Jellyfish tutorial?

[hummingbird3172]

I have seen several versions of these beads....they usually have several jellyfish floating around with their tentacles behind them....I am thinking that the tentacles may be like a stamen cane, but I was wondering if anyone would mind sharing how this is done?

[Islandgirl]

I think that you need a clear rod and a rod of white encased with clear...(the commercial effretti) You stripe about an inch of the white encased rods onto the clear rod parallell to the rod go all the way round you'll need 6 to 8 swips of the encased rod add a clear punty onto the open end heat up the bundle without twisting and pull straight out to whatever thickness you want..

I think that's how it's done not sure if your suppose to twist when you're pulling though?

Lynne

www.fireballbeeds.com

[hummingbird3172]

Thanks Lynne! That was what I had in mind for the tentacles...I guess for the body you just make a big blob and stick the tentacle cane into it?..then encase? I can't wait to try this!

[Islandgirl]

Actually Leah used clear dichro for the body, dichro side down, heat the none dichro side of the glass then put the dichro side onto the bead, I had a hard time with that concept I wanted to put the hot side onto the hot glass!

Lynne

Have fun and good luck post pictures!!!

www.fireballbeeds.com

[Moth]

tentacle cane post at WC (http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251859&highlight=tentacle+cane)

That is a link to a post about jellyfish beads that I had made a while back.

You have to scroll down a ways, but I do show pictures of how I construct the canes.

I demonstrated these at the Bead Invitational this year.

I love them!

~~Mary

Here are some of my latest:

[sadiesmom]

Mary, Is that middle one for sale anywhere??

[Moth]

Hi Denise!

Not anymore, but thanks for asking!!

It was my favorite one I had made.

~~Mary

[hummingbird3172]

LOL :oops:

Mary, Thank you so much! Actually....your beads were the ones I was thinking of mainly when I asked the question. I saw some similar ones in 1000 glass beads....wondered how it was done. We live fairly near the ocean and I have lots of ocean lovers in the family....they would love these!

Thank you!!!


I experimented today..I am not sure how you do the body, Mary, but I am pretty pleased with my results for first attempts. I will post some pictures when the beads are done annealing.

[x_phoenician]

I looked at this website last month and they make some beautiful jellyfish. I'm thinking if you make your jellyfish "bell" then a clear bead next to it and put enamel on the end of the clear bed and poke it in - you'll get tendrils. I haven't tried it as a bead cuz I don't use enamels ;) But sounded good.
Here is the link- they show step by step how they make their big sculptures/paperweights.
http://www.northshoreglass.com/information.php?info_id=7

[hummingbird3172]

Wow, those paperweights are gorgeous!

Well, here is my first attempt:

6784


I used my scanner and it kind of left a glare on the jellyfish....I am really pleased with how they came out. I was so focused on the jellyfish that my bead shape sucks...once I saw how the jellyfish came out I wished I had made more of an effort!

Here is another picture:

6792

[x_phoenician]

Nice dainty little tendrils!

[Islandgirl]

Not sure if you want to try this but you can fix your bead shape if you want, if you have a kiln!

clean bead release out of bead stick the bead back onto a mandrel with dry bead release, stick bead in kiln and bring up to 980 or whatever, leave it there soaking for 10 or 15 minutes, pull the mandrel out of the kiln wet down the mandrel to cool it while you are trying to keep the bead warm in the top of the flameI'm about 14 inches from the torch, warm the bead thoroughly and you should be able to reshape, add glass do anything you want. The hardest part is getting the mandrel cool without burning your fingers. (I have a jar of water and grap the mandrel right below the bead with flat tweezers and diip the mandrel quickly into the water)

Lynne

[hummingbird3172]

Thank you!


I do have a kiln...I hadn't thought about reshaping the bead like that....I think I will give it a try...thank you!

[Islandgirl]

I really need a speeelll checker on this site! I just reread my last post!

You might have to try a couple of mandrels to get the bead back on without wrecking the bead release, and you will be getting the bead hot enough that it matters! Actually if you use a dremel overclean the hole! I try to leave a couple of inches of mandrel hanging out of the kiln so I can finger grab the end and then grab close to the bead with 3/4 inch mashers or a pair of stamp tweezers, a really wet cloth swiped down the rod works to cool it.....

