Getting ready to try DH "Arke"--any hints?

kansassky · #1 2014-04-20, 12:49pm

My order just arrived from Double Helix and I am so excited to try the new "Arke."

Has anyone out there tried it?

What do you think? Any hints or tips to share?

Elizabeth Beads · #2 2014-04-20, 8:25pm

It's beautiful. If you've worked with Thallo, work it the same way. It keeps its luster under encasement. I'll take a picture tomorrow.

Michele R. · #3 2014-04-20, 8:51pm

I've done a couple of beads with it.

Using Amy Kinsch's storming technique on the raised dots on this one:

And over a Devardi metallic silvery black on this one:

I've read that a hot reduction gives you greens, and a cooler reduction gives you more metallic. They also said a repeated reduction produces reds - I repeated many times, and the most I got was maybe a pinkish metallic. I haven't used much Thallo, so I can't speak to their similarities... Good luck and have fun!

Elizabeth Beads · #4 2014-04-21, 7:40am

Here's a couple of mine.

Mina · #5 2014-04-21, 7:50am

Elizabeth, love your beads. Such vibrant colors! Looks like water. did you use a twistie for your beads? If so, what colors did you use with the ARKE

Elizabeth Beads · #6 2014-04-21, 11:03am

Thanks Mina! No twistie. I pull the colors out with the flame. The first bead has only Arke and clear. The second has a thin layer of aqua, plus clear.

Mina · #7 2014-04-21, 11:13am

Elizabeth, dies it get the ripple effect naturally?

Ali Oops · #8 2014-04-21, 2:48pm

ohhhh that's purdy Liz

Elizabeth Beads · #9 2014-04-21, 3:38pm

Thanks Lois!

Mina, no, I use a grooved marver but you can also make razor cuts in the glass.

SGA · #10 2014-04-21, 8:40pm

That shows much better than my Libby bead. I'll have to take a photo tomorrow of my Arke bead. It's a lovely glass.

Ravenesque · #11 2014-04-21, 11:24pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Beads

It's beautiful. If you've worked with Thallo, work it the same way. It keeps its luster under encasement. I'll take a picture tomorrow.

Lol my order that's taking forever for fedex to ship contains Thallo and Arke, so what's the 'secret' to Thallo? I've never used Thallo and honestly couldn't find much info on it here. In fact I think you were the only one to post a pic lol.

So with Arke, those that have used it, is it easy to over reduce? Which seems to be one of my things to do with reduction glass

Michele R. · #12 2014-04-22, 4:55am

In my very limited experience, a hotter reduction made it greenish and not over-reduced. A cooler reduction gave it the metallic look, but by switching to an oxidizing flame, it was easy to partially burn it off and get a bigger variety of colors. Of course I was experimenting in all the different flame chemistry I could throw at it, so I'm not 100% sure of what really caused what

.
I think I understand what you mean, though, as I only get silver with Triton; Arke does not seem to behave like that.

I'll keep playing, and let you know if I figure any other tricks out...

Elizabeth Beads · #13 2014-04-22, 5:54am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenesque

Lol my order that's taking forever for fedex to ship contains Thallo and Arke, so what's the 'secret' to Thallo? I've never used Thallo and honestly couldn't find much info on it here. In fact I think you were the only one to post a pic lol.

So with Arke, those that have used it, is it easy to over reduce? Which seems to be one of my things to do with reduction glass

No real secret to Thallo. With reduction glass, less is more, most of the time, imho. Let your bead cool a little, lower your oxygen a little, waft your bead through the flame a few times.

If you are going to encase it, keep it under the flame while you do. Using a good clear is helpful. I usually start with a base of clear, sometimes I add a thin layer of a transparent to vary the color. That's about it.

Ravenesque · #14 2014-04-22, 10:46pm

ok thanks, well both are here now earlier than stated. The shipments from DH are so odd now, well I mean it's fedex not them, but it goes from VA, to PA, to MD, to WV, then up to the midwest to me lol!

