Originally Posted by xiola blue
i remember, back in the day and not so long ago at that, when there were no tutorials. We either had corina's book, or cindy jenkins' book, or no books, and learned by looking and doing. A year and a half ago i was wondering if cynthia would ever consider doing a tutorial on her beautiful pleated style beads, and i think i even sent her a message asking her, because the likelihood of getting to la to study with her was nil. And she said she didn't travel. (oh please, cynthia, do publish your tutorial!!!!)
shortly after that tutorials starting being written. They are a godsend because we cannot always fly to seattle, or maine, or texas or wherever to take someone's class, and i personally have gotten something out of every tutorial i have purchased. Along the way, though, i started to get the sense that some people expected that by purchasing a tutorial all the answers would be given...all you had to do was "plug it in" and you too would be making great beads.
I see the tutorial as a gift from the artist, who still makes some money, doesn't have to travel either, and we all win. And the challenge is there to improve, learn, perfect, grow, and maybe buy a few rods of a new glass, or a new tool (or learn to do without so many tools and really study the properties of glass), and maybe even go off on a new and exciting tangent.
I am not going to comment on the rant or the answers...you have all covered that so well, but i would like to suggest that anyone working in glass relax and enjoy the journey, even if you were not counting on turning off on that particular road...there is always something to learn. And by the way, look at some real shells and figure out, with what you have, how to make glass ones that look like them....therin lies is the great challenge and the fun. Xiola
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