A Pictorial Tutorial - Encased Florals - Page 5

gubnavnania · #**121** 2010-01-17, 12:26am

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemsinbloom

I have florals figured out but I do find it so tricky to encase on a hothead with bullseye. How the heck do you manage? I did it but I did not enjoy it so much.

I never can use round the world encasing, so I improvised and using dots encasing. I cover the whole surface with dots (cover all the flowers first) then slowly melt those dots from left side of the bead to right side so I can push most of the air bubbles out.

Btw, if you are using schott for bullseye, schott is stiffer than bullseye clear.

gemsinbloom · #**122** 2010-01-17, 1:19am

Oh I see, I don't care for the dot application.

I just got a new batch of bullseye clear so maybe I will try that tomorrow. The last batch was utter crap. Thanks for your suggestions and beautifuil pictures. I will post mine in the morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gubnavnania

I never can use round the world encasing, so I improvised and using dots encasing. I cover the whole surface with dots (cover all the flowers first) then slowly melt those dots from left side of the bead to right side so I can push most of the air bubbles out.

Btw, if you are using schott for bullseye, schott is stiffer than bullseye clear.

gemsinbloom · #**123** 2010-01-17, 9:20am

Okay here is last night's effort with Bullseye. I am glad the other poster pushed me to try the Bullseye again. I had some success. I am 95% happy with this bead.

I skipped encasing the small barrel/vine step. I continue to get too much clear in that step, even when using stringers. Not sure why... and then I don't like the finished look as the bead has far too much clear and is too "airy"

I did not have issues with skipping that step though. I believe my main issue has always been with the encasing due to the fact I was not pushing the clear close to the holes before melting down.

gemsinbloom · #**124** 2010-01-17, 9:27am

Those look fantastic!

Quote:

Originally Posted by theglasszone

GIRL! That "test" bead is fantastic! I love what you did with the 104, even if it was just a "trial" bead for you...I really think you may find it softer and easier to melt, hence less frustration! What you've accomplished with the Bullseye on the HH is awesome, though.

Yunita - gorgeous work! Some of these, shown in years' past Show and Tells, are what kept me yearning to make florals all this time!

OK - so these beads aren't really DIRECTLY pertinent to the tutorial since they're not the stacking dots method...and yes, I cheated a bit by using my rose murrini (if you can call 2 1/2 hours creating and pulling the cane cheating), but these show my progress with the encasing most of all! For that, I'm eternally grateful (and pretty darn pleased!). Please forgive if you saw these in the Saturday (01/16/10) S&T:

What 'cha think?

De

theglasszone · #**125** 2010-01-17, 11:54am

Aw, thanks Gemmies for the compliments! I'm kinda crazy happy with 'em! Your "re-try" with Bullseye is incredible! Look at that color!!! I can understand why you love BE so much; these colors are so difficult to achieve in 104, so I'm glad your being diligent! I know you are way self-critical, but if I were able to make a bead like THAT, I'd be over-the-top thrilled!

Keep up the wonderful work!

De

gemsinbloom · #**126** 2010-01-17, 12:52pm

Hehe thanks for the support. I am back on the floral kick today. I can't stop making them. woooooooooohoooooooooooo

Quote:

Originally Posted by theglasszone

Aw, thanks Gemmies for the compliments! I'm kinda crazy happy with 'em! Your "re-try" with Bullseye is incredible! Look at that color!!! I can understand why you love BE so much; these colors are so difficult to achieve in 104, so I'm glad your being diligent! I know you are way self-critical, but if I were able to make a bead like THAT, I'd be over-the-top thrilled!

Keep up the wonderful work!

De

gemsinbloom · #**127** 2010-01-17, 7:52pm

Okay I had a very very good day with florals today. Minus some cracking issue. I guess I look at my beads too long before going in the kiln lol

A few survived though. I showed this in the gallery but I want this in our tutorial thread too.

I have to tell you , since I started rocking my clear rod back and forth while encasing , I am getting much better results. It is much easier to encase and far fewer bubbles, try it!

GlassGalore · #**128** 2010-01-17, 9:17pm

Whoa! That purple one is a stunner! And it is mine!

Maybe your talent will rub off if I keep that bead near me at the torch.

gemsinbloom · #**129** 2010-01-17, 9:29pm

Oh! It was you, awww thank you. It is going out tomorrow for you.

Jacqueline

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassGalore

Whoa! That purple one is a stunner! And it is mine!

