Dragon Scale Beads How-To - Page 2

*Naos* · #31 2006-06-23, 8:16am

Kronos (and Olympia Rain - I tried) do not spread over the SIS so you won't get the same effect - unfortunately...

Looks like any opaque that reacts with SIS will do the trick, though!

beadandi · #32 2006-06-23, 3:41pm

Amber...thank you for this tut...I have loved these beads ever since the first time I saw them. I always wondered how that look was achieved. Anyway, I have been playing with this technique for a couple of days and I can get the silver to spread out and make scales but my problem is the scales seem to pull in to the center...does that make sense? I dot around the center on a ridge and then put dots on the outside very close to the mandrel but everything pulls in. Yours are so evenly spaced and cover the entire bead. Any idea how I am messing this up?

Thank you.

Sandi

*Naos* · #33 2006-06-23, 3:52pm

Sandi, try letting the glass droop a bit more when you superheat it then reshape, then droop then reshape. That might help spread it more on the edges close to the mandrel.

beadandi · #34 2006-06-23, 4:58pm

Thanks Amber...I'll give that a try. Do you put 4 dots around on each side and center or does it depend on the size of your bead and how big do you make your dots....I am using a stringer so they are not real big.

Thanks again!
Sandi

*Naos* · #35 2006-06-23, 7:00pm

Sandi, well my base bead is about 5-6mm.

Make the SIS dots as big as you can - usually about 2mm in width. I put about 5-6 larger dots around the center of the bead and then 5-6 medium-sized dots staggered on the outer edge.

Starrr · #36 2006-06-23, 8:55pm

I didn't bother to let mine drop at all, just melted in the dots super hot, all of the colors I used came out really nice but I did notice that copper grenn on ivory wanted to move to the center of the beads more.

Thanks for the tut Amber! Now I just have to find a blue that will spread as I don't have any slate, maybe I'll try the wedgewood tomorrow.
Edei

beadandi · #37 2006-06-24, 7:03am

Amber....a picture of what I took out of the kiln this morning (& I etched them

). I used dusty rose coral stringers for the dots and the spacers are cinnamon coral...can't believe how well they match. I guess they are not too bad but they sure don't look like yours. The silver burns off as you apply the SIS dots but I guess there is no way to avoid that. It looks like I got more silver movement on some but not much on others. Thanks again for the tut...they are so fun to make.

Sandi

*Naos* · #38 2006-06-24, 9:00am

Sandi - absolutely gorgeous color and I love how organic they are!!! This type of bead takes PPP but honestly, I think yours are great!!! You got some really nice framing around the dots. I'm thinking the coral may not spread enough to get the exact effect...looks like the ivory is eating the coral a bit but, as I said, those beads rock! I gotta get me some of the cinnamon. It's beautiful!

beadandi · #39 2006-06-24, 9:02am

Thanks Amber....I really do like the coral also and you may be right....it is being eaten up by the ivory so it may not be the best choice of color but you never know until you try.

Thanks again,
Sandi

*Naos* · #40 2006-06-24, 1:25pm

There are some corals that will work, especially if you have some of the coral from about 4 years ago... I find if a rod feels a bit rough, those colors spread nicely. There's a gorgeous yellow mustardy color, and the rods have nice texture...it spreads nicely.

SL Beads · #41 2006-07-02, 9:00am

Thanks for your tut. I have a question about the Michael Barley's window-effect you referred to in your original thread. I have tried it several times, but I was only successful partially. Some of my windows are clear showing the colors underneath, but other windows are cloudy and ugly. Were you successful? What do you think is the cause of the undiffused windows? Maybe I should have pm'ed you. If you prefer you can pm me back. I am really interested in your opinion on this. Thanks, Sachiko

Rhapsody Fire Beads · #42 2006-07-02, 12:52pm

Wonderful tutorial!! Thanks for sharing! Beautiful beads!!

jknappcampbell · #43 2006-07-08, 6:13am

Amber,
thanks, I need to continue to work on this, but it does help to revisit a thread to read the additional comments. thanks again Jill

*Naos* · #44 2006-07-08, 10:49am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SL Beads

Thanks for your tut. I have a question about the Michael Barley's window-effect you referred to in your original thread. I have tried it several times, but I was only successful partially. Some of my windows are clear showing the colors underneath, but other windows are cloudy and ugly. Were you successful? What do you think is the cause of the undiffused windows? Maybe I should have pm'ed you. If you prefer you can pm me back. I am really interested in your opinion on this. Thanks, Sachiko

Sachiko, I wasn't successful at it either so this is my alternative for opaque beads. Never did get it to work with transparents. ~shrug~ I don't know what else to tell you. I think there was a Spotlight magazine with the Michael Barley tutorial in it at some point.

