One of the most challenging, and well, the most fun, aspects of working with glass is that there are a lot of times when what you pull out of the kiln the next day is completely different from what you put in the night before.No, I don't mean that my beads are shape-shifters...I mean when it comes to the colors of the glass I use. :)
The chemical properties of glass are such that in many of the colors there is the tendency for changes to happen in the flame and even in the kiln as the glass is heated, cooled and annealed over time.
This happened to me yesterday, and when I opened the kiln this morning to look at my creations (this is a lot like Christmas morning, let me tell you) I was slightly shocked and had to stand there for a minute in the freezing garage studio peering at the color of the beads.
This happened to me yesterday, and when I opened the kiln this morning to look at my creations (this is a lot like Christmas morning, let me tell you) I was slightly shocked and had to stand there for a minute in the freezing garage studio peering at the color of the beads.See - the rods I used were meant to give me a much lighter, cooler color scheme - more lavender, more pale, creamy yellow and less deep, caramel tones and a lot less pink.
That's not to say I am unhappy - in fact, I love the way these turned out! It just goes to show you that sometimes the glass has a mind of its own and will not conform to your preconceived notion of what it should look like when cool.Color is sometimes best when it's completely unexpected - that's when I fall in love the hardest.
This set, which I am calling Opal Kiss, was made from the following colors - Precision Diamond Clear, ASK 104 Caramel Apple (for the metallic gold effect), CiM Heffalump and Pink Champagne, and Effetre Rosatto, Opal Yellow and Pale Topaz.
I believe some of the darker effects came from the Caramel Apple reacting with some of the other colors. Caramel Apple is a very reactive color and reduces a pretty metallic gold. I think the dark lines appeared when it touched some of the darker transparent colors such as Pink Champagne.Anyway - enough of the technical stuff - they just turned out pretty, and I am not sure I could duplicate the effect on some of them if I tried to. So, they're on auction!
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I looove it.. lucky girl.. YOU made them...
ReplyDeleteI've had days like that too. Only yours are beautiful, and mine looked like poop on a stick. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about lampwork or glass and its color-shifts, but I do agree with you that these colors came out really interesting and pretty!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it was a happy accident for you and not one that left you with unfortunate color combinations.
Your beads are all so beautiful!! I would LOVE to be able to do this!! Love reading your blog! xx
ReplyDeleteI absolutley love the color of these beads! I don't know anything about what you do, but I do love the colors you have and come up with!
ReplyDeleteHi there, I am in WA State too. I live in Seattle. Love your work by the way. Do you do vases as well?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the kind words, everyone!
ReplyDeleteJane - no, I just make beads and small buttons and such. I have never really made anything large enough to be called a vase. I might go into making tiny vessels for perfume, we shall see. :)
Now that is a very unique and beautiful piece of work. That is truly a work of art, and I have never seen glass work with that array of color and shapes.
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I happen to love all your beads! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. I tried lampworking, but I just couldn't get comfortable with the flame. Your work is lovely.
ReplyDeleteSometimes mistakes end up being the most beautiful pieces - I love how these turned out!
ReplyDeleteWow, Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful color-scheme! I love it!
ReplyDeleteYour colour is outta control. I once read that bad are when the painter uses more colours that she can control. Girl, you can control every shade, spectrum, and hue.
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ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's too late for anyone to read this but .... one of the reasons I stopped bead making is I was ALWAYS disappointed with the results I got the next day.
ReplyDeleteThis is a defect with my own personality I have decided. 'Cause I kept all those beads and now I think they're gorgeous. You're so lucky to have your passion and love the things you make!