Lynne

www/fireballbeeds.com

PS my preferred method doesn't have me taking the bead off of the mandrel in the first place, but I have glued a number back onto mandrels succesfully!

[hummingbird3172]

I get so impatient sometimes and then I get to where I can't stand trying to shape the bead. I made another jellyfish bead last night.....it was kind of breezy so my flame wasn't great....I have another bead to reshape:

6950
6949

[hulagirl]

Nice bead, Anna....I'm too ashamed to show my try at a jellyfish! I got nice looking tentacles, but when it came to the body....I couldn't quite figure out how to go about it. Oh, the humanity of it all!

[Moth]

Actually hulagirl, the body goes on first. :wink:

[hummingbird3172]

Hulagirl, try making a dot of white and then topping it with a striped cane of opaque white and a darker color (dark amethyst is nice).....then melt it in and poke your tentacle cane into the dot (near the bottom, or to one side)....allow the tentacle cane to trail a bit onto the bead and then melt it all in and encase. This is what I have been doing and it looks pretty good (I hope)....this is what my jellyfish have evolved into. Don't know if it is the right way, but I like how it works for me. :smile:

This is how I did these two:
7511
7512



Sorry the picture isn't better...this is a scan...still waiting to develop my GOOD pictures. I was trying to go for a turbulent surf look....the bubbles are a deliberate act, ha ha. \\:D/

[hulagirl]

Thanks....You're a doll. I MIGHT get to try some tomorrow when my kiddies go down for their nap! (Crossing my fingers)

[hulagirl]

Mary....I see you are from NE Ohio. Are you anywhere near Cleveland? Do you teach?

[hummingbird3172]

Thanks....You're a doll. I MIGHT get to try some tomorrow when my kiddies go down for their nap! (Crossing my fingers)

LOL, that's what I do too! Thank heavens for naptime!
You're welcome! :grin:

I am just so excited about this jellyfish bead...I couldn't even wait to get it off the mandrel!

7788

[Islandgirl]

That last one looks great! I like the 'yellow' one from the previous set too, and the last bunch have nice bead ends, dimples, whatever you wanna call them! I need to try some. If you roll the bottom 1/4 inch or so of the bead 'sea floor' in Goldstone frit/chips it gives a really nice effect too!

Lynne

Did you every try to reshape any of the early ones?

[hummingbird3172]

That last one looks great! I like the 'yellow' one from the previous set too, and the last bunch have nice bead ends, dimples, whatever you wanna call them! I need to try some. If you roll the bottom 1/4 inch or so of the bead 'sea floor' in Goldstone frit/chips it gives a really nice effect too!

Lynne

Did you every try to reshape any of the early ones?
Thank you!
Actually I did try on one...but by the time I was ready to do it, I wasn't happy with the jellyfish any more--so I didn't bother. As I improve I am getting very critical of my work...lol.

The above picture actually has some reduction frit on the bottom...it isn't very obvious in the picture...today I tried some more with goldstone...can't wait to see how those came out. Here is another that I did...with the reduction frit:

8016

Lynne, thank you for all of your great advice!!!!

[Islandgirl]

Your beads are getting really pretty and the shape on that last one is great, I'm trying to do beads for bead pens, given up on making them the perfect length and bought a bunch of silver to fill in gaps!

I much prefer being useful on the tut sites than gripping about the world, or reading the daily soap updates on some of the other threads, yea I do get caught up in them sometimes....

I started fusing in 88 and flamework in 94, so even though I have lots of bad habits, I have picked up a fair amount of useful info!

Your. very welcome

Lynne

www.fireballbeeds.com

[hummingbird3172]

Thank you! I appreciate all of your info..it has been a great help. I need to get some more aquamarine....I have been going through it like crazy....I had a certain idea in my mind what I wanted to do with my jellyfish...I think I am on the right track. I visualize certain things, but it is hard to get them just the way I want them!

[CSBeads]

Hello everybody,

I read this threat with a lot of interest and tried to do a jellyfish-bead several times. But what I don't know is, how to do the body IN THE BEAD. Can you help me? I tired to push it in the hot glass, but then the bead cracks of the mandrel.

