What are your favorite lampwork beads?

HAW! It's true... I have tried to follow the market, but what I've found really, truly works is that I make whatever I feel like making, and most of the time, someone will buy it. If I try to predict what's "hot" or follow trends, it's a flop.

So I spent all day making frit beads. :)

-Kalera

Yay! I can't wait to see. ~~ Sooz

------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

I especially like Florals Encased beads that incorporate mysteries Dichro Clear bright colors Color on color Blue green in the aqua range Round beads Beads without purple bruises Sculptural -- NOT cute

Tina

Tina,

One thing that struck me with your response was "encased beads incorporated with mystery." That's a pretty way to describe something you like. Can you give me some examples?

You aren't the only one. When I think the beads are awful or just not right I'm always surprised by how well they do. I just scratch my head.

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 19:42:48 -0400, Pam wrote (in message ):

There are things that pay the bills and things that feed the soul. It is a miraculous thing if both things are the same. For most of us, it means striking a balance between the two.

I loved working, although my job didn't feed my soul, and I love beading, but it sure as heck doesn't pay the bills. (quite the opposite) But I managed a good balance at the time, and of course, now I have all the time I need.

Kathy N-V

Did you mean me? I don't think Karen has done anything called Fairy Dice, and I haven't seen many cubes from her. :) Smack me if I am wrong here. :)

Must be Kandice, I don't do cubes, with or without flowers.

KarenK

My personal favorites are geometrics in colors that really complement eachother. I like encased florals, but only if they don't have the icky green vines in the background. For me, that ruins the color effect. I know. Weird. I love really well-done sculptural beads, including vessels and such. But they have to be very well-done - no undercuts, no messy application. I'm really, really picky. LOL I love symmetry and precision, done in colors that appeal to me. Contrasting colors (like red/green or orange/blue) really don't appeal to me at all. Frits don't appeal to me - I've never liked the look for some reason. Some of my fave artists -

Corina (of course), but not as much recently. I like some of her older stuff better. Bluff Road - Kim. Her work sends me. Karen Woodword - her pink metallic stuff is lickable. Glassotica - her vessels are my fave. Solstice Glass (Mark Hamilton) MAWGA - Mary Ann - my fave boro because she can do geometrics with it!

Anyway - there are more. I have different tastes than a lot of people, in that I don't go for organics much unless they are vibrant, and I dislike the look of beads that just have frit as decoration. The beads I like have a certain harmony. All the elements in the bead - the colors, the design, the shape - all have to work very well together.

Starlia - would it upset you if I gave you some constructive criticism of your beads? I am asking because I don't want to just be critical without considering feelings. When I first started selling my beads and posting here about it, someone came in (a person who had never posted before that I know if) and said something very critical, but very very true. A lot of people attacked her for it (she was kinda mean about it), but what she was saying was true, and I never forgot it. It ultimately made me a better beadmaker, because I pay attention to that one thing a lot. So I want to ask first.

Haw! See, I prefer the ones with vines sometimes (not always).

Same here. I don't like circusy colors or southwest color themes.

Same here.

Me too.

I love watery looks, or etched beads -- two contrasting looks there, and they're my two faves. I love Heather Davis's etched Cameo series, *and* Kalera's Deeps series. I love Kandice's swirls, Hydrangeas, and color choices.

Lots more, too. Starlia, if you want, I can email you a whole list of my favorite (eBay) lampworkers.

I think you're quite eloquent, Kandice. ~~ Sooz

------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

Oops! Yes, I meant you, and got confused by the K names. So you get to smack me instead.

Celine

In article , starlia writes

Well I could say I really dont like bicones - but then I'd have to confess to owning one of Tinks. I could say I dont like florals but Kandice will then remind me no doubt that I have several of hers. I dont really like sculpturals, squares or vessels but I'm sure someday I'll find some I cant live without, so as you can see its not the style its down to the individual bead as to wether I like them or not. they have to sing to me. I do like rounds and if they were about 25mm that would be perfect for a focal, I like hearts if they have a top to bottom hole and the cheeks arent too high to make a wired look between. I love metallics and special finishes, and I probably like frit but I dont know what that looks like. :-)

LOL - yeah, there are so many K names here. Also many Lindas and Marisas. I get confused, too. :) Thanks for the compliments on my cubes!

