Patterned Lenitl Tutorial, or even a nudge....

hummingbird3172 · #1 2006-03-28, 10:38am

I just can't seem to make them look the way I want them to look....I think my biggest problems have to do with color...I am thinking that I need to be stacking dots...I am trying to go for kind of an Indian Sari type pattern, with paislies and such....I have things looking decent, but when I start raking I mess the whole thing up. It is driving me nuts but I need these for a jewelry project I want to make....it is good practice in any case!

hummingbird3172 · #2 2006-03-30, 4:13pm

I guess it should read...LENTIL and not Lenitl....I actually did fail typing in high school!

taj · #3 2006-03-30, 7:08pm

Anna ,let us see where you are coming from and maybe we could suggest some things that might help. Sounds like you got it going on just don't start
raking.
taj

hummingbird3172 · #4 2006-03-30, 9:56pm

LOL....yeah, I guess it would help if I wasn't sticking them all in the water bowl...lol. I don't think the ones I made are bad...exactly...I think I just need some more layers of white or something...I feel like the colors are just...flat. I will try and get a picture of ones that survived so I can explain better. Thanks Teresa!

Just Nancy · #5 2006-03-31, 6:00am

I vote ditch the water bowl.

I set down the worst problems and anneal the rest. Might as well see how they look. I find I often learn something from the bead after it's out of the kiln. (Just hope no one is standing there when you try to explain you knew there were problems you just wanted to see them annealed.

)

hummingbird3172 · #6 2006-03-31, 10:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Nancy

I vote ditch the water bowl.

I set down the worst problems and anneal the rest. Might as well see how they look. I find I often learn something from the bead after it's out of the kiln. (Just hope no one is standing there when you try to explain you knew there were problems you just wanted to see them annealed.

)

OK...the latest (that lived) are actually not bad...they are OK...my biggest issues were with color and part of the reason I was hating them is the way they looked hot...of course once cooled the colors looked much better

. I am just trying to get a certain look...I am going for a look kind of like Indian sari fabric, with stripes of different patterns...I guess I just need to be experimenting more...lol.

CalamitysClan · #7 2006-03-31, 10:55am

I've been working hard at learning to do floral lentils myself and I had a really hard time with the colors I wanted to use. The petals looked great until they were melted in. They got swallowed up by the base color. What I have told is that transparent bases work better than opaque because they don't do that. I have also played with a transparent base, opaque dots and transparent over those. You could try that. Or maybe clear over your colors. You would probably have to etch though to get the look I think you are looking for. I hope this helps a little.

Patricia

hummingbird3172 · #8 2006-03-31, 11:14am

Ok...here they are...I think I need to be layering color more or something...they just look....flat.

Patricia, those are good ideas...I will maybe do a base of brown or black or clear..since those colors are very stiff and see if that helps!

Just Nancy · #9 2006-03-31, 12:29pm

I think they look fine, but not if you're looking for something different. As for flat, yah, I'm thinking layering some how. (But what do I know, I mess up lentils all the time.)

I've got a couple in the kiln at the moment. I of coure hope for greatness, but may get things that look like I should start using a water bucket.

hummingbird3172 · #10 2006-03-31, 1:21pm

OK...I just tried a few things...and what I found is that layering dots is the right thing....it kind of breaks up the color...and I tried a base of silvered ivory and I think that may be the direction I need to go to get the look I want. I have the problem of getting an idea in my head and then when I can't perfectly recreate it...I get mad at my beads and give them the bowl of water assassination attack, even if they aren't exactly bad...my sister has rescued many a bead from my wrath!

Hoping the kiln fairy is good to you, Nancy!

Just Nancy · #11 2006-03-31, 7:23pm

Glad you getting there. And thanks. I'm hoping the kiln fairy has something nice in the morning. (Two beads in particular ~ dang, that probably jinxed it right there.

)

hummingbird3172 · #12 2006-03-31, 10:50pm

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it didn't!

I kept experimenting and to get the look I wanted I need to layer dots...the hard thing is to use the right colors...I discovered that rubino and coral don't seem to get along...so I have to keep them apart...the colors I like to use together are dark sky blue, dusty pink coral, violet, copper green, opal yellow and white...then I just started layering dots and seeing what patterns I get...I had three that I am very pleased with...and I only need a few more for my bracelet so I am off to a good start...I do think I want to etch them, though...

taj · #13 2006-04-02, 10:01am

wright down your pattern sequence. I always get it just right than have to figure out exactly what I did. so I try to put the colors and dots down as I go.
or as soon as I put it in the kiln.
It really does help ,for me any way .I have SHORT term memory. duh

Good luck Anna, I know you can do it.
taj

hummingbird3172 · #14 2006-04-03, 9:00pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by taj

wright down your pattern sequence. I always get it just right than have to figure out exactly what I did. so I try to put the colors and dots down as I go.
or as soon as I put it in the kiln.
It really does help ,for me any way .I have SHORT term memory. duh

Good luck Anna, I know you can do it.
taj

I did get some to look more like what I was going for....I think the key to getting the look is layering the dots...kind of like in scrapbooking when you alway have the pictures matted...I like the look when there are colored dots stacked.

I really like when there are several lines of patterns on one bead...it just looks like an Indian Sari to me...and I found this really cool elephant charm that I want to use with Bali beads...I thought that these would be perfect! Thank you TAJ, you are always awesome help.

I get memory problems when I work too...I need to draw it out, I do that with other things too and it makes a world of difference!

glasser · #15 2006-04-06, 11:27am

OK stupid newbie question here. When you use a press, lentil or otherwise, I am assuming you make the bead then decorate? Do you ever do it the other way, decorate your glass then press it? Holly told me this but I forgot the answer and I just ordered a press. WoooHoo Zoosiis lentil tdrio, can't wait!

hummingbird3172 · #16 2006-04-07, 10:18am

Quote:

Originally Posted by glasser

OK stupid newbie question here. When you use a press, lentil or otherwise, I am assuming you make the bead then decorate? Do you ever do it the other way, decorate your glass then press it? Holly told me this but I forgot the answer and I just ordered a press. WoooHoo Zoosiis lentil tdrio, can't wait!

You usually make the design and carefully press...so it is kind of tricky, the bead can't be too hot. You will enjoy your press!

Shawn T · #17 2006-04-18, 2:46pm

If your press is a graduated size press, You can use a smaller size, base color press it, add your decoration to it, even encase it, and than press it again on the size up.
This works best for me especially with an encased press bead.

ChaseDesigns · #18 2006-04-18, 7:21pm

I always make the whole design, then press it. It takes practice though to know how much base bead and decoration to use.