Am

Laurie L · #45 2006-07-16, 10:48am

Quote:

Originally Posted by beadandi

Amber....a picture of what I took out of the kiln this morning (& I etched them

). I used dusty rose coral stringers for the dots and the spacers are cinnamon coral...can't believe how well they match. I guess they are not too bad but they sure don't look like yours. The silver burns off as you apply the SIS dots but I guess there is no way to avoid that. It looks like I got more silver movement on some but not much on others. Thanks again for the tut...they are so fun to make.

Sandi

Mine turned out like yours Sandi.....no silver outline. Hhmmmmm wonder what I am doing wrong?? Going to try again tomorrow. Maybe I should wrap 2 pieces of silver around the stringer and see if some silver pops. Maybe it because I am on a minor....too much heat melting away the silver ??? Nah that cant be it - but honestly I am at a loss for words. I cant seem to figure out what I am doing wrong. Amber come to my house and play....please show me what I am doing wrong. LOL.

*Naos* · #46 2006-07-17, 1:22pm

Laurie, post a pic of the beads. I think I can help if I see the results.

Laurie L · #47 2006-07-17, 9:13pm

Okay I will try and get a picture up.

softbleu · #48 2006-07-28, 10:15am

ok... dumb question....we are talking about light ivory and not dark ivory right?

*Naos* · #49 2006-07-29, 9:31am

Christy - for the stringer, it doesn't matter. For the base, dark ivory spreads better IMO.

Passing Glass · #50 2006-07-31, 3:37pm

I tried this again yesterday with Raku dots, and it worked great!

I think if you are losing your silver you should either wrap more silver on the stringer, and/or work cooler.

I rolled a small stringer that I pulled myself "longways" in a half sheet of silver leaf wrapping it 5 or 6 times around and applied large stringer dots in a very small, cool, oxidizing flame (Lynx). Don't burn off the silver and don't stay in the flame very long. The dots almost look black when you just melt a blob, stick it on the bead and then get it out of the flame. Make the SIS dots big, it takes a lot of silver to get all the way around those scales. It doesn't take much ivory (in comparison to the silver) to get a reaction with the silver, so you can use a stringer that is smaller than a commercial one and do better I think; the ivory is mostly a delivery device for the silver which also provides a reaction. I hope my theories in what helped me, help you!

I only have copper green for the base though, no Lauscha. Do any other Morretti colors work for the base?

*Naos* · #51 2006-08-01, 3:24pm

Passing Glass - good for you!!! Got any pics?

squid · #52 2006-10-06, 12:52pm

Ack - what happened to the pics in the first post? <sob>

*Naos* · #53 2006-10-06, 1:21pm

Pics are back in - sorry 'bout that!

Ms. Frit · #54 2006-10-19, 5:03am

I have always encased my silver leaf beads, partly because I'm an encasing fool, and partly because someone once told me that leaf that's exposed to air eventually discolors, the same way sterling silver will tarnish. So, if you etch these beads (and not encase), will the color of the silver change over time? Do you have "old" beads to look at to answer this?

Your beads are fabulous!

Ms. Frit

HONEYBUNNY72_99 · #55 2006-10-26, 11:37am

I tried this one today!Thanks for the tutorial Amber

Tina

*Naos* · #56 2006-10-26, 3:10pm

Ms. Frit, I have customers who've had these for ages and have never heard that there was an issue with the silver this way. I have a few beads I have kept over the years with silver on the surface and i honestly don't see a difference from the day they were made. I think that's only when silver beads are next to an etched bead that there is a marking or tarnish issue. If it does tarnish, great news...you can use jewelry cleaner on it since it's glass.

Tracie, unfortunately, I think the technique needs to stay in the round or pressed. The heat it takes to pull the scales together would round out a pre-formed, squared bead.

Tina, how did it work for you?

HONEYBUNNY72_99 · #57 2006-10-27, 6:34am

I love the way mine came out.I will post a pic as soon as I get them cleaned up

Tina

HONEYBUNNY72_99 · #58 2006-10-27, 9:26am

Here are mine

I didn't heat them long enough to get a good spread out but these are my favorite beads yet!

Tina

Teena · #59 2006-10-27, 4:37pm

I have a question too. Once you have put the silver dots on the bead, do you completly melt down the dots before applying the last color? Or, leave the silver dots raised to apply the final color?
Thanks

*Naos* · #60 2006-10-27, 5:17pm

Tina - they look great! Are you using transparents? If so, they may not spread as well into the scale pattern. I find opaques have the best spread...I really like this style! Very groovy!

Teena, leave the dots raised, then apply the second rounds of dots directly over the first and melt the whole shebang at once. You want the bead hot enough for the glass to really move and push the colors into a scale formation.