PerfectDeb]

That chart is nice, but....
I'm all over the place!
Heat control--good.
stringer/dots--suck.
understanding of glass, safety, all that stuff-great (heck, I was reading the forums & getting educated for 4 years before I got my hothead & I'm a freakin' information sponge)
I'd not have a clue where to file myself in there other than "new" or "beginner". I'd probably be bored stiff with the "this is how you turn on the torch" & "this is why you don't breathe frit" four hour lecture part of the class...but...if you expected me to make 10 perfect spacers...well...yeah, I'll confess, that's unlikely to happen ;)
I lack physical time on the torch (I worry about torching when I get in late after working 14 hours--I really am afraid I'll set myself on fire if/when I get flame-mesmerized!)
~luna
*still* a newbie after too many years :oops:

see now some things are funny - you say you suck at dots but i mastered dots within an hour (i think it was a leftover skill from 10 years of cake decorating)

but heat control - aaarrrgggg!

[PerfectDeb]

vessels - really want to master vessels (or even just have one not explode....)

[honey*bee]

its just cos you dont wanna leave us other newbies huh? those pros scare the shite out of me!

and that chart throws me in at advanced beginner - i'm comfortable with that

Ya. Im comfortable there, in the regular gallery I don't think I'd show much. Also I want to be able to do the newbie challenges but I also want to be fair to the other newbies.

[lunamoonshadow]

Ya. Im comfortable there, in the regular gallery I don't think I'd show much. Also I want to be able to do the newbie challenges but I also want to be fair to the other newbies.

If you don't mind getting *really* newbie beads in "newbie" swaps, then no one minds getting your gorgeous beads in exchange--I can pretty much promise you that, if you're talking about "newbie swaps" & things like that :lol:
As far as "challenges", well, heck, anyone who wants to play in those should be able too--wouldn't ANY newbie just be tickled if a "famous beadmaker" (hint hint hint @ kimberly, sarah, anyone else who gets the whim to play or make a "warm-up-at-the-torch" bead out of whatever is going on in one of those threads!) popped in & showed us all what we could REALLY do with the glass & our challenge to give us something to strive for as a "show off" rather than a "entry to the challenge"?

[cswilson53]

I have been making beads for almost a year and still consider myself a newbie but I definitely have seen some improvement in my work over time - which counts in my books...... there is still a ton to learn!! BTW - Honey Bee your beads are great and I have been tempted to buy some - but I keep thinking - I need to learn how to make those myself......

[honey*bee]

BTW - Honey Bee your beads are great and I have been tempted to buy some - but I keep thinking - I need to learn how to make those myself......

I do the same thing. Although I have HAD to buy a couple I just couldn't live without.lol

I notice the improvement in myself but that just makes me notice the other things that I can't do so well even more. I think I am doing good but I don't think I am ready to not be a newbie anymore.

[cswilson53]

Yes - I hear you on the purchases "you can't live without" !! A girl can never have enough beads!

[houptdavid]

Well after 7 years I'm still a newbie (wow has it been that long?)
That's not 7 years of torching!
I really didn't do anything with it for 5 years. When i started I realized that I needed more (the right) stuff, so I collected what I thought I needed. 2 years ago I did some over the winter and realized I needed an annealer (yes I procrastanate) I did some more winter 07-08 and this last winter I think I have made and torched more than I ever have since I made the annealer. So all together I may have a year of torching regulary.
By way of the "chart" I'm an advanced beginner but there are days that I don't even qualify as beginner :lol:

I think that you are always a beginner at something. There are non newbies here that cannot make a spacer bead or do dots, to save their life, yet they can do fabulous organics.

[Cathy at the Beach]

oh my god what a good question. I have been making beads since Dec 2 2007. Thats a year and a half.
I worked hard on my beadmaking and soon realized that my goal was making jewellery. Beads were a means to an end. So now I think of a piece of jewellery I want to make and dream up the beads I want to use in that piece.

This has been somewhat limiting. I look at the unreal beads people make here and I realize I am a true beginner.

However, that is where I will likely stay- although- the more beads I make for my jewellery, the better I get at making beads. I really feel now that Ihave a good feeling for the texture of glass...how it flows at different temperatures and what I have to do to get colours from various reative glasses.

I have no clue how to make those unf&**ing believable peonies and hummingbirds- I appreciate so much- but I can make ivory and reative glass beads for a neat necklace.

I've also had a couple of glasses of wine....I've had a very stressfull day. :)

[Elizabeth Beads]

OK, I'll go out on a limb here. After 14 months (almost) I don't think of myself as a newbie. That may be hubris on my part, but I have worked very hard, making bead every day, even if just for a couple of hour after work. I made beads last summer when the temperature hit 3 digits. When it got cold this winter, I bundled up in layers, wore fingerless gloves and a hat, and made beads in my garage studio. I read about beads, I dream about beads (and sometimes I think I make beads in my sleep).

