Experiment Two Reflection

For our second experiment my goal was to have the majority of my beads remain intact. As you can see in the photo below, only one of my beads broke this time. I was really happy about this, and I think it has to do with a number of differences. First of all, I made a conscious effort to apply the glass on the mandrel with the mandrel not in the flame. This is important because burning off the bead release means the glass will stick to the steel mandrel and will have to be broken in order to be removed. In our last experiment I tended towards doing this without meaning to, because I found it was easier to apply the glass. I also lifted my fiber blanket one too many times, which gave the glass a temperature shock making them more likely to crack. The final difference this time was that Angela removed the majority of my beads from their mandrels while I was taking photos of the beads. Angela definitely was the best at removing the beads, and she only broke a couple of them in total.

My Beads from Experiment #2

Cylindrical Bead with Yellow Lines

 With this bead I was experimenting with narrow lines. Beforehand I applied the stringer directly onto the bead, but I found that the lines were thick and my hand wavered. For these thin straight lines I held the bead an inch behind the stringer in the flame, and the pressure from the flame pushed the fine line of glass onto the bead. The Vikings did not use propane torches, so in order to achieve such a straight line their stringers might have been thinner than ours and their lines were straighter due to experience.

Eye Decoration

Eye Decoration

 This bead shows eye decoration, which is done by placing one set of raised dots onto the bead. These dots are kept into the flame until they smooth into the bead. Then one more set of raised dots are placed directly on the precious set and kept in the flame until they are smooth as well.

Bumblebee Decoration

This design is achieved by keeping a steady hand and even applying the glass. As you can see, it is extremely difficult to apply the glass equally and smoothly along the surface of the bead.

Double Wave Decoration

The double wave pattern is also very difficult due to the same reasons as the bumblebee design.

White Semi-Raised Dot decoration

This design is easily achieved. The bigger the dots, the longer you apply the glass.

Melon Bead

Melon Bead

The melon beads are done by pressing the small shaping tool into the width of a ring shaped or round bead.

Experiment with Line and Dot Decoration

 I used this bead to try different types of decorations such as flat dots, raised lines, and raised dots.

Attempt at Chevron Pattern

Attempt at Chevron Pattern

 I tried to achieve a chevron pattern by making a stripe pattern and then drawing the small shaping tool through the lines. While this did not create a chevron pattern, the effect was still very pretty.

Broken Bead with Stripes

Stripes are done by applying raised lines, and holding them in the flame until they smooth into the glass.

Spiral Bead

A spiral bead is done by applying the glass while rotating the mandrel. It is difficult to keep the glass even, and to keep both ends of the bead even. I had done a couple spiral beads in our last experiment, which had not been successful because I had accidentally closed off the far end by going off the mandrel with the glass.

Black Dot Pattern

This green colour is one of the closest colours we could find to the Viking green we have seen in our books. I added black flat dots to this ring bead.

Rectangular Multi-Colour Bead

This rectangular shape is achieved by using pinchers that create the flat surfaces.

Raised Dot Pattern

The different sizes of dots are applied by holding the glass on the bead for varying amounts of time.

Segmented Bead with White Dots

I applied two beads onto the mandrel and slowly brought them together by adding more glass. I also shaped the bead further by adding a defined line in the middle with the large shaping tool. I also added white dots in an attempt to add flowers, but I found that the white colour was starting to burn in the flame so I stopped before the colour changed anymore.

In conclusion, our second attempt at bead making was very successful. We became even more familiar with the way glass melts and how to work glass. We also tried more difficult shapes and patterns, some of which were more successful than others.