Practice stringer control and dots any where... the tutorial...
 

I haven't posted this little bit of fun in a long time... so, here it is again.

You will need a sharpie and some sort of metal or wooden rod... thin is better.

Tape ( Oh yeah, you'll need this too) the dowel onto the sharpie... or the sharpie onto the dowel... your choice. ;)

I use cardboard for the stringer practice... hold the contraption in the middle and doodle. Try shapes and designs with this awkward finger plavement. You can do it while watching TV or just about any where.

If you want to practice dots... you can use a dry erase maker and make a light colored opaque bead... leave it on the mandrel and practice dot placement over and over and over and over and over... get the point? You can do this just about any where too. This will easily increase your eye hand coordination and get you more used to strange hand placements. It doesn't waste a bit of glass of gas...


I hope this helps somebody... it's pretty fun to do and your kids will look at you like you're crazy... I promise. :)

What a brilliant idea! I'm passing this along to my students. You're a genius, Brent.

-Mona

Mona... I just have a way of figuring things out. I'm really not that smart- LOL. I was sitting watching TV, thinking I was wasting a whole lot of time... and it hit me. I got a plastic coat hanger, tape and a sharpie and made my doodle stick. I lost it, so I need to make another and get back on it. It's great practice... if you don't have a doodle stick, you can grasp the end of a pen way back... so it's as awkward as possible. Doodle in line... it's a great time passer. ;) I'm glad you find it usefull!!

Hmmmm,
So Brent the down, pen is the rod of glass we are using. Or is it the cardboard. I'm totally confused. You need a pick. I can do the other one with the glass bead. That is helpful. Or I'm going to be setting here and thinking about this for a while. Will try it any way and see what happens. At night I need to have something to do other than what is all ready there. :-k :evil:

Ok you are using the dowel and the sharpe as the stringer and the cardboard for the base bead so to speak. I get it I think. I will put one together and see what comes of it. Thanks. :shock: #-o #-o ](*,)

Yes Rose. It simulates roughly using stringer on a base bead. It just gets you better at doodling with your hand in a different position... try it and see. :D

Hmmmm......this is a very interesting practice technique! I guess it's like training for your hand and eye coordination. The more you do it, the less you have to think about it! I think you're pretty smart to come up with these ideas, thinking outside the box and all.

pat

I love this idea! I am of to make a doodle stick. Excellent! Thank you!

That is an amazing technique for learning. Thanks, Brent.

Oooh Thanks, I was just practicing spin control away from the flame. Getting a big torch 'cause I really want to try tubing

I would like to see a picture of your doodle stick

Brent, thank you, this is one of those things that you read then smack youself and think "why didn't I think of that??"

Wouldn't we all... :lol:

Hi, i've just discovered this and like to try it, this might sound stupid, but i dont understand what u're talking about, im from Romania, i love english language and know it pretty well but i never heard of these words: sharpie.. dowel.. nor found them in the dictionary :-? i really dont get what u're talking about, can somebody please show me a picture? And what about the dry erase maker and what do u use to make the dots? ](*,) Thanks!

Sharpie is a marker, dowel is a wooden rod. You're finding a way to extend the length of whatever you're drawing with so it takes more control, like drawing with glass does.

Dry erase marker is a marker that rubs off easily when it's dry, so you can make a dot, wipe it off, and start again.

Does that help at all? I don't have a picture, sorry.

I've also found that just drawing the pattern I'm going to use on my beads a lot so that it becomes second nature makes it easier - my hand knows what it wants to do motion wise, so I can just watch the temperature and flow of the glass instead. I typically doodle swirls and kanji, so when I switch to my studio, it's easier.

Thanks alot! its all clear now :) I've done an exercise with honey. Very nice :) Im still waiting for my equipment.

I know this is an old thread but i am struggling with my stringer control and dot placement and this is BRILLIANT!! I am putting tape around another dowel rod to simulate the curvature of a bead, because i REALLY struggle getting my angles right when i am concentrating on being 'accurate' with my stringer. Definitely something i can do when i am off torch and watching my son, and i am sure somehow it will make me smarter too. Somehow.... I mean, these sorts of things always do, right???

I like the idea of this if the point is to come up with ideas for scroll work designs but in terms of practice for the actual work at the torch, wouldn't it be better to hold the dowel/sharpie still and practice moving the cardboard?

That way, you learn to keep the stringer in the "sweet spot" and do your design by moving the bead....ala Katrina's way of teaching scroll work. I have a hard time remembering to move the bead only so I am going to use the sharpie/cardboard idea this way. Maybe it depends on what kind of glass you use as to which way you practice this technique. Boro....move the stringer. Soft glass....move the bead?

J

OK, this is cool! Now Jack only owes me ONE Smiley heart... teeheehehehehe :flirt:

Why couldn't you just make a couple of opaque beads one smaller and one larger or in your most common shape directly on to the madrels (like plant stakes) and use the dry erase marker on them both to practice stringer control and dots on.

That way instead of a flat surface of carboard you are actually practicing on a shape closer to your actual work environmet.

Just a thought.

I did try the carboard but I put packing tape on the top so i could use the dry erase marker on it and wipe off and begin again...the flatness threw me off though so I sacrificed two mandrels and made beads directly on them to practice on.

I hope this helps somebody... it's pretty fun to do and your kids will look at you like you're crazy... I promise. :)[/quote]

I think this is the best part!! Anything to keep them guessing!!:-s