This doesn't mean I rival the masters. Or that every bead turns out perfect. (I wish.) I struggle with encasing and other things. But I have a level of proficiency and confidence that I didn't have a year ago. I have great days at the torch and frustrating days. I'm not an expert on all things, but I am consistently good at some things.

That said, I see many more things that I want to learn and try and I believe that my journey will continue far beyond where I now stand. But I'm proud of what I have accomplished, I wear my beads with pride, I am heartened by the people who buy my beads and and think they are beautiful enough to come back for more.

I sometimes ask questions in this thread and I also sometimes answer questions because I have gained enough knowledge to be able to share and give back. I'm not planning to write any tutorials for a long time or offer lessons, I know my limits. But I'm not the "kid" who made wonky beads with sharp edges any more.

:)

[honey*bee]

I have gotten way better than when I first started, but I don't feel like I have enough knowledge. I haven't been able to afford any formal training so my progression has been slower than those who were able to take classes.

[teachertracey]

I look at the murrini, florals, animals, and complex shapes that some people make and I just sigh. They are incredible. And since I work in boro, I also ogle the colors that some people get. It's artistry and it's inspiring to me.

I'm like Cathy in that I'm always thinking of how I'm going to put my beads in my jewelry. It's just second nature to me since I started making jewelry first.

[BeCharmed]

This is a really interesting thread........ and going by that chart I guess I am advanced beginner. I have three adorable kids so sometimes it can be up to three weeks before I sit back at the torch, then it is pretty hit or miss, I can be great sometimes and sometimes I just want to scream!!! I guess we all feel like that at times.

I have a variety of lampwork skills under my belt and loads more yet to get familiar with, but unless you do what you learn over and over it is very easy to then become a newbie again. For me as soon as the nice puckers come at each end of the bead that in itself makes you a bead maker because quite simply you have made a perfect bead. Are we still newbies anymore when a friend simply says ' how on earth did you make that it's gorgeous?' Remember we are our own worst critics and will constantly doubt ourselves.

So my point is I've never actually wanted to put myself in a catergory because I just love it when I get time to torch and then especially love the morning after a good day when I look in the kiln. So sometimes I am complete newbie and sometimes I am good. Hence why bother labelling myself?

I just go with the flow and forget the bad days, but then with three kids even your bad days can be made to be lovely because they just love getting to pick through what they can from what I call my bad batches and they have even fought over beads that I had labelled fuglies?

Michelle

[AlivELampworK]

I still have these days and I have been making beads for a long time (scary how long, actually). Glass has a way of making you humble - or at least makes a fool out of you on a regular basis.

this is so true. days when you feel like you're on top of the world can be followed by days that suck way bad. glass will knock you on the butt, for sure.

[J.Meader]

Gonna have to call myself a newbie. I have been torching for two years and everytime I sit down at the torch I think of at least a half dozen things I havent tried yet. I played at bead making for about a year and then discover Boro so I guess maybe two years should be broken in half.

[Otter's Flame]

I've been doing this for a few years now and I stopped calling myself a newbie when..... oh wait.... I still am a newbie and self proclaimed hack. I don't care what the title, or the formula to figure out where you are to move on to the next label.... I hope I will always be a newbie to something in glass.

I think you go through a transition period when you first start working glass and then get to a point where you are comfortable with it... and when you reach that point where you are starting to get comfortable with glass and your skill level.... that is when it hits you how HUGE the glass art world is and how much there is to do and learn and then you come to the realization..... glass will ALWAYS humble you and there is no one out there who has "learned it all" yet.... that is one of the most exciting things about glass.

Otter

[lunamoonshadow]

I've been doing this for a few years now and I stopped calling myself a newbie when..... oh wait.... I still am a newbie and self proclaimed hack. I don't care what the title, or the formula to figure out where you are to move on to the next label.... I hope I will always be a newbie to something in glass.

I think you go through a transition period when you first start working glass and then get to a point where you are comfortable with it... and when you reach that point where you are starting to get comfortable with glass and your skill level.... that is when it hits you how HUGE the glass art world is and how much there is to do and learn and then you come to the realization..... glass will ALWAYS humble you and there is no one out there who has "learned it all" yet.... that is one of the most exciting things about glass.

Otter

I :love: you Otter.

(my theory is "I know enough not to set myself on fire or blow myself up through stupidity" :lol:....other than that, I read whatever I can, & sponge up info like crazy, & maybe someday my "hand skills" will get 1/1000th of the way to what my brain understands ;))
~luna

[Hayley]

I think that we are all newbies on some level or another. That's why glass is so appealing . . . the possibilities are limitless! Yes, like Kimberly said, it's humbling too.

