Feather Murrini

[Laurie L]

Are there any tutorials out on this ???

Thanks

[theglasszone]

Our wonderful Claudia aka Glasting, has a fantastic one posted on another forum - I'll hunt it down and post a link for it asap!

De

[theglasszone]

Here it is:

http://perles-au-chalumeau.forumactif.com/astuces-et-tours-de-main-f4/pour-pinar--t1164.htm

I have talked to Claudia and received her OK on my (personal use only) typed version of her hand-written, step-by-step instructions from this tutorial. If you would like me to PM it to you, let me know.

De

[Hayley]

Laurie -

You can make a twisty (tightly wound one following Kimberly Affleck's tute works best):

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3450

Make sure that you twist both clockwise and counterclockwise.

Cut one of each clockwise and counterclockwise ones to about 1/2". Put them on your bead side by side. Melt in halfway and rake to create a feather.

Hope this makes sense!

[theglasszone]

What an excellent idea, Hayley!

Regarding the link I posted above - as well as my "typed" transcription of her hand-written notes - I'm gonna double check with Claudia...maybe she would like me to send her the typed transcription and she can re-post it here in the *FREE* Tutorials section so everyone can have easy access....

No matter what, though, FULL CREDIT for this tutorial and any resulting murrini should go to CLAUDIA!!! It's the RIGHT THING TO DO! :)

De

[Hayley]

The Japanese beadmakers use that technique to make leaves - it is in the Tonbo Dama book by Kogure and Aki (Akihiro Ohkama) demonstrated that in his presentation at the Gathering - but I have used it to make feathers.

[glasting]

174058
hello, I post the transcription from DeAnne (thank you very much for your work !) with the pictures I've drawn for the tutorial :

Step 1: Heat a WHITE glass rod – you need a quite big quantity of glass, make a flat rectangle with a BBQ masher (arrow points to a “White Glass Rod”).

Step 2: Add a layer of TRANSPARENT COLOR (arrow points to “Lt. Brown Transparent”) Flatten it with the BBQ mashers.

Step 3: (Bracket points to “a half of a feather murrini”). Alternate WHITE and TRANSPARENT (about 8 to 10 layers).

Step 4: Turn the glass rod for 180 degrees (arrow points to “Lt. Brown Glass Rod”) Make the same process on this side. If you want, you can add another darker color for the top of the feather (about 5 layers) IMPORTANT: The last and the first layers should be opaque colors.

Step 5: Stick another punty to the other side of the glass, heat it well and pull (arrow shows “pull”).

Step 6: After annealing in the kiln if possible (arrow shows “you get a rod like this”). Cut this rod with (nipper?) the murrini may be quite thick (about 3-4mm).

Step 7:
*Put the murrini into the kiln.
*Make a WHITE STRINGER encased with TRANSPARENT LT. BROWN.
*Make Base Bead.
*Apply murrini with tweezers (arrow shows “paddle”).
* Heat the murrini and push it down with a paddle.
*Try to move the paddle a little bit to the bottom of the feather.

Step 8: (Arrow shows “encased stringer”) Heat the murrini well, apply a cold encased stringer on the top of the feather, move it to the bottom and apply the end to the base bead.

Step 9: Now the feather must be like this. When finished the feather, heat all the bead well. J
174057

[Firebug]

Merci beaucoup!!

Cheers
Kathy

[swamper]

Glasting,

thank you - thank you - thank you. I have been doing my feathers with single raked stringer and leaving them raised but I like this MUCH better - I have always admired your feathers.

Linda

[shawnette]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!!

[cadia]

Can't wait to try this I am in lust over your feathers!!!
Thank you so much Claudia!!!
Very generous of you!

[Hayley]

Awesome, Claudia, thank you so much!!!! :love:

[anitah]

Thanks for sharing Claudia..........Anita

[theglasszone]

OK folks - I just tried this on the Hot Head...creation of this gather grows large quickly!

