Hollow Heart shaped beads

[Lani Dillon]

Does anybody know where I can find a tutorial on how to make Hollow Heart Shaped Beads? Not Boro but soft glass. Free tutorial would be wonderful.

[Speedslug]

I would think it is going to be a classic hollow bead with crease over the top and a pinch and pull at the bottom.

Heat control is going to be really really important so you will want to study the details of how to do that and practice a lot.

Also the kind of glass you use is going to factor into it as well.
Transparents are stiffer so I would start there.

Work it as cool as you can be patient with.

[ckielcave]

are we aloud to put youtube link ? if yes i found a 5 min video.. not the best one taught but better than nothing i guess ... If not i will pm you the link

[Speedslug]

I think it's OK.

I would be interested in seeing that myself.

[ckielcave]

I think its fine to ... (saw some other post with youtube link...) if not.. pardon me and let me know i will remove ..

So heres the little video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lESnaG-mO5c

[Judith Billig]

He used tubing. Unless you have some 104 tubing, this particular tutorial doesn't really work.
I would build up a basic round hollow on the mandrel, push on the top a crease into the hollow, and pull in the bottom a point out to shape the lower half of the heart :).

[artwhim]

Not hard as long as you already know how to make hollows. The process is a bit different depending on the hole orientation.

For a vertical hole, make the hollow then use gravity to give it somewhat of a teardrop shape. Be careful to not overstretch the bottom otherwise the glass will be too thin. Allow the top to slump past where the hollow is attached to the mandrel. Cool just enough that you can use a razor or butter knife to shape the center line. If you want the heart less puffy and more flat, after slumping, lightly flatten then reheat and make center crease.

For a horizontal hole, make hollow, cool just enough that a center line can be created with a razor tool. It will look like two semiconnected donut beads. Then choose a bottom, lightly reheat that area, stretch with pliers, tweezers or another rod. Heat control is important to get a nice shape. Pull off to get a nice point.