When you first start, you struggle with the simple round/donut shape bead.
You finally master the round/donut shape - perfectly round, the wall even all around and the hole centered - you struggle with the barrel/olive shape bead.
You finally master the barrel/olive shape bead - perfectly symmetrical, puckered ends and the hold centered - you struggle with the tubular/bicone shape bead.
etc. etc.

You get the picture - shaping, dots, encasing, florals, encased florals, stringer control, raking, silver glass, metal leaf/foil, enamels, twisties, gravity swirl, . . .

. . . sculptural, off-mandrel, boro, tubing, . . .

My advise to someone new to this - if you can, find the time to torch consecutive days for as many hours a day as you can. . . and take a class! I was six months into this and decided to stay home alone over the holidays. I torched 10 hours a day for five days and all of a sudden, everything clicked. Two months later, I had an opportunity to take Kimberly's three-day workshop in Seattle, I was so intimidated for everyone in the class had been torching for years (some were teachers themselves!). I was happy to say that I kept up with the class and my lampworking skills and confidence soared! Those two events were the best things that helped me be where I am today. Still loads to learn and explore tho.

[nancyinvermont]

I've been doing this for a few years now and I stopped calling myself a newbie when..... oh wait.... I still am a newbie and self proclaimed hack. I don't care what the title, or the formula to figure out where you are to move on to the next label.... I hope I will always be a newbie to something in glass.

I think you go through a transition period when you first start working glass and then get to a point where you are comfortable with it... and when you reach that point where you are starting to get comfortable with glass and your skill level.... that is when it hits you how HUGE the glass art world is and how much there is to do and learn and then you come to the realization..... glass will ALWAYS humble you and there is no one out there who has "learned it all" yet.... that is one of the most exciting things about glass.

Otter


I love how you put this, Otter, that once fairly comfortable with some techniques (and these are my own words), you then come to realize the enormity of the world of glass and how much there is out there to know and do. Me, I'm a newbie...advanced newbie by Schermo's chart....and expect to be one for a long time to come. BTW, is it your birthday today? Many happy returns!

:love: Nancy

[Hels]

Buy lots of books and magazines:). I'm still a newbie... I haven't even hit the 18 month mark from first learning that lampworking even existed. I don't think length of time determines newbieness really... I think level of obsession has more to do with it:P.

[Lorraine Chandler]

I have been "acquiring supplies" since 2003/4ish. I have setup and tore down my studio 5 times...had it all in storage for 2 years and when I was setup and working it was mostly a HH, now recently a Mega.

Never really had time to get into a good working groove. :sad:

During that whole time I have been a super absorbing sponge. I have spent a huge amount of time in college if you will and am pretty knowledgeable at this point....BUT, as with any studied subject it now needs to be applied.

Thank goodness with my new studio up running I can now start to apply all that I have gleaned. I am EXCITED!!!

So YEP! Still a newbie in the practical hands on way but fairly knowledgeable. :-P Strange combination indeed.

Lorraine

[Lisi]

Glass has a way of making you humble - or at least makes a fool out of you on a regular basis.

Yep, so right about that! :D

I've been doing this for going on 6 years now and I am very much a newbie! There are too many things I don't do or haven't bothered to practice and learn:

Dots - did some when I was a beginner, but then when all my 12" mandrels started bending, I said to h*** with it! I was a "middle of the mandrel" girl for the dots beads.

Stringer decoration - the scrolls and designs, nah...didn't like it when my Mini CC melted everything within its glorious "radiant heat". Should try with the Bobcat though....

Encasing - shall I say, we don't want to go there!

[Moth]

I don't think that time has anything to do with whether you are a newbie or not.

I'm coming up on my 6th anniversary melting glass and even though I'd probably classify myself as an intermediate beadmaker the truth of the matter is that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know much.

Yes, I've been doing this for 6 years- but that doesn't come close to the 30-50+ years other people have been doing it. It's actually pretty darn exciting. I know how far I've come in 6 years and I'm totally geeked out knowing I have decades more to come.

I hope I rock as an old lady.

~~Mary

[lunamoonshadow]

you rock NOW Mary Moth. You're one of the most SHARING beadmakers I know--you share so much knowledge & you're such an awesome teacher (yep, even online ;)), it's wonderful. :love: you. & you're beads (from hothead on up) are all so inspiring :)

[firedancer]

I know I am a beginner, even before I read the chart. I might be approaching the next level though. I joined Lampwork etc, and was reading here before I started torching, and then I took several months off after Christams. Now I am out of town for a month, so it will be like starting over again. I think time, away from the torch really effects your abilities. Torching a little every day, I think is a good idea. Now there are other things that effect my ability, like too much COFFEE, im the morning, and then trying stringer control, or dots. LOL. Or even simply, my age. Sometimes I remember how, sometimes, I have to teach myself, again, and again, and again.

