White Dot - What's the rule for Using it?

[chimehk]

Usually in making flowers with a transparent based bead, you need to put the white dot first and top it off with another transparent color. What if the color of the flower is pastel colors, do you still need to use white dots underneath? What's the rule of using the white dots? Is it a must to use all dots with white underneath color?

[Kaye]

play, there are no strict rules

[shawnette]

Try black. It's awesome

[silkys]

Try black. It's awesome

O wow Shawnette ... I never thought of that ! course my flowers suck . But who knows .. this tip might just make them a little less sucky .
BTW.. I just want to thank you for always being so quick to respond to Questions ..Ive learned more from your tips than you will ever know .

[Kalera]

Try black. It's awesome

hahahahaha the first thought I had was "Once you go black you'll never go back" which is what I tell my husband and he just laughs at me. But you're RIGHT, black dots in florals can be AMAZING, and if you combine black and white some of the effects are so beautiful, it makes me wonder at what else I'm missing! What about purple and green? If you play, you can discover something no one else knows... forget about rules, just get jiggy wit it!

[chimehk]

Thank you!!! You all are just great. I've really learn alot in this forum. I also never knew you could use black underneath. Always learn that should use white. I always thought there must be some rules with using the white dots and didn't think there is anything else. Will definitely try other colors from now on.

[River Horse Studio]

na na naaaa na na na............na na naaaa na na na .... GETTIN JIGGY WIT IT!

[shawnette]

hahahahaha the first thought I had was "Once you go black you'll never go back" ...

You know it! ;)

[dogsrlove]

Rules? What "Rules"? You don't need no stinking "Rules"! Absolutely try any, and everything, go with what you like, you might be pleasantly surprised!

Vanessa

[Emily]

Here's a -- let's call it a "principle" -- to keep in mind as you're experimenting.

For Moretti/Effetre, at least, the pastel/opaque colors are much softer than the transparent colors. A dot of a pastel on a transparent base will spread out. A dot of a transparent on a pastel base will sink in. A dot of a transparent on a transparent base won't do much of anything. A dot of a pastel on a pastel base also won't do much of anything, but it might start to sink in if the base is a softer transparent than the dot.

When you're making the traditional flower petal of transparent base bead, white dot, transparent petal color dot, you're using the white dot for two reasons: (1) so the petal color shows up; and (2) so the petal spreads out on the transparent base and doesn't stay in the shape of the dot.

Do your experimenting, but bear in mind that you're changing not just the color but also the viscosity of the glass. If you want the flowers to come out the same shape as the traditional flower, you may need to do some more poking and prodding with tools. If you're working with pastels instead of transparents, you may need to be careful to heat the glass as little as possible so that your colors don't sink in or blur. The less heat you apply, the crisper your colors will be.

Go forth and fool around!

[Coffeebean]

very interesting - thanks emily!

[chimehk]

Again, thanks alot Emily

[Laura B]

So... with pastels (is that the same as opaques in the lampworking world?), this is why I'm not getting crisp edges at times... they can blur if I heat them too much or for too long?

Laura

[Emily]

So... with pastels (is that the same as opaques in the lampworking world?), this is why I'm not getting crisp edges at times... they can blur if I heat them too much or for too long?

Yep. I'm assuming that "pastel = opaque" is probably something to do with Italian/English translation, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, in the wonderful world of Moretti = Effetre, pastel = opaque (except of course when special = opaque, which it does in the case of red, orange, yellow, coral, and brown -- but not rubino -- and don't ask me what the heck is so special about them). Some are softer than others, and some creep more than others. Opaque greens, for example, are the kudzu of the lampworking world. Turn your back and they're all over everything. Never try to get a nice crispy crunchy pattern with Moretti grass green -- and if you ever see one, bow down and do homage. It's like a really, really intricate pattern of red on black on red on black -- you see that, and you know you're in the presence of a master.

Generally, the more heating you do, and the more fussing you do, the more fuzzy and blurry your pattern is likely to get. If you discover any special little secrets, though, please pass them on.

[bousky]

Rules? What "Rules"? You don't need no stinking "Rules"! Absolutely try any, and everything, go with what you like, you might be pleasantly surprised!

I second that! I my mind rules are just a guide line and they certainly don't apply in art work.....except, of course, safety rules. They should be adhered too!

Good Luck,
Michelle