I know how much fun it is to get a peek behind the scenes and watch the process of art being created. So, I love to make these videos when I can that show more of the process of how I make my murrine cane.
One of the main components in all my handmade glass art lampwork beads is murrini! I love the intricate designs and interest small murrini chips can add to beads. I especially love how they look under a clear glass encasement.
In this video I demonstrate how I create a complex, 8 layer full-size cane which will be cut down into smaller murrini chips and added to my handmade beads one-by-one.
In this video I demonstrate how I create an encased silver glass bead with tiny raised dots on the surface.
With the right type of flame, the silver in the silver glass is brought to the surface of the bead causing it to develop a slightly metallic sheen. Once I see that sheen I quickly and carefully capture that luster beneath a layer of crystal clear glass.
After encasing, and shaping and smoothing the bead, I apply three rows of alternating dots with a silver glass stringer pulled thin.
It takes a steady hand to get the dots just right! 😀
Once applied, the raised glass dots are spun through the heat of the flame just enough to allow them to melt about half way down. If they were not melted in far enough the dots would be at risk of being popped off when worn. But melting them too far down can cause them to lose their dimension and disappear into the bead altogether. It’s a tricky balance between too much and too little heat.
Watch me melt glass and play with fire! In this video I work step-by-step to create a hollow-looking murrini cane. I include narration throughout, so you might learn a little something along the way, (but if you get tired of hearing me talk, feel free to mute the video – haha). 😀
In this video I make a small bead with my own handblown shards!
Shards are thin sheets of blown glass that can be wrapped around beads to add interest and detail to a design. I used shards quite a lot back when I was making large focals. But applying them to small beads can be a bit tricky. Especially if you are using reactive shards that tend to move while they melt in the heat of the flame.
I hope you enjoy it!
Please note: This video is a demonstration for entertainment purposes only.
A photo of the finished bead after kiln annealing…
Here’s another YouTube video I made while testing murrini. Whenever I make murrini I always test it on white glass to see a true representation of the colors. Also it helps me to see how the murrini behaves in the flame and when applied.
Here are some pictures of the murrini I used during the video after kiln annealing –
There is no speaking or teaching in this video, it is just a demonstration for entertainment purposes only.*
*Because this video is only a demonstration for entertainment purposes, and not for instruction as a tutorial, I will not be offering any advice or information as to the colors, tools or techniques I use. If you learn something new, that’s great! But the video is really just for your enjoyment.
Disclaimer: please do not attempt these techniques unless you are well skilled in working with molten glass in an open flame – if you do try these techniques you assume all responsibility for the outcome of your efforts and agree that you are aware of and will comply with any and all safety precautions associated with making glass beads including but not limited to proper ventilation of your work environment, wearing safety glasses and appropriate clothing, use of an open flame, working with hot glass, being careful around sharp glass, etc., etc… CCGlassArt cannot be held responsible for any negative results you may incur attempting these techniques.
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