My lampworking really improved when...

[bexrox]

This question was posted once on the polymer clay site that I frequent. The range of responses was fantastic, so I thought I would see what all you fine glass artists had to say. You know how when you go from beginner, and pass some threshold and realize you've really got it? That threshold is my point of interest. Please complete this sentence (feel free to write lots!):

My lampworking really improved when...

[Otter's Flame]

My lampworking really improved when... oh wait my lampworking hasn't improved yet.

Otter

[samnjoe]

HAHAHAH!!! That just gave me a serious case of the giggles!! I'm with you on that, since I'm still counting my torch time in hours instead of months or years.

Okay. My lampwork improved when ... I stopped worrying about meeting the wrong standards of what defined a "good bead." That definition was my own. I had wrongly assigned a negative connotation to my achievements ... because I couldn't get perfect little dots or designs.

In other words, I actually got better when I relaxed and cut myself some slack by refocusing and realizing that all great beads don't have to have DOTS ... or DOT-BASED DESIGNS. Bead-making really is the ultimate open-canvas.

There isn't a cookie-cutter for standards; but I just hadn't gotten that through my head, until a close friend confided that the draw she had to the beads I was making was based on the vision that my beads were so different. I had always felt that those differences were failure, and I was beginning to feel a tad frustrated with the learning curve.

In a few simple words, my friend taught me that I could believe in myself and that the ony standard I should strive to achieve is the one set by my own goals and beliefs. HOWEVER ... I still need to practice caution, because "my own beliefs" can often bite me in the butt, because I am at the top of the heap of all of the highest-level perfectionists.

As soon as I relaxed, and spent some less self-judgmental time in front of the torch, I discovered that with PPP, even the dot-challenged can do dots. And now that they are becoming a bit easier, it's funny, but I'm like, "oh, well, fine ... so that's what had made me feel so badly about my beads??"

Geez. It's true. We CAN be our own worst enemy.

-- samnjoe

Originally Posted by Otter's Flame

My lampworking really improved when... oh wait my lampworking hasn't improved yet.

Otter

[Kevan]

I would say relaxed also, but more like I relaxed and stopped rushing.

[ewdb]

my lampwork really improved when:

-ever i visit LE & WC
-i finally realized that i could turn the flame up and down instead of always trying to work in the full blast of the HH
-i learned gravity is a much better, softer friend than my marver
-i figured out how to add and remove the reduction from glass colours
-i gave up making small beads and started sculpting huge, dripping globs of glass
-i accepted that making the same bead over and over again bores me to tears
-i accepted that my original plan of making beads for jewellery wasn't going to happen
-i put together an inspiration binder of some of my fave art and pictures
-ever i stopped trying to force a design and just relaxed, turned my brain off and played
-ever i complete a custom order. custom requests always seem to push me out of my comfort zone and force me to try/learn new techniques.
-i watched the corina stringer dvd (over & over & over again).
-ever i try/test a new glass colour
-after each torch session

[blong2001]

I slowed down. Period!

Beth

[Lisa]

When I accepted the truth it really did matter how you put your footprint down.

And when I let go and play.

[Tink]

Heat. Control.

[Lisi]

Originally Posted by Lisa

When I accepted the truth it really did matter how you put your footprint down.

And when I let go and play.

What one of the other Lisas wrote!

[Yellow Dog Girl]

Two things. One was taking a class from Kristen Orr. I had already taken a couple of classes, and MAN they worked fast! Kristen works in a very deliberate way. Not slow, exactly, but just carefully and deliberately. I went, "Oh wow! I can do THAT!" So, yes, the slowing down made a big difference. Two was the luxury of having a bit over a year to make beads full-time. Had just gotten out of grad school, and promptly landed the job from hell, which lasted a (VERY long) year. I was so burned out that I took about a year off before returning to a traditional job. That year made a HUGE difference.

[loco]

When I was told: "Slow down the rotation of the mandrel so the heat can sink in."

[sunnyone]

when I started making what I wanted instead of what customers wanted! hehe

slowing down......

and tink hit it on the head! heat control!

crystal

[Katey11]

First, when I started playing with colors, techniques, decorative methods and not worry that everything turned out perfect (in other words I relaxed and had fun)

Second when I got the concept of heat control and using different sizes and parts of the flame.
Kathleen

[jeepinwelch]

An experienced lampworker was kind enough to share some time and knowledge with me. I learned everything from books and had never seen anyone else make beads. Just watching her helped me improve in a major way!