Maybe your talent will rub off if I keep that bead near me at the torch.

gemsinbloom · #**130** 2010-01-17, 9:31pm

It is too bad about my others breaking. I have another purple floral though. Can you imagine these with czs too? I tried to find my czs to see if I could pull it off. I have not used them with glass yet. I have two packages kicking around my studio. I know I put them somewhere safe so I would not lose them, but......I have lost them LOL

sarbeardog · #**131** 2010-01-18, 1:58pm

Whoa is right that purple is beautiful!
Is that bullseye and if so what color?
Has anyone found that they get better depth and lift with the bullseye glass then with the 104 since bullseye is a stiffer glass? I only use 104 and I just can't seem to get the look that I'm after. Also with the 104 I lose color. The colors fade out. Its is to much clear that I'm using between petals? I work the glass real slow and I don't over heat, I don't believe. One bead is taking me about 2 hours so I know its slow if everyone is doing it in 30 minutes.
Jacqueline your beads are just stunning!
Kathy

gemsinbloom · #**132** 2010-01-18, 2:09pm

Hi Kathy, thank you.

Yes it is bullseye and it is called gold purple.

When I try to do florals with 104 I feel the colors are flat but maybe it is just the creator and not the glass, Not sure...... I just found when I switched to Bullseye , my florals were much more the look I was after.

What do you mean by depth and lift?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarbeardog

Whoa is right that purple is beautiful!
Is that bullseye and if so what color?
Has anyone found that they get better depth and lift with the bullseye glass then with the 104 since bullseye is a stiffer glass? I only use 104 and I just can't seem to get the look that I'm after. Also with the 104 I lose color. The colors fade out. Its is to much clear that I'm using between petals? I work the glass real slow and I don't over heat, I don't believe. One bead is taking me about 2 hours so I know its slow if everyone is doing it in 30 minutes.
Jacqueline your beads are just stunning!
Kathy

sarbeardog · #**133** 2010-01-18, 3:41pm

That is tough to explain for the depth and the lift.
Take a look at starleens florals. That is the depth and lift that I'm looking for. Its like the clear between the petals gives it a look of lift and the petals curling around the center of the bead gives it the depth. When I poke the center its just looks like dots with a hole in the center. It has to be in the way that I'm heating the bead before poking.
Or its something that I'm doing during the encasing. I feel that I don't do a half bad job on my encasing. The flowers don't smudge very few bubbles. Your florals look so close to what I'm looking for that I thought is just might be the stiffer glass.
Does any of this make since?
Kathy

gemsinbloom · #**134** 2010-01-18, 5:19pm

I understand what you mean now and that is exactly the type of florals I like as well. If I remember correctly, it has to do with leaving your petals slightly raised before encasing. I am on my iPhone. I will go to the comp and load some pics. Someone correct me here if needed.

gemsinbloom · #**135** 2010-01-18, 5:32pm

Now, these are beads a did a long time ago so the pics are ick etc, but I wanted to see if we are on the same wavelength here.

Do these florals depict what you are after? These pics are a bit dated for me but I believe I was leaving the petals somewhat raised before encasing. I had forgotten about this actually.

sarbeardog · #**136** 2010-01-18, 5:52pm

Yes thats it! The first picture really shows what I'm trying to get. But what I want to do is to be able to layer more petals. More like 3 or 4 layers and still get that depth and lift looks.
How did you do that?
Kathy

gemsinbloom · #**137** 2010-01-18, 6:09pm

Hmz, well I need to confirm first that it was indeed the fact that I left the petals raised before encasing that created the depth. So basically I need to make another floral.

If that is the case, then I assume you just keep layering petals and then when it comes to the last layer, leave it raised and then encase. It has been awhile since I made those florals in those last pictures.

I think it was Kimberly Affleck who was kind enough to email me back and forth for a few days helping me with my flowers a year or two ago. I had some major breakthroughs because of her. I know she is going through a hard time right now but maybe she will pop in here again or someone else who knows the answer can confirm.......Kiln is cooling so the bead will have to wait.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarbeardog

Yes thats it! The first picture really shows what I'm trying to get. But what I want to do is to be able to layer more petals. More like 3 or 4 layers and still get that depth and lift looks.
How did you do that?
Kathy

sarbeardog · #**138** 2010-01-18, 6:22pm

Were you using the bullseye glass with your older florals?
I tried raising the petals then poking. It worked somewhat but when I was trying this I was getting the bead to hot and was losing the color and the depth look. I'm starting to think that the stiffness in the bullseye really helps in creating this effect.
Looking forward to see what come out of your kiln

gemsinbloom · #**139** 2010-01-18, 6:44pm

Yes it is bullseye in the older photos too.

