Organic Beads!

[redbearmountain]

Hello, My name is Jacque and I am new to this website. I am a fairly new lampworker have only been torching for about three years. I live in Montana where there is no instruction or classes. I bought a couple of books and a video and winged it. After three years I am in a rut and want to move on but not sure how to do this. I love nature and the native american culture I design jewelry using alot of turquoise, coral, lapis, sterling silver pattern beads and etc....I am wanting to make more organic looking beads. Not sure how to do this! My ebay store is www.stores.ebay.com/Red-Bear-Mountain I would appreciate people looking at my beads and giving me sugesstions on how I can improve. Where would I find some classes and instruction around Montana or close by? Just need to advance on and would like some help please! Thank you! Jacque Duxbury;)

[Feldt's Glass]

Organic beads are easy but difficult to product a bunch that look the same. I see a lot of crayon colors in your beads. From my experience they don’t react all that much so you get sharper edges of color, but not a rock like or organic feel. I would try some other colors to just see how they work for you. Dark ivory and intense black both web nicely and produce a great organic look. Silver leaf and foil also work nicely with a lot of colors to produce a great organic effect. You do have good shape to your beads, and that is half the battle right there! I would suggest some books on the subject to help. Passing the Flame is great for information on colors and the basics. I still have and use my book all the time. You can also do a search on each color you are interested in trying and see what pops up. There is so much info here on LE that it might take you all year to get through. Also if you come up with colors you want to try and can’t afford, or don’t want to risk buying 1/4 pounds of each post a request for them in the garage sale.

[redbearmountain]

Hello, Thank you for answering me and taking time to look at my beads. I do have alot of crayon colors. I have not even tried mixing many colors yet. I love Dark Ivory and black I have only used intense black once it sure was neat. I do have silver leaf that I make silver ivory stringer with! But other than stringer don't know how to use it in my beads. I have passing the flame ordered and I should receive it any day. I just looked at your beads and I love your organice river rock! What gauge silver wire do you use? Have not tried that at all! I struggle still with shapes a little and especially the ends I would like to make nice puckers on the ends! I love the shape on your river rock bead did you make that by hand or use a mold? I would like to make nice organic focal beads I am not trying to make multiple of the same bead. Thank you! Jacque Duxbury

[redbearmountain]

Hello LT, I know I need some instruction but we don't have any here in Montana. So, I will have to travel out of state for sure. I am just trying to get by and learn some more move on till I get instruction. Thanks for the help. Jacque

[Emily]

I love taking classes, and it's great if you have the opportunity, but there are many fine beadmakers who are self taught. Organic beads are what you make them, so that's something you can certainly develop on your own. (Of course techniques and suggestions from other people are always interesting to consider incorporating, but the end product should be your own style.)

I looked at your beads, and one suggestion I'd make for a more organic look would be to substitute coral for the red, to give a softer look. Coral (Effetre 420) comes in a bazillion shades, and you never really know what color you're going to get when you order it. I like the pinker-redder coral shades rather than the more orange shades, but you generally don't have a choice when you're ordering by mail.

Do you know about the dark line that's created when you put a copper color next to a sulfur color? I see you've used some turquoise in your beads, and it shows the dark line. Copper colors are turquoises, the sky blues (dark and light) and greens (grass green, petroleum green, copper green). The sulfur colors are the ivories (dark and light), yellow, coral, orange, and red. If you put a copper color next to a sulfur color, there's a chemical reaction that creates a dark line between the two. It's most dramatic with ivory and green or turquoise. Never try to mix the two to create a new color, because it will just go brown and muddy. Using these brown lines is good for an organic effect.

Browns are good for organics.

The more you heat your colors, the more the lines between them will blur. Softer lines look more organic. You'll have to marver to get your bead back into shape, but you make marvered shapes anyway, so that's OK. Play with heating your beads completely out of shape and letting the glass droop and flow and swirl. Flow lines look organic! Put patches or stripes of color on, then overheat, tilt to let the glass flow (or turn the bead slowly to make waves, or quickly to make swirls), then marver to freeze the glass into position -- and to fix your ends. If you make sure that your first wraps of glass for a long bead are nice and straight on the mandrel, you'll be able to get your ends back into nice shape even if you overheat and play with the glass as you decorate it.

Silver leaf or foil on ivory or dark ivory will stain the glass yellowish-brownish. It's a classic organic look. The thicker the silver, the more likely it is to leave little balled-up bits of silver. For "pools" of silver, put the silver on, then use a tool to burnish it onto the glass (rub it down against the glass) before you put it back into the flame, then cover with a colored transparent. Try not to get the flame directly onto the silver before you get the transparent glass on, or the silver will burn off.

Enamels are popular for organic beads, too -- you can mix them to get a granite stone look. I'm sure you don't have any on hand, but that's something to think about.

[Feldt's Glass]

I use mainly silver foil and 30 gauge silver wire for my organics. You need fine silver not sterling. Leaf is nice to for a lighter effect. If you are not getting nice puckers on your ends then you might have to wide of a foot print for the amount of glass on the mandrel. Try to keep the footprint a little smaller than you actually want and as even as possible around the mandrel. If you are having problems getting good puckers add more glass and try shaping again. When I do organics I only lightly shape the base and get it to the size I like then add the other colors on top. Heat a lot, let it wiggle around and then shape it back up. Just start mixing I am sure you will like the result once you get the hang of it.

[SilverSage]

Hi Jacque,
I'm in Billings and I know of only one teacher in the area. Here name is Elaine and her studio is GigglinGrizzly. You can probably google her website.

The next lampworking class is Saturday, July 21st from 10-3. It's held a stained glass shop just down the street from. You can call the shop owner, Dionne, for more info. Her number is 259-4469. It would be an intro class on a hot head. Elaine also teaches a floral class there. She is open to private appointment, but is usually busy with rodeo and shows in the summer.
If all else fails, give me a heads up before you come to Billings sometime and if I'm available you can come play with me :)

[redbearmountain]

Hello, Thank you so much Feldt's Glass, Emily and Silver Sage! I appreciate you taking the time to share with me and looking at my beads! I will step outside my crayon box and start experimenting more! I have some new glass coming in exciting colors plus I just bought a sample pack of double helix to play with. Emily, no I have not played with enamel's yet don't even have any. I do however have frit, I do have trouble with reduction frit. Thank you Silver and Sage for giving me GigglingGrizzly name. I met her at our mall a made in montana trade show. She told me she was getting out of teaching and her last class was going to be in October. That was last year, I asked about taking lessons from her and she clearly was not interested in working with me at all. So, I was disappointed. But I would love to come over to Billings sometime and play with you! I am off on weekends! I also have bought passing the flame by Corrina Tettinger! I am looking forward to getting that book I am told I will get a wealth of information there. Thanks everyone for your help! I have some new things to try now! so, I will play around and get back to you and let you all know how things turn out! Thanks! Jacque Duxbury