Thank you,
Corinna

[Islandgirl]

Make your base bead.... put on the body dot(s) then push the body upwards gently with your tenticle stringer then lay the balance of the tenticle onto the beads and melt it in... Not sure if that makes sense? Anyone else want to give it a try?

Lynne

[hummingbird3172]

That is how I do it too! It works best if you melt it really flat before you try and use the tentacle cane. Here are some recent ones that I have done using this method:

9114

10869



Then I encase it...sometimes with two layers of clear...that is I get to make mine look like they are inside the bead. When I do thise they have at least 3 layers. I make a dot of white, top it with transparent color, then poke at the bottom of the dot (stay near the surface) and push upward, trail the tentacle, and flame cut the end. Melt it totally in and then encase it. This should work pretty well for you. :)

[CSBeads]

Thank you both for your replies. I'll try this method tomorrow.

Corinna

[JanMD]

Here is an old one, not very well illustrated: http://www.sgb-midatlantic.org/features/feature6.html

JanMD

[CSBeads]

Hello Jan,

thanks for your post. I know this tutorial, it is really great. But to do the same thing on an beadsurface is something different. I tried to do it like Anna told me and it functions. But, there must be a better way to do it. I know beads of asian artist, where the jellyfish-body looks much more "exact", you know? I'll think I have to try more...

[Islandgirl]

A lot of the asian artists make canes the body and tenticles may be made from a cane and therefore would be perfect.. when I was In Japan in May I saw a bunch of Japanese beads and the decoration was all made with home made cane...

Lynne

[ltsexpressions]

used Moth's tut for making cane last night and made some kick butt jelly's and aquarium beadies today!

I'm hoping to get pics up by Monday night, depending on holiday plans, etc!

(I used a little different method for the body, and will share it after I make some more and perfect the method) It makes the jellys in a "one-shot" method, except for encasing the punch spot...

[hummingbird3172]

Hello Jan,

thanks for your post. I know this tutorial, it is really great. But to do the same thing on an beadsurface is something different. I tried to do it like Anna told me and it functions. But, there must be a better way to do it. I know beads of asian artist, where the jellyfish-body looks much more "exact", you know? I'll think I have to try more...

13874


Is this a little better? ;)

Try making a striped cane with transparent colors...kind of like an iris cane. First make a dot of white on your bead...then top with the striped cane...if you kind of push outward as you are adding the striped cane it will kind of flare a little and look more realistic. I think some of the asian artists may be using a murine...I didn't feel like dealing with that, but it would give you more detail. When you stick in your tentacle cane stick in and up a little to get the body to dome. It you want to see into the jellyfish is bit more stick the tentacle can more into the body instead of right below...kind of gives you an effect as if you are looking into it. :)

I don't know how anyone else does their bodies, but this is what works for me and I am very satisfied with the results. :)

[hulagirl]

Oh boy, I have to give these another try!

[cantstopbeading]

Wow, these jellyfish are awesome! I love these beads, great job.

This is a question for Moth. Kind of changes the subject but your little gallery under your post has silver snowflake beads. I ran across them on Ebay a while back. What I would love to know if you dont' mind me asking is, How the heck did you get those perfect snowflakes on the beads like that? Cut outs or buy them like that, then stick them on some how or melt them in??? lol lol They are awesome!!!! I have never seen anything like that. I don't want to make any or anything just really curious to know how it was done. If it is a secret, I will understand, lol lol

Thanks:happy:

[hummingbird3172]

Wow, these jellyfish are awesome! I love these beads, great job.

This is a question for Moth. Kind of changes the subject but your little gallery under your post has silver snowflake beads. I ran across them on Ebay a while back. What I would love to know if you dont' mind me asking is, How the heck did you get those perfect snowflakes on the beads like that? Cut outs or buy them like that, then stick them on some how or melt them in??? lol lol They are awesome!!!! I have never seen anything like that. I don't want to make any or anything just really curious to know how it was done. If it is a secret, I will understand, lol lol

Thanks:happy:

LOL (I think I hear Twilight Zone music playing!)...you see today I bought a bunch of tiny punches today (used for scrapbooking)...I already had some leaf punches, but I got a set that has some incredible ones. That is how you get the shapes...with silver foil...as for Mary's technique, it sure is impressive! I thought those beads were amazing when I saw them too! :)

[cantstopbeading]

