luminArte: precious porcelain beads

In this project I used the Radiant Rain Pure Color Concentrate TM. Available in 24 brilliant colors with a handy dauber top, Radiant Rain is a hybrid which means a cross between watercolor and acrylic. As water evaporates, the acrylic left behind bonds to surface

In preparation for CHA hobby show I was designing a demonstration of how to make your own custom kitchen tiles and noticed the surface of the Fire Mountain porcelain beads was similar to the tile. In the craft industry we’re all too familiar with those happy accidents. By applying my tile technique to the beads, look what happened!

As a beading enthusiast, I have a huge collection of crystals, glass beads, seed beads- you name it. However finding a focal bead to match my collection is not that easy. Now I can make my own beads to match anything I can imagine. Perhaps you have a special outfit for that important occasion and need that special piece of jewelry to coordinate. Incidentally another artist was present the day we shot these finished pieces and commented she wanted to borrow the necklace, earrings and bracelet set to accent an outfit for her next cruise!

Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad ~ President Luminarte Inc

Materials:

LuminArte Materials:

Radiant Rain Pure Color Concentrate Daubers

Craft sticks

Eye dropper

Fire Mountain Beads Materials

Porcelain Beads

General Materials:

Styrofoam block

Craft Cups

Wooden Skewers

Protective table covering

Play clothes

Heat Gun

Project (1) Apple Blossom & Solar Gold

Step 1

Uncap Apple Blossom

Step 2

Stir up product well, mica and pigment settle to bottom

Step 3

Pour a little bit in craft cup

Step 4

Trim down craft stick to fit inside bead

Step 5

Insert craft stick into bead

Step 6

Fill eyedropper with Solar Gold and drizzle over bead into craft cup

Step 7

Use heat gun to begin to roll color around

Step 8

While bead is hot from gun, continue to roll excess color droplet wrapping bead with brilliant stream of color

Step 9

Using tip of skewer tip, move last bit of wet color around, you may pop a bubble to release all the final paint left on bead

Step 10

Pat excess moisture with finger

Step 11

Drop Apple Blossom onto bead

Step 12

Heat bead, turning so color will move

Step 13

Use stick to move color around. The bead should stay hot enough to dry color as it moves

Step 14

Apply more heat when necessary

Step 15

Bead is done, put on stick, insert stick into Styrofoam cube to cool and dry

Project (2) Stargazer, Rich Cobalt & Solar Gold

Step 1

Apply Stargazer to bead with eye dropper over a craft cup

Step 2

Heat bead with heat gun a few seconds

Step 3

While the first color is still a little moist, quickly roll color and draw rich cobalt onto bead , as you apply the color the warm bead will grip the paint.

Step 4

Continue adding color to bead

Step 5

If bead cools too much warm bead again

Step 6

Draw Solar gold on with tip of skewer

Here is your finished bead

Step 7

Important note: Bead must be cool to touch before applying any type of sealant.

Apply clear nail polish or spray fixative. Make sure and dry 15 minutes in-between applications. Make sure all applications are a ‘thin’ layer, whether a spray fixative, or clear nail polish

 

Step 8

To dry, insert bead on stick into Styrofoam cube