Palm Tree Tutorial

[my_glass_tiara]

Does anyone have a Palm Tree tutorial. My friend has requested one and I have no idea where to start.

Thanks!

[shawnette]

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15655

[cam@velocity.net]

Have you seen the Palm Tree Queen's website? I'll bet she'd have some palm tree beads!!!! I doubt she'd have a tutorial, but I couldn't help but think of Debi's website when I read this post!

http://www.palmtreequeen.com/

Candy

[hummingbird3172]

Hi, I wrote the "tutorial" in the other link, but I noticed I didn't give that much detail for palm trees...it was more for the other type. I'll give you a little more info:


First you need to make a trunk twistie...I use ivory, sage, sometimes silvered ivory and encase in a transparent amber or brown.
Next, you need to make your frond stringer, I always use an opaque green with intense black stripes, and encase in clear.
Make a base bead...here you can have fun and do whatever moves you. White is a good base--mixed with blues, frit (Hawaiian Sunset from Glass Diversions is nice). I add a shade of blue for the ocean at the bottom and then use ivory for the "sandy beach".
I usually make some kind of a tab because it allows more surface area, but you sure don't have to...I think a Barrel bead would look nice too.
Apply the trunk first, and you just kind of snake it along the bead if you want a curving palm, I let the tree "move me", they are always a little different.
Add the green "fronds". Again, there are several ways to do this so it is nice to experiment and find which is the best for you. Here is a hint though, I usually rake mine to give them some movement.


Here is a picture:
http://i13.ebayimg.com/02/s/08/83/c9/fb_1.JPG

I hope this helps out a bit!

[my_glass_tiara]

I made the other tree bead using your tutorial but I just couldn't figure out the palm tree one. I really appreciate your posting the tutorial. I am new to lampworking and love when I have a finished bead that looks like a miniature work of art. Again, thank you!

[theglasszone]

Hi: My daughter asked me for a palm tree necklace (she's 12) and - I know I'm a newbee (did this one after about 1 week on the torch) but it came out pretty neat!!! Since the 1st one, I've made at least a dozen for all her friends! I looked at the pics. previously posted, and although my finished product resulted in a very simple, stand-alone, 3-D Palm tree (as opposed to a "painted" type on a bead background), I get a ton of compliments on them! Here's what I did - try it, you'll like it: I made a single Dark Green Transparent basic round bead (about 5/16" across, which yields a finished pendant about 1 1/8" long), then added five Dk Green Trans. dots evenly spaced around the perimiter. Continuing with the Dk Green Trans., I began stacking dots on dots until I had five long "frond" shapes sticking out from the bead - I'm sure you'll know just by looking at it when they are "long" enough. I then heated each frond, and touching the tip with a cool stringer, pulled each one out and down slightly to create a pleasant, downward palm frond shape, then flame cut the stringer at the tip of the frond if it stuck. Then I heated each frond and (using fine tweezers) pressed along the edges of each one to make tiny leaf lines in each one - don't forget to "chill" your tweezers in cool water between frond "presses" or they'll stick! (When finished, I set in blanket to cool); next I used Dark Amber Transparent to create several basic round beads, 5 in all, each becoming progressively bigger. Note that as a size gauge to use as a reference for the Amber rounds, make your LARGEST bead about the same size as the basic round bead that formed the foundation for your palm frond "head", about 5/16" across; this ends up with an esthetically "balanced" look to the tree (blanket cooled then all into the kiln to anneal. I have a PMC kiln and with it's large door, I'd get a sunburn trying to ramp it up to annealing temp. and pop them in hot - whatever annealing method works for you). When all were annealed, cooled and cleaned, I stacked them on a single sterling head pin. I suggest a using a 2" one to give you ample wire to work with. Before you slide the beads on and assemble the Palm Tree, give the head pin a very slight, gentle "bend" - sort of like this ")" shape, and slightly straighter on the bottom - just enough to give the finished Palm Tree a "swaying in the wind" effect. Start with the largest amber bead on the bottom, progressing up to the smallest amber bead, adding the green palm "head" last - fronds pointing down. Then I did the usual wrapped loop at the top to finish the pendant and "voila", there you have it. My daughter wears it regularly on a fine sterling snake chain. I really makes a pretty "charm". Sorry I don't have a pic. right now - I don't have a finished one handy and she's sound asleep in her room; I'd probably trip, fall and kill myself trying to find it - like I said, she's 12!!!! PM me if you have any questions and if you give it a try, please let me know what you think. DeAnne/theglasszone/CA

[my_glass_tiara]

I'd love to see a picture of your palm trees!

[hummingbird3172]

I made the other tree bead using your tutorial but I just couldn't figure out the palm tree one. I really appreciate your posting the tutorial. I am new to lampworking and love when I have a finished bead that looks like a miniature work of art. Again, thank you!


You are very welcome! :o)

I think the other idea--for the 3-D one sounds really cool too! After I posted I got to thinking that might have been more of what you were looking for...very creative and cool!

I don't think I said it in the steps, but I do leave the palm tree in a raised relief style...it is nice to be able to touch the detail. ;-)