ACS Beads

[Polly]

I have only made a couple flat items (a tie tack and pair of earrings), but I have seen some great beads, and I plan on making some beads as soon as I get a chance. (Click for a very cool necklace by Margot Casstevens.  I believe it is made of yellow turquoise, a porcelain found object, and Art Clay Silver.)

I also plan on making some "specialty findings" out of Art Clay Silver, and putting it all together in a a multistrand gemstone or Czech glass necklace.

I will use the Core Cork Clay (R&T #87-040) to build frameworks/foundations for cone/tube shaped necklace ends, a centerpiece, and matching beads.

Does anyone recommend something other than the Cork Clay, for the bead holes?

--Polly

[Metalman]

This is an awesome material for creating unique beads!!

I did just to make sure - If you can think it - you can make it in fine silver using Art Clay Silver and the related products - paste, sheets, syringe.

If you can take a qiuck class in your area- it will help you get jump started, other wise send us you questions.

As to other materials for bead cores - you can use anything that is completely organic. This means that when you fire your beads, this material will burn completely away leaving a small amount of ash.  There are moldable paper products which will work but you have to make sure it has no stone, pumice or inorganic additives as some of them do.
Send more questions

[Metalman]

You could use seashell as a mold or to texture the Art Clay - I would rub the shell down with a little olive oil first and then you could press the shell into the surface of the clay or the clay into the surface of the shell.
I would think that the shell would not stand up to firing but if you can afford to fire test one, run it up in your kiln to the temperature and time cycle of the Art Clay you are using.  The calcium content in a shell is too high for it to burn out the way you would want your organic molding material to burn out.
There is a lot of room for experimenting here, this is unexplored territory - so do some tests and let us all know how it goes.

[quicksilver]

I am toying with the art clay idea.
For now I don't want to anything fancy...just beads,small charms,pendants.
As I am not yet familiar with it am I on the right track? Is it an excellent material for bead making? I know there are porcelan bead blanks that you can decorate with ACS but I really want to make my own bead shapes etc.
So before getting too enthused i would like to hear if this is an awesome material for creating unique beads or is it more suited for other types of jewelry things!
Thanks

[quicksilver]

Thanks Polly,
I love the organic look of her beads.
More than anyhting I want to make beads out of anything/everything! So I will add Art Clay Silver to my list of possibilities!

[quicksilver]

Does that mean you can use seashells for the form?
I would love to find a class - I can get to Norfolk VA, Washington DC, Baltimore MD, or NYC easily - also Tampa/Orlando area - do you know of anyplace in those areas?

Thanks

[Metalman]

Does anyone recommend something other than the Cork Clay, for the bead holes? from Polly, 8/3/03

Recently, I have been making small sets of beads I call 'twist' beads.  I take a piece of angel hair pasta or spaghetti or ?? and twist a small, thin sheet of rolled out Art Clay around it.  With some pinching and messin' with it, I end up with a bead. Each is very unique, but done as a group, they will match.  I find that each 'session' gives me a certain quality. As long as I keep these small, 10mm or less, I can torch fire them. Go slow so the pasta [organic material] has time to burn out