So I'm off to play, I won't really know results until they cool off of course.

Double Helix Glassworks · #15 2014-09-22, 8:17am

Arke (and the soon-to-be-released stronger versions) can develop multicolored iridescent metallic finishes when exposed, briefly but repeatedly, to small, soft reduction flames. Try setting smallish neutral flame, then turning down your oxygen until the yellow candles are about an inch long. Pass the bead through the tips of the candles, "brushing" the bead with the candles. Allow a few seconds to cool, and repeat.

Pat · #16 2014-09-22, 10:09am

I think it's a fun glass!

KJohn · #17 2014-09-22, 10:35am

Those are lovely, Pat!

Maryar · #18 2014-09-22, 2:14pm

My first post ever here. I'm also looking for some tips for ARKE on the hot head. I can get metallic color from other DH glass but not from ARKE. I love Triton and Psyche which are both easily reduced for me.I've tried turning up the flame, turning down the flame, far out, close in, very close in, under the flame and on top and to the side. I've even done Psyche and Triton on the same mandrel to figure out if I'm hitting a good spot for them. They turn metallic but not ARKE. Any slight metallic sheen on Arke for me is from the very fresh newly laid down glass without melting it in but it doesn't stay. Once it is melted, I can't get any sheen at all. All I get is a plain blue bead or blue with some green with it. With Triton, Psyche, Kalypso and some others even the rods on the ends where they have melted are metallic but not ARKE.

Kalorlo · #19 2014-09-23, 5:43am

These are Arke: reduced, unreduced a bit, reduced again.

From the right, Thallo then Arke. (Then Okeanos and 2 x Clio Dark).

These are Arke - much greener here over the grey and very very shiny.

I just reduced it repeatedly, mostly.

Ravenesque · #20 2014-09-23, 10:48pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double Helix Glassworks

Arke (and the soon-to-be-released stronger versions) can develop multicolored iridescent metallic finishes when exposed, briefly but repeatedly, to small, soft reduction flames. Try setting smallish neutral flame, then turning down your oxygen until the yellow candles are about an inch long. Pass the bead through the tips of the candles, "brushing" the bead with the candles. Allow a few seconds to cool, and repeat.

Michele R. · #21 2014-09-24, 5:45am

Ravenesque:

If your video clip is showing how you feel because those tips helped you with Arke, I know EXACTLY how you feel! I used those tips last night and got Arke to sing for me!!! I'm about to pull them out of the kiln now to see which song it was - but I was happy with the pre-kiln results. Thank you DH!

Ravenesque · #22 2014-09-24, 11:41pm

Actually no, it's the part I bolded and made purple, the release of stronger versions!

Ravenesque · #23 2014-09-24, 11:45pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maryar

My first post ever here. I'm also looking for some tips for ARKE on the hot head. I can get metallic color from other DH glass but not from ARKE. I love Triton and Psyche which are both easily reduced for me.I've tried turning up the flame, turning down the flame, far out, close in, very close in, under the flame and on top and to the side. I've even done Psyche and Triton on the same mandrel to figure out if I'm hitting a good spot for them. They turn metallic but not ARKE. Any slight metallic sheen on Arke for me is from the very fresh newly laid down glass without melting it in but it doesn't stay. Once it is melted, I can't get any sheen at all. All I get is a plain blue bead or blue with some green with it. With Triton, Psyche, Kalypso and some others even the rods on the ends where they have melted are metallic but not ARKE.

Sorry you were interrupted, I can only guess to try maybe further out in the flame? It's just odd to me seeing as it's a reduction glass. Hope somebody swings by that can help.

Maryar · #24 2014-09-26, 9:35am

Thank you Ravenesque. I'm going to contact Double Helix Glass to see if they can give me any tips. It really seems strange that I can't get anything out of ARKE when I've been very satisfied with other reduction glasses.