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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2006-05-24, 3:05pm
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Default Copper leaf success! Might help someone...

Okay, so I tried the copper leaf over white technique that I keep reading about, but all it seemed to do was make the white vaguely turquoise - no interesting patterns or anything. Just a hint of a shade change.

Well, I was trying to make two identical beads on the same mandrel last night. They weren't sizing up right, so I decided to add a band of red to the center, and it just spiraled from there! Here's what I did:

- First, I used moretti trans light gray for the two end "beads," then added a band of red, as I said before.

- Then I added a single wrap of copper leaf & marvered it in really well.

- I burned the copper leaf in really well, but not even to the crazy point that I've heard is necessary to make it work (In fact, I was sure this bead was doomed from the start!)

- I then added some silver leaf on top (with no real plan)- figured I'd at least get a silver vein or two! (After looking it up today, I did find some info on putting copper leaf on top of silver leaf, so I'll have to try that next!)

- Next, I put some red dots on the ends & melted them in.


As you can see, the gray ends actually made the best colors! I heard that red would react wildly, but the gray part is just stunning & actually still kept a lot of transparency! Parts of the red band in the center came out kinda yucky, but I like what happened to the one part of red that (apparently) got no copper on it! It seems to have lightened it on the edges, and almost makes it look like the RED was put on in a strip. I was so excited when I finally saw that it worked!

Well, hope this can help someone! Let me know what you think.
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  #2  
Old 2006-05-24, 4:18pm
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I really like the ends. Can't believe that the base is gray! Did you do it without enamel? I have to go try this.
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  #3  
Old 2006-05-24, 4:42pm
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Thanks! Nope. No enamel. Good luck! Please post a pic if you can.
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  #4  
Old 2006-05-25, 10:15am
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Nice! I love trans grey in general but I've never tried copper on it. Who knew it would turn so opaque and vibrant? Thanks for the tip!! -H.
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  #5  
Old 2006-05-25, 10:49am
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Yeah, it has this weird way of being opaque and transparent at the same time. If I hold it up to light, it's very transparent. You can kinda see in the pic. On the right hand side, the white of the hole channel is visible.
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  #6  
Old 2006-05-25, 10:53am
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was your red transparent or opaque? Which red was it?

Thanks
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Old 2006-05-25, 11:41am
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I used dark opaque red. I was surprised to see light areas around it. I just did a little experiment & made two beads- both with just the trans gray, one using both the copper & silver leaf, one with just the copper. From what I could see, they're both gross, but that's what I thought with the first one too, so we'll see...
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  #8  
Old 2006-05-26, 11:47am
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Well, I couldn't duplicate your results at all. But I did have fun trying. The good news is that I retrieved the mandrels from the hideous beads. I sure like yours, though. I hope you can keep your magic going with it!
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Old 2006-05-26, 12:21pm
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Really? I can't STOP getting good results, and I'm only on a Hothead!
I encourage you to try again. Also, I took better notice of what I did on today's beads. Here we go:

I did some experiments to see just what worked best. I found you really need the silver leaf as well. It's pretty either way, but the textured turquoise areas happen when you put the silver leaf over the copper leaf.

You do still need to make sure that you let the bead cool to a dull glow before adding the copper, as well as making sure the copper leaf only goes around the bead once, as has been stated in other threads.

You also need to burn the copper leaf in until you can tell that the copper leaf is "blended" with the glass. Basically, when the copper leaf is no longer glowing separately from the glass, if you know what I mean. Then, just add the silver leaf right on top and burn it in. I found that the more silver leaf you use, the better.
I used 1 wrap of copper leaf and then like, 4 wraps of silver on bead B below. The first bead I posted had only one wrap of silver though, and you can see it worked fine.

I also found myself instinctively using a reduction flame towards the end. Maybe that has something to do with it. Who knows

So bead A below was made using only copper leaf, while bead B used copper and silver. Both are using only light, transparent gray with no enamel or anything. I also made one that I etched, but haven't photographed it yet. It came out so lovely! Please don't stop trying. I really wanna see some beads!
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Last edited by PinkLilyDesigns; 2006-05-26 at 1:57pm.
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  #10  
Old 2006-05-27, 8:21am
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Okay, I tried again and got better results.
No time to take a photo before leaving for a couple of days. I used a reducing flame and LOTS of silver. In fact, i think I used a little too much silver. It was looking promising in the flame, so I added more silver and got mucky gray. But when it came out of the kiln, some areas of the bead look pretty good.
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Old 2006-05-30, 6:42pm
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Finally...
Here's a picture of my marginal success. Not as nice as yours, Pinklily, but I think there's hope.


Whoa--sorry for the size of the photo!
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  #12  
Old 2006-05-30, 7:28pm
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Yay! I love it! How did you get the cream areas in it? Did you add some ivory? The pattern actually reminds me of the time I tried this same technique with a black base. It made cream colored "trees" everywhere. I think it's a marvelous bead! Thanks for posing it. I'd definitely call it a success!
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  #13  
Old 2006-05-31, 8:43am
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The short answer is I don't know.
There's no ivory. Just the transparent gray, copper, and a lot of silver.
Reducing flame, like you said.
Sure looks different from what you posted, doesn't it?
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Old 2006-05-31, 8:49am
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Yes, lots more green. Are you sure you didn't use the dark gray? Hmm. I'm gonna have to try to get the cream now. You must've used a whole lot of silver! Say, did you use the thick leaf or the super thin?
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  #15  
Old 2006-05-31, 8:57am
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Definitely not dark gray trans. I used silver leaf, but lots of layers. And I wasn't careful about whether some areas got more silver than others, which probably explains the different colors. I just slopped it on. So we'll probably never be able to duplicate this...
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Old 2006-05-31, 9:06am
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Wow, I did the same thing. Must've added 4-5 layers of silver and never cared how it went on. Just goes to show all the possibilities and variations! Besides the ivory, silver leaf, and amber combo, this is my new favorite! And like I said before, it's amazing etched! Now, if only I could manage to make a set... never can match up the sizes for that!
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  #17  
Old 2006-05-31, 6:00pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PinkLilyDesigns
Yay! I love it! How did you get the cream areas in it? Did you add some ivory? The pattern actually reminds me of the time I tried this same technique with a black base. It made cream colored "trees" everywhere. I think it's a marvelous bead! Thanks for posing it. I'd definitely call it a success!
If she put a lot of silver foil on it, my guess is that those opaque areas are where it reduced a bit.
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