Beginning Lampwork Glass Beads 101-Basic Bead Shapes
What you'll learn
- The student will learn how to make lampwork glass beads.
- This is a class for beginners and we will learn preparation, safety techniques, and how to make some basic bead shapes.
Requirements
- The student should have a work area already prepared.
- Fireproof workstation with their torch already set up and good ventilation.
- All artists creating this bead should have basic knowledge of lampwork safety precautions. Torch safety, glass handling skills, proper ventilation and using proper eyewear are all requirements needed to safely make this bead. All the materials, supplies and tools are available through lampwork glass suppliers and distributors. I also highly recommend using a kiln to properly anneal your bead after it is complete to ensure durability and strength.
Description
This course is designed for the beginner lampworker who want to learn the basics of making glass beads using Soda Lime glass. The techniques, tips and processes are relevant to students working on a surface mix torch with oxygen and propane, or for students working on torches attached to MAPP gas canisters.
After a short introduction, the instructor will review the class prerequisites. Students should already have their studio set-up with their torches safely installed on a workbench. They should also have good ventilation, a fire extinguisher and proper eyewear. The students will also need basic knowledge of lampwork safety precautions and have some preliminary comfort with handling hot glass. I will then review the tools we will use and recommend a kiln for annealing.
Once the review of prerequisites is complete, the instructor will review the class syllabus and agenda including preparations to torch, mandrel preparation, a short statement on the type of glass used in class and a lecture on flame types. The class will then move forward into properly turning on your surface mix torch using the POOPO method. We’ll talk about puckered holes and start making beads.
The instructor will demonstrate basic donut beads and disc beads that require no tools. The second set of beads will be marvered beads including barrels, cones and bicones. The third set of beads will be mashed beads including cubes, rectangle beads and flat bases beads.
Once the beads are made, there will be a short lecture on annealing and then a demonstration on how to clean the beads once they are cooled. A short wrap-up will conclude the class.
Who this course is for:
- Beginning lampwork glass bead artists.
Instructor
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 51 Reviews
- 1,367 Students
- 20 Courses
Hello, I'm Anna Maria.
I have always been a clumsy geek striving towards beauty and grace through art. After 28 years as an engineer in the corporate world, it's time to move on and do something I love for myself. I have been a polymer clay instructor and lampwork glass bead artist since 2002. I am thrilled to be here and I have a ton of ideas and projects to share with all of you. Art has always been an escape mechanism for me and I want to share the peace and joy that creation can bring to your soul.