I have a pair of stainless steel punties (thanks again Noodlesaurus!) and I had to sort of bend down the ends of the gather to make it connect to the punty at the top and bottom - so be prepared if you're going to use punties instead of just using the rods as Claudia's example shows. I opted to use the punties since the Hot Head is a relatively cool torch - the steel punties seem to help hold the heat in the gather so the final pull stays nice and evenly toasty.

I wasn’t able to get as many layers built as I’d hoped to – once the layered gather became about 1 ½” big, I knew I best punty up and pull as this is about as big as my Hot Head (at least from my past experience) can handle.

Here are some pictures - I got 3 layers of brown (should have used a less "icky" brown :( I think) and 4 layers of white; I topped it with 3 layers of Hades black and the 8" pull yielded 75 slices:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/Feather1.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/Feather2.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/Feather3.jpg

I've not had time to apply them yet and do the final step of putting in the center "shaft", but I'm hoping Claudia (or others who have successfully made/applied feather murrini) will come in and critique my efforts so far - good, bad or ugly! It's for the benefit of everyone, so let 'er rip!

De

[Teena]

De, Can't wait to see your murrini!!!

[gallerygal]

Claudia, thanks so much for your generosity in sharing your fabulous tutorial.

Marianne.

[DiamondLilGlass]

I was wondering about this technique, Thanks so much!

[Laurie L]

OMGosh...thank you so much EVERYONE !!! Truly appreciated and so very generous :)

[Laurie L]

174058
hello, I post the transcription from DeAnne (thank you very much for your work !) with the pictures I've drawn for the tutorial :

Step 1: Heat a WHITE glass rod – you need a quite big quantity of glass, make a flat rectangle with a BBQ masher (arrow points to a “White Glass Rod”).

Step 2: Add a layer of TRANSPARENT COLOR (arrow points to “Lt. Brown Transparent”) Flatten it with the BBQ mashers.

Step 3: (Bracket points to “a half of a feather murrini”). Alternate WHITE and TRANSPARENT (about 8 to 10 layers).

Step 4: Turn the glass rod for 180 degrees (arrow points to “Lt. Brown Glass Rod”) Make the same process on this side. If you want, you can add another darker color for the top of the feather (about 5 layers) IMPORTANT: The last and the first layers should be opaque colors.

Step 5: Stick another punty to the other side of the glass, heat it well and pull (arrow shows “pull”).

Step 6: After annealing in the kiln if possible (arrow shows “you get a rod like this”). Cut this rod with (nipper?) the murrini may be quite thick (about 3-4mm).

Step 7:
*Put the murrini into the kiln.
*Make a WHITE STRINGER encased with TRANSPARENT LT. BROWN.
*Make Base Bead.
*Apply murrini with tweezers (arrow shows “paddle”).
* Heat the murrini and push it down with a paddle.
*Try to move the paddle a little bit to the bottom of the feather.

Step 8: (Arrow shows “encased stringer”) Heat the murrini well, apply a cold encased stringer on the top of the feather, move it to the bottom and apply the end to the base bead.

Step 9: Now the feather must be like this. When finished the feather, heat all the bead well. J
174057

Wonderfully explained. Thank you sooo much. Will be trying this soon :)

[Rudy]

How cool is that...can't wait to try!

[glasting]

De, 75 slices, wowwww ! I am not sure on the picture if you used transparent colors between the opak layers, that makes a very realistic feather. a little thing that makes easier to pull the murrinis : make a thick layer of a glass color you don't like (it will be wasted) on both sides of the "cube" of glass bevor attaching the boro punties. (I hope you understand me, I am not very good in English...)

[theglasszone]

I understand you perfectly - thank you so much!!! And drats, I should have gone with the transparent!!! Maybe next time.

For the time being, though, I may try and experiment with these - just to get the "feel" for raking of the center shaft - maybe they will still make cute "Eaglet" (baby Eagle) feathers.

Thanks for everything Claudia! You're a true sweetheart and a generous teacher!

