12 Jul 2014

Making Hollow Beads


     Hollow polymer clay beads have been around for a while and I'm sure there are many tutorials available online. I have seen several great ideas how to build an armature for polymer clay beads and sculptures, especially if the aim is to achieve bigger size. It can be made with help of card stock, wire, styrofoam, polymer clay itself and many other tricks. 

     My hollow cylinder beads developed from the ruffled earring bead design I started to make back in January and the only armature I use are few small foil balls inside the cylinder while shaping the first end and then removed. Once out of curiosity I ruffled and closed both ends instead of just one, very soon I wanted to increase the size and that's how I started to make my cylinder beads. The finished bead is  4cm tall and 2.5 cm diameter and I really love this generous size. 

     Scroll down to have a look at step by step process and see the finished necklace below. Pictured beads are made from translucent polymer clay in four colours and I have used silk Chinese knotting cord to string beads. 


Hollow Cylinder Bead Necklace / Valg Studio


11 comments:

  1. wow, these are gorgeous, great job! I found you through the Etsy blogging forum!

    sparkle & shine *~*

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  2. I must say that I never found polymer beads attractive. I never thought well of the material.
    But this changed my mind completely, they are beautiful! A little piece of art :D

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  3. Thank you both, it is an exciting artistic medium and the potential is huge. I'm so glad my work could change your thoughts about polymer clay.

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  4. this medium always looks such fun..reminds me of play dough my mum used to make us with flour and who knows what else was in it ...except you have a very clear design process before you even start!

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  5. I would like to see the step by step a little more in detail. Can't quite understand how you did these.

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  6. I would like to see the step by step a little more in detail. Can't quite understand how you did these.

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  7. Hi all! Thank you for your kind words and interest. I'll see do I have more images saved from the making process and I'll add them to the original post if I have. Probably I should make a new tutorial altogether in the near future. Kind regards, Liga

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  8. Yes, I agree. I'm not understanding how you got from step to step....I would like to add, I am an artist working with many mediums including metalsmith and metal clay. Polymer Clay offers a creative and forgiving material to make beautiful pieces.

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