Just this week I tried a few florals with the 104 and I just don't care for them..........maybe you are correct and it is the bullseye that is giving them depth.........

I have no florals in the kiln tonight, just some silver glass focals which I have a feeling turned out like utter crap. I keep getting hazing on my clear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarbeardog

Were you using the bullseye glass with your older florals?
I tried raising the petals then poking. It worked somewhat but when I was trying this I was getting the bead to hot and was losing the color and the depth look. I'm starting to think that the stiffness in the bullseye really helps in creating this effect.
Looking forward to see what come out of your kiln

sarbeardog · #**140** 2010-01-18, 7:02pm

I understand about the 104. I'm going to keep trying cause thats what I have. There has got to be a way to make the 104 colors stand out in forals like your bullseye does.
I will keep trying! It fund to see were this post started and were its at now. Such a difference!
I don't think you are giving up on the forals!
Kathy

Teri · #**141** 2010-01-18, 10:21pm

OMG!! You're doing great! I love them all!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemsinbloom

Now, these are beads a did a long time ago so the pics are ick etc, but I wanted to see if we are on the same wavelength here.

Do these florals depict what you are after? These pics are a bit dated for me but I believe I was leaving the petals somewhat raised before encasing. I had forgotten about this actually.

gemsinbloom · #**142** 2010-01-19, 11:05pm

I am very excited about this bead, it is close to perfect , technically. I have never had better ends on a floral before. The shape worked out so well, it is extremely even and I am excited! I just had to share. If I can do this, anyone can, truly..

gemsinbloom · #**143** 2010-01-19, 11:05pm

theglasszone · #**144** 2010-01-20, 10:25am

Aw, beautiful! And the color - WOW!

De

sarbeardog · #**145** 2010-01-20, 3:15pm

I think I'm lovin the bullseye colors!
VERY BEAUTIFUL!
Kathy

Dirt Road · #**146** 2010-01-21, 8:14am

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarbeardog

Were you using the bullseye glass with your older florals?
I tried raising the petals then poking. It worked somewhat but when I was trying this I was getting the bead to hot and was losing the color and the depth look. I'm starting to think that the stiffness in the bullseye really helps in creating this effect.
Looking forward to see what come out of your kiln

I'm new to lampwork, and I used this tutorial to make my first florals. I'm using 104, and one of the beads did get the depth look that gems' beads have. I used the order of opaque, transparent, opaque etc, and I make sure the transparent dots were not skimpy. Also, as I moved through the layers, I added the next layer of petals closer to the center of the flower, not just right on top of the petal set. Finally, I put one more dot of transparent in the very center of the flower , melted in almost level with the bead, and then plunged. I'm trying to get some good pictures of the bead, but no luck yet. Anyway, it might be something to try!

sarbeardog · #**147** 2010-01-21, 10:31pm

Thanks Kellie,
I'm going to give this a try. I have not tried placing transparent in the center before plunging. Did you use any clear between the transparent and the next sent of petals. It would be opaque, transparent, clear. then the next set of petals would be opaque, transparent, clear. Then the next set would be opaque, trans heat then plunge. each set is also made closer to the center.
Maybe I don't use enough transparent glass?
Thanks Kellie you have given me a new thought.
Will try as soon as I can.
Kathy

gemsinbloom · #**148** 2010-01-21, 11:15pm

I am curious to hear why she used an extra dot of transparent in the middle of the floral before plunging.

Dirt Road · #**149** 2010-01-22, 10:31am

I did not use an extra layer of clear in between the petals, but the dot of transparent was a big one. Also, I did not melt the dots all the way down in between the layers, except for the first opaque dot (to see how big it was going to be). I melted down to the point were it was still a small mound when viewed from the side (so not quite all the way, but kind of close). Then, on the second set of petals, the dots were stacked on each other before melting down at all. I put the dot of transparent in the middle on the theory that two objects cannot occupy the same space, so the transparent glass would be the main part being plunged, while all the petals would be dragged.

Doing it this way got this:

Doing it where everything melted flat, but used center dot got this:

Doing it where all dots were melted in flat and no center dot got this:

You can see that my florals are no where near the beautiful ones that gems makes, (and they are still on the mandrel, sorry), but in the four beads I made, I only used this technique on the first one, and it is the only one that really got that depth. The rest of them look flat, and there is quite a bit of color bleed. I'm going to try this again, and if you try it, let's see how yours turn out!