Hi Anna,

Ah ha! lol

I was just curious as they were all so uniform and I thought to myself, Self, how they heck was that done? lol

Sorry wasn't trying to get off the jellyfish subject. Yours are aweome by the way. =D> I have never tried to make a jellyfish. There is a place in town that has these massive sort of paperweights with the aquarium scene in them with huge jellyfish and I swear if you stare at them long enough, you would think they were moving inside, and a light in the base shining up threw them and I loved loved loved them but the cheapest one at this lampwork store was $3000!!! Ouch. So I decided I would have to live without it. lol lol

Thanks for the info on the punches. Never would have thought about that in a million years. I am not good with foils so you never have to worry about me duplicating them by any means. They really caught my attention on Ebay during the holidays and when I was in here earlier checking tutorials, I was like deja-vu! Those are the same beads that I liked. Small world huh?

Thanks so much and have a great evening :waving:

[hummingbird3172]

Hi Anna,

Ah ha! lol

I was just curious as they were all so uniform and I thought to myself, Self, how they heck was that done? lol

Sorry wasn't trying to get off the jellyfish subject. Yours are aweome by the way. =D> I have never tried to make a jellyfish. There is a place in town that has these massive sort of paperweights with the aquarium scene in them with huge jellyfish and I swear if you stare at them long enough, you would think they were moving inside, and a light in the base shining up threw them and I loved loved loved them but the cheapest one at this lampwork store was $3000!!! Ouch. So I decided I would have to live without it. lol lol

Thanks for the info on the punches. Never would have thought about that in a million years. I am not good with foils so you never have to worry about me duplicating them by any means. They really caught my attention on Ebay during the holidays and when I was in here earlier checking tutorials, I was like deja-vu! Those are the same beads that I liked. Small world huh?

Thanks so much and have a great evening :waving:

Gosh, I don't mind! :) There hasn't been a whole lot going on in this subject anyway...lol ;).

Thanks for the kind words about my jellyfish.

Well, if you get your hands on some silver foil you might give them a try...there are countless ways to use this technique and tons of different punches...no one in a million years would think you were copying! I just bought some punches today..one is a dragonfly and a dolphin...wheels are turning...dolphin + jellyfish could equal a very cool bead...I hope! :) I bought my punches at Joann's but you can find them at Michael's and even Wal-mart. :) Maybe we can hope Mary makes some more next Holiday season...they caught my eye too, but I was broke :( . ;)

[Moth]

Yep, it was paper punches for scrapbooking.

I bought a dragonfly, a snowflake and something else. Hmmm...what was that? Oh well.

Anyway, I folded a piece of printer paper in half and sandwiched a sheet of silver foil. Punched out a bunch of snowflakes.

Made a base bead of medium blue transparent, got my final shape I wanted and a nice smooth surface. Set a single snowflake on my graphite paddle. Spot heated one side of the bead and carefully rolled the bead onto the snowflake. This was tricky with the snowflake cuz of all those arms, but with a little patience, it wasn't bad.

Burnish the snowflake on there pretty good...rub it around on the marver til it is good and stuck. Then, I would reintroduce the bead into the flame, real far out. I slowly brought the bead back up to the slightest glow, and burnished the snowflake on some more. Back into the flame, get a nice low glow way out.

Then I spot heated the opposite side and did it again. All the beads had two snowflakes.

Once I had both snowflakes on, and they had been burnished and reheated twice (the trick there is to not burn them off), I brought a gentle glow to the bead, rolled it in pixie dust.

Heated it up again to make sure the pixie dust was stuck, then put it in the kiln. I was hoping that the pixie dust would add yet another layer of defense and protection to keep the silver from ever wearing off.

Nikki bought those beads...they live with her now. :smile:

Hope that helps guys. Good luck!

~~Mary

20706

Back to the jellies! :grin:

[hummingbird3172]

Mary, you are so generous with your knowledge! :)

You aren't kidding when you say the trick is to not burn it off! :) I think those snowflake beads were stunning! Nikki is one lucky girl! :)

[Wobbescat2]

I really wish I could find a hoop free one!

[Wobbescat2]

I'm finding it difficult to use this set without enough posts! But I guess good things come to those who wait

[Wobbescat2]

Sorry for the waste of space, but I REALLY need the links in this forum