starfish tutorial/help needed!!

[Beads-on-Toast]

Hello to you all.
I am looking for some advice on creating a starfish bead.
I have attempted one before but it is really chunky and not at all delicate like others i have seen.
Can anyone offer any advice or tips as to where i may be going wrong?
i started off with a barrel bead and then added glass to make the legs.
is this right? i have thought about making a lentil and the making splits for the legs
CONFUSED!
:confused: :-k

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[JodiPrice]

My starfish are rather on the chunky side as well. But I start out with a round bead, then smash with my mini mashers. I shoot for an oval shape, with the longer parts of the ovals being up and down from the mandrel.

Then I spot heat and use a spatula tool to start forming each leg. I make two legs on bottom, three on top. I add more glass once I have the five legs each started, and then only add it to the tips of the legs. The key to getting the legs a bit longer is just to keep flattening out the star fish with the mashers, and then pull the tips of the legs out to points, or even shape with tweezers as I add more glass as needed.

Once I get the starfish nicely shaped, I spot heat again, and with the spatula tool, I really define the seperate arms, and the spaces, or indentations where the arms meet. I hope that makes sense. Last but not least is the little dots on the starfish. Hope this helps. Sorry I do not have any tutorial picts.

Here are some picts of some of mine:
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[Beads-on-Toast]

Awww thanks jodi thats fantastic.
I shall have a go and post my attempts on here!
Many thanks

[Cosmo]

One thing that will help the arms (feet?) not be so stubby is this:

When you have the arms built, heat each one individually so that it has a nice glow. Not dripping hot, but hot. Take a cold glass rod, touch it to the tip of the arm, and gently pull. That will pull it out to a point. Let it set up, and wiggle the cold rod and it will pop off. You may have to fire polish the tip to remove the spot where the rod was connected.

[BarbFaughn]

:wave: Jodi...thanks for the starfish tutorial!!! Glad to see you!!!

Jodi, you are my hero...thanks to YOU...I am still lampworking (a little over one year now) and will be getting a website very soon!

I will never forget you and will always be grateful to you for introducing me into a wonderful community of glass artists and into the world of making glass beads. Bless you Jodi...and thank you!!! :fireblob:

[hulagirl]

Wahooo! Thanks Jodi! Hey....A while back I also used your vessel tutorial to get started with those. It was great! And just so everyone knows, I've ordered supplies from her and she's super sweet!

Thanks Again!

[JodiPrice]

Anna, you are so welcome! Sorry there is no picts involved. Myself, I am such a picture person when it comes to learning. I have plans to add several new tutorials to my site. It is just getting the time to snag my husband to take pictures!

Barb!!!! Your making me blush, he he!!
How are you doin girl! Haven't heard from you in awhile! I am so glad you came to LE! Isn't this place great!!
So how have ya been? A new website, that is wonderful! I want to see some of your new stuff!! email me if you get the chance!!


Beth, thank you for your nice compliments!! You put a smile on my face, he he! Glad the vessel tutorial was useful to you!

[one-eared pig]

Thanks, Jodi & CHad!:wave:

[Rose Leslie]

Thanks for the star fish tut. That is a good one.