[ginko]

when gravity became my friend (which only happens in hot glass, btw).
heat control!

[wendbill]

When I stopped waving the bead and mandrel up and down in the flame.

[jesscause]

when I learned that your bead doesn't have to be molten ALL the time! I also found great heat control info and it saved alot of my colors from burning. Now if I can only get a better torch....

[Rudy]

I'm never satisfied, but, when I slowed down the mandrel rotation! I was watching Samantha's encased bead tutorial (which is wonderful), and I noticed that her rotation was smooth, relaxed, and waaay slower than mine. I tried my new technique and noticed an immediate improvement. I was very frustrated cause my beads insisted on being lopsided...I'm so much closer to round! yippeeee!!!!

[simvet02]

All of the above AND when I quit worrying about being burned and blowing up the house.

[Megan]

when I practiced, practiced, practiced.. When I learned to take a technique and just do it over, over, and over again until I got it right.

I also don't get as much torch time as I would like but have a ton of time to think at work, so as I am transcribing, I sometimes visualize exactly how I would do something or how I would move my mandrel or glass in the flame and that really helps too..

It also improved when I decide before I sit down at the torch what my plan is for the torching session, random beading just doesn't work for me.

[bexrox]

Sounds great, everyone! I'm definitely seeing some trends here in slowing down and heat control. The latter is an area that I really need to work on, although getting better, I must say! Personally, I think I may be approaching that threshold, but certainly haven't crossed it yet! Soon, I want to be able to add my own contribution to this thread I started... Your responses are giving me lots to consider in getting to that point. Thanx a bunch! And keep 'em coming!

Becky

[Rudy]

I love this thread...I'm just smiling, smiling, smiling... Too funny. It's comforting to know that we are not alone! : - )))

I must say that I do feel addicted to glass.....If I had to pick an addiction, I'd pick this one, and I don't to find the cure! : - )

[bexrox]

Originally Posted by Rudy

I love this thread...I'm just smiling, smiling, smiling... Too funny. It's comforting to know that we are not alone! : - )))

I must say that I do feel addicted to glass.....If I had to pick an addiction, I'd pick this one, and I don't to find the cure! : - )

I agree with you, Rudy. I find I think about glass all the time, and, like Megan, I visualize it in the flame with one part of my brain while I do the mundane stuff with another part. I think that qualifies as an addiction! That's how I used to be with my polymer clay and before that, my guitar. My poor red sweetheart (seen in my avatar) sits on her stand in the corner now, only getting fondled a fraction of the time that she's used to.

I know I'll pick up again on all my passions in time, and in fact, might see glass take the back burner sometime in the future ... Oh the horror! I'm so glad to be living a curious and creative life, though. I consider myself very rich (even though I'm broke!)

[Rudy]

Ahhhhhh....we may be poor, but we're happy! Priceless!!!

[sislonski]

My beads became better:

• After a lot of practice
• After taking a class
• when I switched from a hot head to a minor torch.

[kirrakat123]

My lampworking really improved when..........
I learned to control the heat in the bead. My first lampwork teacher taught me to have the glass on the bead you are making always red hot glowing. I had very limited control over the glass flow & shape of the bead. Luckly, I bought the book of "Jim Smirchich & His Amazing Conrol of Heat" (by Jim Kerwin). I first realised I could control the hot glass. Needless to say, I found a better teacher. But I was hooked on lampwork from my first ever lesson. Now I'm a torch-a-holic & need my fix everyday.

[cswilson53]

I am fairly new to lampworking - two months -- my beads are improving with PPP and I learned to slow down and keep that mandrel straight. I love my tungsten pick the most -so that when I screw up with dots or stringers - I just rake thru that bead and it looks better!!!

[KarenBeth]

When I learned how to pull perfectly straight stringer.
When I learned to keep the mandrel moving BEFORE I put glass on it
When I relaxed and did it for FUN!!

[miss-spider]

When I got a Stump shaper.
When I accepted that I don't HAVE to make just one style of bead and it's okay to make everything I want. Making the same styles over and over again would make me nuts. (more nuts!)

[Jeri]

......When Kate Fowle taught me that my bi-cones would have much nicer ends if I kept the bead slightly wider than the flame, that way I could decorate the middle of the bead with out distorting my ends!