Starlia gave me permission to post some constructive criticisms. I wanted to post it here, because this type of stuff can benefit any lampworker, including myself. It's stuff I read about and had taught to me when I first started out. A few of these things might be subjective, or a matter of personal preference, so keep that in mind. What works for me might not work for you. First, the good stuff - I really do like your latest vessels. The shapes are very nice and I like the colors. I've watched you carefully since you started and I think you've made lots of improvements in your applications and techniques. Now the critiques - (I am writing this while looking at the recent stuff on your website and your past auctions)

I think you should practice shaping with gravity, and practice getting even round beads. Some of the beads you have posted on your site and on ebay are a little off on the shapes. I like making donuts (rondelles) as well, but they need to be accurately shaped. That comes with practice. Work outside and underneath the flame when shaping, and turn your bead slowly and consistently

When putting bumps on beads, make sure to melt them in so they don't appear blobbish (is that a word?) and so they don't have undercuts. Try to make them all the same size, as well. Undercuts can result in the bumps popping off. That goes with the application of stringer of any kind, on round beads as well as sculpturals. That can be accomplished by pushing on the glass a little when applying it, and then melting it about half way. This is especially true of scrolling and applying twisted cane. It will pop off or break if not melted in partially right away. I know this because it still happens to me from time to time. Practice applying stringer. Practice, practice, practice. Scrolling and applied stripes are a pain.

When doing the twist technique, it looks more polished when the broken twist in the middle is melted in more. I was looking at your pink cross and noticed that. Melt the twisted dots in all the way after breaking off the stringer.

After etching, wash the bead in water and use a toothbrush to scrub away the etching dust that occurs. Otherwise, a white dust forms on the beads and makes them look dirty.

Work on getting your encasing closer to the ends of your beads. A little bit showing close to the ends is okay, and this is almost unavoidable when encasing stripes or triangles, but some of your beads have the the encased part rolling on top of the encasing itself. I was looking at the Justice focal.

This is where it gets a little subjective. I am not as fond of the sheer number of colors you use in one bead, or in a set of beads. The more colors used, the muddier the bead tends to be. Especially if they are all melted in together. I know this is a matter of preference, but I think your beads would sell better if you were more careful about the color selection. I am looking at the circus beads and the remnants set. That is purely subjective, though. I know a lot of people like the hodge-podge look of many contrasting colors. :)

Lastly, and this is probably what will get me into trouble - I noticed that you are offering classes on your website. My personal opinion is that anyone who wants to charge money for beadmaking classes should really make sure all the techniques taught are perfected, first. A little more experience is really needed before teaching. You're still new at this - just since November. I honestly think that you should have at least a year under your belt before offering classes to the general public. I have been doing this for a year and a half, almost non-stop. I have had tons of practice. I've been very successful selling my beads. But I still wouldn't teach unless the person wasn't paying money. I might consider an apprentice. Eventually. But I will only teach when I feel I have the proper experience to do so. The ISGB has a whole article on teaching and what they feel is a good basis for it. I agree with a lot of what they are saying. Of course, it really depends on the artist. Some people are so good at this that they can teach right away. But I don't think you are ready for that yet. And of course, I am sure there are people who disagree with me.

I think you're a really wonderful person, Starlia, and you are growing tremendously as a beadmaker. I hope this stuff above doesn't make you feel bad, because its only intended to help, I promise.

Thank you Kandice for your feedback. I guess on my donuts you can't tell that they are all shaped well because of the wire I am using. They move around too much when I photograph them and gives the appearance of wonkiness. Is that a word?

Everything else I will work on and with feedback like this I will only make better beads.

Thanks! :-)

Great advice for any new beadmaker Kandice. You will make a wonderful teacher if you ever decide to go that route.

She's already a great mentor. :-)

Heck, yeah, wonkiness is a word!! :)

I string my beads on plain copper wire. You might consider putting small beads between them (I use crystals or Bali, but you can use anything that looks good), that way people can see the sides of the beads and see that they are well shaped. :)

You took all this very well, Starlia - kudos to you!!!