two tone beads

[bucksbeadie]

I want to have a go at making beads that are two colours (half and half). The limited number of books I have don't have this in. I have tried experimenting (trying to wind two lots of colour on the mandrel and doing a base colour then adding a top coat of another colour).

With both ways I find it hard to control how much of each colour and so one ends up dominating. Does anyone know the best way to do this or is it one of the ways I have tried but just more practice. Any ideas are very welcome 

[The Tartan Trout]

I make these quite a lot. I wind one colour on first, either barrel or donut shape and then the second one right beside it. I don't use either as a base for the other. It really is just a case of practice I'm afraid. Are you doing them to make freeform hand shaped beads or to make pressed beads?

Sarah

[Redhotsal]

As Sarah says make two donuts. For the first one use the stiffest glass out of the two - it'll be less inclined to spread and move. Once you have the first donut made and balanced on the mandrel, wrap a new donut of the softer colour right next to it - you can allow it to touch the first one. Only heat this new donut while you are building it up and balancing it - don't concentrate too much heat on the first donut. Once you've got the two colours heat them gently in the middle and they will flow into each other. the more you heat one side the more it will start to "dominate" - so be especially careful with the softer colour as it can take over if you overdo the heat.
Most of my beads are made using two colours: http://www.lampworkbeads.co.uk/page10.htm

[babyshoes]

Blimmin' dyslexia, I read the title as 'two tonne beads'! 

I'm still somewhat of a beginner. I do find that 2 or more colours are possible, but it's not easy to get a straight join - it tends to wander around a little. If that worries you, plan to put a third colour over the top, or swirl along the join to disguise it.

If one colour is taking over too much of the bead, have another look at how you are holding the mandrel - is it tilted ever so slightly to one side perhaps?

[bucksbeadie]

Thanks so much everyone for the tips. Tried again this morning with much better results. Checked out your website Sally. Love your beads. A lentil press is definately going on my Christmas list!!

[bucksbeadie]

Sarah - Just spotted your etsy shop at the end of your reply. You beads are fab too. Lots of inspiration from you and Sally, although I am on a hothead so can't get too adventurous yet.

[cbeadies]

You may find it easiest at first to make these with transparent glass, or at least transparent as one of the colours as they tend to be stiffer than the opaques. 

[JanieD]

Sarah - Just spotted your etsy shop at the end of your reply. You beads are fab too. Lots of inspiration from you and Sally, although I am on a hothead so can't get too adventurous yet.

You can do lots on a Hothead. I made a promise a while back to my OH that I would use a Hothead for a year before upgrading to a dual fuel torch, and I surprised myself at what you can do. I made the largest focal I've ever made on it, and used loads of silver glass. It's very good for practising dots as well!

My favourite glass artist Amber Van Meter (Naos Glass, check her out on Etsy) uses a Hothead for all her lovely organic beads.


Jane

[bucksbeadie]

Hi Jane

I am starting to discover how adaptable a hothead can be so the beads on Naos Glass are really impressive. I'm new and still working on perfecting the basics. Silver glass is definately something I want to have a go at in the future. Do you have to do this in a reducing flame and if so do you just put the glass close to the torch or did you block the holes in the hothead with aluminium foil. I as a video of someone doing this on Youtube with big heat resistant gloves. It looked like a major operation.

[Niki Gough]

You can do it on a hothead I just made a foil collar for my hothead with a little bit of the foil sticking out to use as a handle and just pulled it up and down when I wanted to use it x

[Jane C ♫]

I just made my first "two colour" beads in white and black ...



First I wound the white section on to the mandrel and melted it down into a normal looking bead (fairly narrow footprint donut shape), then I cooled it off a bit so it stopped moving and wound the black on next to it, then melted that down so they joined together.

Hope that helps.

PS I'm on a hothead using bulk fuel.

[JanieD]

As regards silver glass, I did the same as Niki with a foil collar.

Those beads are lovely Jane, and a perfect example of 'two colour' beads!





Jane

[bucksbeadie]

Great beads Jane. I got onto bulk fuel about 3 months ago and what an amazing difference from mapp gas cylinders

[Jane C ♫]

Aww thanks JanieD and Bucksbeadie 

I also have a collar made of tinfoil for my hothead so I can get the reducing flame ...