[clan tabby]

Kristina - when I joined LE in June (this year) & went to the so-called Newbie's Gallery & saw all of those incredible beads, in particularly yours, Kristina, I thought - these are newbie beads? My stomach just sank & I thought, Oh, I think I give up. With all of this discussion over newbie-or-not, I believe, as I did after getting over my first shock at seeing those "newbie" beads, that there needs to be a new category - that of rank beginner. There is no way I would be capable of making any of those newbie beads at my level, so that leaves me in the dust. Nevertheless, I've grown more confident in my ability to improve & I hope to be able to reach newbie status sometime within the year. If I EVER actually get my studio up & running.

And, as has been said by others here, there is always new stuff happening in glass, so everyone goes back occasionally to newbie stage, if only to learn a new technique or to learn how new glasses work together.

Kristina - your beads have become a goal for me to work to achieve. I figure if I can make beads as lovely as yours I won't have to worry about being a newbie!

Nancie

[firedancer]

Nanci: That is something to think about, you are right. I remember when I was very very new, and I would never have posted a pic of my beads, because of the great beads here. Maybe we need a new name, for just born torchers.

[nancyinvermont]

Nanci and Nell, Hi! Over the last couple years I posted my beads in the Newbie Show and Tell, but recently, the Newbies have gotten so good that I haven't posted much. But I have had a busy summer and haven't torched much either. I think a Just Born Torchers Show and Tell would be neat (or some such name to differentiate from the advanced newbies). I would most likely post in it!

I am so proud of the Newbies, however, for advancing as much as they have. A lot of it is due to, I think, the Newbie Challenges that have occurred, where everyone practices some particular technique for a couple of weeks and then submits photo of the bead(s) they're entering into the challenge. The group votes, and the winner gets to select the next challenge. The recent challenge on encased floral beads is a great example; people practiced their heads off, and everyone posted such beautiful floral beads. I wasn't able to torch much and so didn't get the technique down, so didn't enter that particular challenge. But I know that when I get back to torching I'll be practicing the technique.

If you want to start a pre-newbie group, let me know. I'll join!

:love: Nancy

[firedancer]

Well, it is certainly worth thinking about, maybe others who are very new, and maybe intimidated to post, could at least share some views on this subject? Would it be a new category, that enough would participate to keep it going? Should it be classified with restrictions such as only owning a torch for 6 months, or 12 months? Or what would be some good ideas? I know some of us talk about, when we get good enough to post with the big kids. Are we the little kids? What would be a good name for a new Show and Tell post? I certainly understand why some New Born Torchers, are intimidated, but still not sure about how many would post? What are you thoughts guys? I know I always look at this post. and the big kids post, and it always gives me a (want to be that good) attitude. I was slow to post, but eventually, I did start posting some of my beads. Now, if only we had spell check for posting, and I would be ok. :)

[NKL]

Sometimes I am intimidated by the idea of posting in the newbie thread. I'm really impressed with what everyone has done. I've also seen everyone posting their trial beads when working through some of the challenges, and that has made me believe there is hope for me too!

I also need to figure out how to take a picture of my attempts and then how to post it (not there yet, but I'll get to it).

I think back to the days when, as a kid I took swimming lessons and they had exciting names like "Beginner I" "Beginner II", "Advanced Beginners", "Intermediates" and (finally) "Swimmers".

It seems to me if we had some type of break out that was like this - not based so much on how long you have been doing, but maybe basing it on the skill set criteria that Ann Scherm Baldwin came up with and has on her website. That way, for some types of beads a person could chose to post in a different level because it focuses on different skills.

Maybe we could use the terms "Newbie I" and Newbie II" to futher break out that base level and help those of us who are still figuring out how to get a donut bead round mroe comfortable.

[JoeDeM]

I don't think that time has anything to do with whether you are a newbie or not.

I'm coming up on my 6th anniversary melting glass and even though I'd probably classify myself as an intermediate beadmaker the truth of the matter is that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know much.



I agree, I think the whole time thing is not a factor, but where you are and were you would like to be, I started 5 years ago and stopped for a long while, and am getting back into it now, so I consider myself at the beginning of a long journey with miles of road ahead and loving every minute of it, why would I want to hurry the journey when the scenery is so nice.

P.S.I also consider myself a glass hack, but I'm having fun.

[firedancer]

Yes, it would be nice, if there was a thread where poor photography is acceptable, and probably standard quo. I remember what ever bead I was able to make at first was so exciting, and I just wanted to show it off to the world. I knew it was not the greatest, but at least it was a bead. And living alone so much, I could at least show it off somewhere. :)

[cakelady]

Newbie or oldbie , you still have kick but beads. So you can be what ever you want.