Double Helix Psyche

[MrsD]

Bob, it looks great, you can see all the lovely colours coming out in it. Try some more of the reducing flame for a few seconds, then an oxidising flame down close to the candles for a few seconds cycles to see if you can get the purples & golds.

Elizabeth, that is such a pretty bead! OK, I just reread your earlier post too & realise you said that you get the best reduction the first cycle, I was just thinking when occasionally you get a bit of over reduction in one spot it might help to start over from the beginning.

I said earlier that I almost never encase Psyche, I found a couple of pics from the few times that I have encased it. Like Elizabeth mentioned you get a lovely MOP irridescence to it when it's encased (actually, that applies to almost all the silver glasses).

[Elizabeth Beads]

Those are lovely Robin.

OK, forget what I said about restriking Psyche. I tried it yesterday, deliberately over-reducing it and I wasn't able to burn off the mud and restrike.

However I stand by what I said about restriking encased Psyche. If you get the encased bead too hot you will lose the MOP effect, partially or all of it.

Psyche is easy to over-strike compared to other reducers that can take a lot of reduction, as well as more heat after encasement.

I'll try to post some pictures later.

[MrsD]

Thanks for letting me know Elizabeth, I won't have to try it now. Love to see your pictures.

I *PROMISE* that this is the last one I will post, but I just love the colours that you can get out of Psyche so much! I took this pic last night, I think this one is on Stone Ground (which I hear is no longer available? *sob*).

ETA - I could have photographed it straight!

[angelique_redhead]

I'm personally enjoying all your pictures. Especially the raked bead that looks like it has CZs in it. Angelique

Originally Posted by MrsD

Thanks for letting me know Elizabeth, I won't have to try it now.

I *PROMISE* that this is the last one I will post, but I just love the colours that you can get out of Psyche so much! I took this pic last night, I think this one is on Stone Ground (which I hear is no longer available? *sob*).

[bob]

Robyn, nice colors in that one. I hope there are more pictures from everyone.
Bob

[bob]

Because of all of the help here I am finally beginning to get Psyche to work.
Bob

[Damselfly]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Beads

However I stand by what I said about restriking encased Psyche. If you get the encased bead too hot you will lose the MOP effect, partially or all of it.

I often get encased Psyche hot enough to smoosh my bead into a flattened tab, and don't lose the MOP effect.

However, with more recent batches, I do sometimes start to lose the reduction while encasing, even when I keep it out of the flame. That's why I pay attention as I'm encasing, and will re-reduce as necessary.

[Chibi Kat]

Originally Posted by angelique_redhead

I'm personally enjoying all your pictures. Especially the raked bead that looks like it has CZs in it. Angelique

Me too!! ^^^^^

Bob that last one is Splendid! Love all the different colors you all getting from the Pysche ~

Sadly, I excel at over reduction which results in the icky muddy colors, sob.

Kathleen.

[bob]

Originally Posted by Chibi Kat

Me too!! ^^^^^

Bob that last one is Splendid! Love all the different colors you all getting from the Pysche ~

Sadly, I excel at over reduction which results in the icky muddy colors, sob.

Kathleen.

Thanks Kathleen, I did get alot of help.
Bob

[MrsD]

Thanks Angelique, Bob & Kathleen.

Bob, hooray!!!!! Looks like there are some good colours in there!

Kathleen, if you constantly get over reduction, my guess is that either you are leaving it in the flame too long, or you have the candles in your reducing flame way too long. Also try to keep the bead warm while you are shaping it, if it cools down a lot & you put it back in the flame it can often start to reduce (even in a fairly neutral flame), so only let it cool down when you are ready to reduce. Then make sure you only make the candles of your reducing flame small, I usually have mine about 2 inches long, wave the bead around about half way up the flame 3 or 4 times. You only need to have the bead in the flame for a second or two as you waft it through. Take the bead out, change your flame to a heavily oxidising one & then put the bead in very quickly right down near the candles & wave it in & out 3 or 4 times, just letting the flame touch the bead in a couple of small spots. Then repeat the reducing & oxidsing until you get colours you like. I often get irridecent purple & green when I do the oxiding part & the other colours develop in the reducing flame.

Hope that helps someone!

[MrsD]

Originally Posted by Damselfly

I often get encased Psyche hot enough to smoosh my bead into a flattened tab, and don't lose the MOP effect.

However, with more recent batches, I do sometimes start to lose the reduction while encasing, even when I keep it out of the flame. That's why I pay attention as I'm encasing, and will re-reduce as necessary.

I think Elizabeth means bright orange & hotter. To keep the MOP effect under encasement you should always try to work as cool as you can once it is encased, if you can keep it to a dull orange or cooler you'll get the best effect. You can still shape a bead when it's that dull orange glow, it will just take a bit longer. It is a sliding scale too, you still have MOP even if you get it a bit hotter, just not as much, the hotter it gets the more transparent it will become.

This goes for a lot of the DH silver glasses that you encase actually. Especially ones like Clio & Kalypso where you strike & then reduce before you encase.

[Dasi]

Encasing psyche is easy once you remember one trick. Don't get too hot and work slow after you encase with the clear. Don't let the flame hit the bead, just the clear when you are applying the clear. Then the clear can't just be melted down the way you usually do when you encase. You must work slowly and not give any area heavy heat or your psyche will get dark and can loose the beauty of encased silver glass. A little heat and then take it out of the flame and shape with a marver and not gravity and extra heat. Go slow and melt the clear in slowly or you will loose the reflection of the silver glass....... I made these yesterday and the day before. My photo does not show the silver MOP reflection but you get the idea.



Working with psyche not encased is easy since it reworks itself with reducing and erasing and reducing again.

(while I was doing photos and cleaning kitchen someone posted the info....)

[Dott]

Bob this is a great thread you started and made me try a little psyche but i was to skerd to encase these. Your tube bead is beautiful!

[bob]

Originally Posted by Dasi

Encasing psyche is easy once you remember one trick. Don't get too hot and work slow after you encase with the clear. Don't let the flame hit the bead, just the clear when you are applying the clear. Then the clear can't just be melted down the way you usually do when you encase. You must work slowly and not give any area heavy heat or your psyche will get dark and can loose the beauty of encased silver glass. A little heat and then take it out of the flame and shape with a marver and not gravity and extra heat. Go slow and melt the clear in slowly or you will loose the reflection of the silver glass....... I made these yesterday and the day before. My photo does not show the silver MOP reflection but you get the idea.





Working with psyche not encased is easy since it reworks itself with reducing and erasing and reducing again.

(while I was doing photos and cleaning kitchen someone posted the info....)

Thanks Heather, I appreciate the help. I checked out your web site, you do amazing work.
Bob

[bob]

Originally Posted by Dott

Bob this is a great thread you started and made me try a little psyche but i was to skerd to encase these. Your tube bead is beautiful!

Thanks Chuck, This a great thread with alot of help. I have to give you some credit, I all but gave up on silver glass until I saw the work you were putting out.
Bob

[Dott]

*Blushes*
Bob just dig into these forums and all sorts of very generous tips will be found.

[Teri.p]

Hey Bob -

This is an old thread, but has lots of info on Psyche, including encasing.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...t=faces+psyche

[bob]

Originally Posted by Teri.p

Hey Bob -

This is an old thread, but has lots of info on Psyche, including encasing.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...t=faces+psyche

Thanks Teri, it may be old but it looks like a good thread.
Bob