Let's see your beads made with Helios, the lovely new glass from Double Helix.
I had a couple of rods to test and I found it such an easy glass to get on with, I made loads of beads with just over one rod. I already showed these but to get the ball rolling in this thread, here's a couple of my favourites again.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5428071938_66940a03e8.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lushlampwork/5428071938/)
Helios Heart (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lushlampwork/5428071938/) by LushLampwork (http://www.flickr.com/people/lushlampwork/), on Flickr
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5428072690_5462670f2d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lushlampwork/5428072690/)
Helios Big Hole Bead (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lushlampwork/5428072690/) by LushLampwork (http://www.flickr.com/people/lushlampwork/), on Flickr
Also, more pics and thoughts from me in my blog post http://juliefountain.blogspot.com/2011/02/testing-helios-and-marine-wave.html
Now show us yours - and tell us how!
Couldn't agree more Dean - that put me off a bit - but not for long ;D ;D ;D
Diane x
Ah rats - I forgot to try Helios on Helios, but if i remember next time, I will (thanks Vicki). I don't have any Dark Matter, but look forward to someone showing some beads... ;)
These are the results of my quick play yesterday - (not great pics, sorry)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/crystalNess_photos/DSCN6944.jpg) (http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/crystalNess_photos/DSCN6947.jpg)
From l-r
simple Helios spacer;
Helios with a light reduction and wrap of stringer;
Helios heavily reduced, taken back to amber, reduced again and wrap of clear, melted in. This bead has a really lovely opalescence where it reflects the shine from the inside of the bead.
Next one (the milky one) bit more reduction than the little Saturn bead and encased. It's nicer IRL, like a milky opal.
Lastly black with silver and Helios,reduced and encased. It's very shiny and opalescent.
When I was playing I wasn't sure I liked it, but looking at the beads I can think of more combinations I'd like to try. Not sure it's worth encasing it when there are so many silver glasses that love to be encased.
Here are some sample beads I made with Aion yonks ago.
Sorry about the poor photo, the light is so bad here today.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5461232037_9761ec992e_m.jpg)
All of these use Helios as surface decoration not very consistant results i'm afraid :) but I do love the glass ;D
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5011/5461795547_31a7118276.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461795547/)
IMG_7861 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461795547/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5136/5462398004_dd0d42763a.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462398004/)
IMG_7855 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462398004/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5461797213_4f3403b6e7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461797213/)
IMG_7882 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461797213/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5461798081_16a80c5da7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461798081/)
IMG_7878 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5461798081/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5462401414_52cfb9c407.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462401414/)
IMG_7854 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462401414/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5462449184_5753c3fd70.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462449184/)
IMG_7864 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangobeads/5462449184/) by Mangobeads (http://www.flickr.com/people/mangobeads/), on Flickr
Good grief Manda, they are stunning :o
Thought I would show proof of my observations, nothing changed in the kiln ( I batch anneal):
The dots are Helios, honest, and you can see the blue/turqoise (bottom right) where the Dark Matter was fumed:
(http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/veebeads/jewelery%202011/exp1comp.jpg)
And this dreadful photo ::) is very lightly reduced Helios dots on top of heavily reduced (but still gold, not silver) Helios:
(http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/veebeads/jewelery%202011/exp2comp.jpg)
You can see the purpley blue which has proved rather difficult to photograph...
From playing last weekend:
Had a go at Sarah Hornik tutorial, love the pinky orange on the Helios
(http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/veebeads/beads%202011/6comp.jpg)
same tutorial, but the Helios went blue!?
(http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/veebeads/beads%202011/7comp.jpg)
and a weird one, lost some of the shine in the kiln :(
(http://i630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/veebeads/beads%202011/11comp.jpg)