De

[Troll Lover]

Claudia, your tut is awesome, thanks so much for it! I made these quite a while ago and making the murrini takes quite some time, patience and heat, but you can make soooo many feathers out of it, they'll last some time!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3641926640_6ac36f062f.jpg

[chrissij]

or...Claudia could sell them in her etsy store...

I know I'd buy the small left over ends that no one else wants because they're too small. I'm practically certain the regular sized ones would leave the shop lickity split.

[chrissij]

That was a hint - hint, by the way...:D

[glasting]

amazing, anouk ! I am so happy about my beads from you :)

[theglasszone]

Wow, Anoukie - beautiful!!! :)

I took Claudia's gentle and helpful suggestions to heart - and tried again! Funny how I can mess up a perfectly good recipe with getting too off the path! Sheesh, will I ever learn?

Anyway, this time I stuck right to what I was supposed to do - using the Transparent color between layers of the white. I was far more patient and cautious - and a bit more condensed so that I didn't end up with a HUGE gather (well, it was still purty big for my little Hot Head - pfffttt!) Also, I heated and heated and heated that gather - to be sure all the layers contacted each other and the whole thing went very smooth before the pull. :)

So here's my second try; used White and Transparent Brown (as instructed!!!), and for the top part, I used Hades and a few layers of Transparent Smoke Grey to break it up just a bit.

What do you think? Better? I'm actually very happy with it! The pulled rod was about 12" - yielding over 100 slices:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/2ndFeather1.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/2ndFeather2.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/2ndFeather3.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Feather%20Murrini/2ndFeather4.jpg

You're an angel Claudia!

De

[Laurie L]

Nice Murrini De...and great bead Anouk :)

Didnt get a chance to make any today...first (real) torchtime in months since our move. Today was play day...getting re-aquanted with glass and a new work space.

[mad hatter]

I love this tut. I have been using it since you 1st posted the link. This is killer and it is free. How cool is that!

[theglasszone]

Gave it a go...we'll see when it comes out of the kiln if it survived. I may have tried too difficult of an application for a first try (but what's new!). I made a small blown vessel from Black Cherry Coral. I've had these rods FOREVER - waiting for something super special - and this was first time using them. I was trying for something really Southwestern looking - sort of terra cotta!

Applied 1 feather (wanted to do 3) but it got tricky! Getting the murrini hot enough to rake/apply the center shaft, well, my vessel just wanted to collapse!!!! I blew it out and tried again - but I'm not sure how well I did. I didn't want to keep messing with it 'cuz the other side wanted to collapse too (yikes!) so I just gave it a final blow and stuck it in the kiln.

If it comes out well, I'll be sure to post! Thanks again Claudia - it sure was fun!

With fingers crossed,
De

[theglasszone]

OK - here's my first try! At least it didn't blow up! I think I would have had more success if I'd not tried to apply it on a vessel for my first attempt :rolleyes:

I definitely need a more interesting stopper - but I think the rest of the murrini slices have potential!

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Vessels/ClayVessel2.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Vessels/ClayVessel4.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Vessels/ClayVessel1.jpg
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x280/theglasszone/Bead%20Photos/Vessels/ClayVessel3.jpg


De

[Jenfire]

First of all-- Claudia! Big hug of thanks to you for being so generous as to share something which I know took you a long time to develop. Thank you.

Second -- De that is one kick a$$ nice vessel and feather!

Jen

[theglasszone]

Thanks Jen! I was hesitant to post it - but since it gave me fits, I figured I'd show it's little self here and try again in the next few days. Next time, on something a little more solid (giggle!)

De

[Rudy]

De,

That's awesome...you got the hang of it quick! I gave it whirl too, but my layers weren't think enough. Cool effect anyway though! I love it! I'll post pictures at some point.

[glasting]

beautiful work, De, that looks really good ! ! ! that's really not so easy to put them onto a vessel (cute shape !) or a hollow bead.

[theglasszone]

:grin: Thank you so very much, Claudia, for everything! That compliment coming from YOU means the world to me!

Hugs from Ca,
De

[dichromary]

Thank you Claudia, I pulled the cane and made my first feather bead. It was so much fun.

[theglasszone]

Mary~~~

LET'S SEE IT...LET'S SEE IT...LET'S SEE IT!!!!

:)
De

[fusionillusionartglass]

Thanks so much. Nice job of explaining the process.

[dichromary]

The dark lichen I used as background reacted badly with Joe's blue stone shard but when I saw that the shape looked like a giant black feather, I added my feather murrini, a eye murrini, and Fallen Eagle murrini from Feng Frit Factory. I used Cim Peace and Lauscha Atomic Brownie to make the feather murrini.

174674174675

[theglasszone]

Oh, Mary - it's GREAT!!! I love the way you "saw" the need for and applied the accents! You feather murrini came out very nicely! I have some Atomic Brownie but have never tried it...me likes!

Thanks so much for showing it! :)

De

[dichromary]

Thanks De. I have to try to salvage a bead if I can because rarely my beads come out as I visualized.

[Rachel]

Hi. I purchased a book from Japan that shows how to make feather murrini in a way that you see in the 1000 glass beads book. It is similar to this.

I have had some folks contact me about that tutorial but I have also been advised that I can't just copy it and pass it out without the permission of the book writer. I would be happy to tell you the name of the book if you want it though. For those of you that have emailed me, I have been trying to send a reply but my email is having troubles today and is bouncing back. I can say that the tutorial is almost exactly like the one posted here except you just keep building the sides in clear and white and never put the darker colors on the end of it. I described this in the bottom paragraph. That is really the only difference now that I've studied both tutorials. So, the fan murrini I was referring to is the same process. Just keep adding clear and white.

Does anyone have any idea how to make the type of murrini that I've seen in some of the gallery Japanese style beads that look like they have several small circles in the center and then on the outer most part it flares out into a vine or something? I am stumped on that one.

The main difference in the feather ones I have is that you build the layers on the paddle with white first putting clear on either side. Repeat this several times on either side always putting clear between the white. I prefer CIM white as I think it is more dense. Then, you wrap all of that in white. I like to encase that part as well just so nothing bleeds but that is just me. This is where it is sometimes difficult. You have to remove the punty you were using at this point and attach it to one of the sides of the square mass you just made. Don't attach it to the other side across from the punty you had but rather on one of the sides of this mass. Then pull. I always anneal at this point or at least put it in vermiculite to cool down slower. Then, cut it into pieces around a center stamen without each piece touching each other. Put clear between the gaps. Then, pull again. I work on a barracuda and my biggest problem that has always given me a fit is the pulling. If I pull too fast, it gets too skinny. If I pull to slow, I end up with a big waste and trying to reheat it and pull again makes bumpy parts. I have never been able to pull while it is in the torch. I just can't do it. Anyone have a suggestion on a better way for me to get a good pull?

I get the gather really hot and try to pull it and then I end up with a lot of waste on the ends and some skinnier than I need and some fatter. If I try to pull, reheat and pull more, I end up with a big lumpy thing that doesn't work either. Does anyone have a good suggestion on how to get a nice even pull when you've spent all that time building up the murrini and putting it together? I've also done some that I built them up and spent hours doing it only to pull it out and have the outer encasing layer start to crack before I can finish pulling. I don't know how to get this right and it is very frustrating.


Oh, by the way, using a boro punty will work better. If anyone is in need of a clear boro punty, I am relatively sure you can buy them by the rod at moretti and more.

I've been trying to make Japanese style murrini for years. If anyone knows someone that sells them, please let me know. I'd prefer to buy them simply because they are very difficult and I believe they are harder to make with 104.

Thanks so much!

For those of you that are having success, how do you pull it once you have the glass ready and stacked properly. I would really love to get that because I just never get a good even pull on it.

[glassbeadz]

Thank you for sharing this technique! I love to make murrine and gave this one a shot. It looks great on my NA girls, though it's a bit lost in the hair on this one:
http://studiobuttonsandbeads.com/misc/na.jpg

http://studiobuttonsandbeads.com/misc/nab.jpg

Rachel, I am very interested in the book you mentioned. What is the title?

Thank you!

[theglasszone]

OMG! It's fantastic!!!! Mavis...you know I'm one of your BIGGEST FANS! Love your work - past and present!

Hugs,
De

[glassbeadz]

Back at ya, De...and thank you!

[PaulaD]

Wow Mavis. Love it!! Paula

[glassbeadz]

Thank you, Paula!

[glasting]

mavis, fantastic bead, I am blown away !

claudia

[glassbeadz]

wow, thanks, Claudia! I visited your site and was pretty blown away myself. Since I have a thing for faces, your face beads really appealed to me. Thank you again for the technique.

[Rachel]

All, The title of the book I mentioned is Contemporary Glass Beads by 30 Japanese Artists. I managed to get a copy on eBay but I don't know if there is one there now. There are some websites in Japan that sell it. I believe you can google it and find some sellers for it but I did have to wait for mine to come from Japan even through eBay. I felt it was worth it. I also get my Japanese DVDs which are always very helpful from Malcolm at Artcoinc.com. I've been meaning to check and see if he has gotten more. There is one called Flowers in Glass that is very good. It shows how to make the Lily murrini in detail and a few other things that are great too. I am facinated with the complex murrini in beads so I grab everything I can find.

I anyone needs help finding the book, let me know. I will try to help. You might be able to send Malcolm a PM or email and he might be able to get more than one copy of the book if a few of you want it. I just got lucky and found one on eBay.

I believe you can email the folks on this website: http://homepage3.nifty.com/tonbotama/ and perhaps get the book from them. The eye candy is very good on that site anyway.

I will help if I can though!

[shawnette]

All, The title of the book I mentioned is Contemporary Glass Beads by 30 Japanese Artists. I managed to get a copy on eBay but I don't know if there is one there now. There are some websites in Japan that sell it. I believe you can google it and find some sellers for it but I did have to wait for mine to come from Japan even through eBay. I felt it was worth it. I also get my Japanese DVDs which are always very helpful from Malcolm at Artcoinc.com. I've been meaning to check and see if he has gotten more. There is one called Flowers in Glass that is very good. It shows how to make the Lily murrini in detail and a few other things that are great too. I am facinated with the complex murrini in beads so I grab everything I can find.

I anyone needs help finding the book, let me know. I will try to help. You might be able to send Malcolm a PM or email and he might be able to get more than one copy of the book if a few of you want it. I just got lucky and found one on eBay.

I believe you can email the folks on this website: http://homepage3.nifty.com/tonbotama/ and perhaps get the book from them. The eye candy is very good on that site anyway.

I will help if I can though!

You can get that book, along with several others, at www.jplampwork.com (http://www.jplampwork.com). The tonbodama book and dvd are also good.

[FERRET]

I'd like to say thanks to Caudia too. Here's my first feather murrini using your tut. I used, opal yellow and green envy.

[gubnavnania]

I read Claudia's tut sometimes last year then I made the feather murrini, but I never really use it until this thread.

Here's my effort on test bead.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/gubby_design/bead196.jpg

[JulieV]

I just received some feather murrini as a gift. This is a wonderful thread! Thanks so much.

[ltsexpressions]

Omg, I can't believe I just NOW found this.... And I had always admired glasting's feathers too!!

[Lizzydee]

Hi De, would you please share your typed verison of the feather tut. Thank you so much, donna
Here it is:

http://perles-au-chalumeau.forumactif.com/astuces-et-tours-de-main-f4/pour-pinar--t1164.htm

I have talked to Claudia and received her OK on my (personal use only) typed version of her hand-written, step-by-step instructions from this tutorial. If you would like me to PM it to you, let me know.

De

[jjwiskus]

here is one from me thank you for the tut enjoyed it!