BEADS 

(for making holes in beads, see Beads-Holes )
Gen. Info.
Controlling bead size
Rolling by hand (round, oval) + Keeping Smooth
Baking + Suspending + Finishing
....suspending
........applying finish & drying (suspended)
....sanding/buffing + brief high heat
"Finishing beads," end caps, etc.
Other info for all beads
Covering a core
.....clay cores (hidden cores)
.....flat onlays
.....cane slices, bits
.........very thin flat onlays (slice painting, etc.)
.....dimensional onlay
........drum beads, beehive, bargello, dripped
.....foil cores, other cores (removable,meltable)
Types-Shapes of beads
Round, square, etc, ...cabochon
.....Donut
Spacer & Heishi
Tubes ...various methods
Molded, stamped
....double-sided ...lumpies
Rolled, croissant
Mobius
Foldover & other folds .....Folded log ring
Other bead shapes & types (tiles,coils,cones,twisted,painted,etc)
Football --shaved (mica, ButterflyWing)
Chevron (& peeled candle)
Symmetrical pattern beads:
....Natasha beads (4 symmetries)
....flat symmetrical beads (1 symmetry) & Elissahearts
Hollow
...pillow (hollow and solid ones)
...lentil ...non-round & complex shapes
Hole-y (wax,cornstarch pellet)
Bezels + frames
Misc. uses for beads (bead people, fan pulls, zipper pulls, clip-ems, wine charms, etc.)
Bead rollers
...Bicones, using flat-surface roller
........textured bicones
......."swirled bicones"
..Trough-type rollers (round, oval, bicone)
.......Measuring clay amts for rollers
.......Making your own trough bead rollers
Books & Videos ...+ Kits
Websites

GEN. INFO.

Polymer clay beads can be made in almost any way imaginable...generally a "bead" will have some kind of hole or way of attaching to other things, but otherwise it can be just about anything at atll!

Our beads are created in many shapes, with many methods, and with many patterns or surface techniques.
...this page will have many exampes of patterns & surface decoration, but it will mostly address the basic shapes and methods for creating them
(use all the rest of GlassAttic to find all the patterns and other decorations which could be applied to any of the shapes, etc.)

Kellie's page showing a variety of bead shapes and types:
http://www.kelliesklay.homestead.com/charmsforleigh.html
add more

Controlling BEAD SIZE

If you want to make beads of the same size, or beads of any particular size, there are several ways to achieve the same volume of clay in each and make the process easier than trial and error
....(this method is also helpful for making body parts like two arms or ears of the same size, or two components of anything the same size)

Of course, you'll have to figure out just which combination of thickness and cutter or mold, or diameter of log and width of slice, will result in the exact sizes you want.... (keeping notes might be a good idea!)

SHEETS:
..cutters ...roll clay into a sheet (use the same thickness sheet for every set of beads you want to be the same)
... then cut out identical pieces of clay from that sheet with a cutter of some kind (any shape) ....roll each into a ball, then shape or manipulate the ball as desired
...many things can be used as cutters too if you don't have regular cookie or canape cutters...e.g., caps and lids, brass tubes, etc.
...in fact,nything which can make a visible mark on the clay could also be used, then shape cut out with needletool or Xacto, etc.
..molds ... completely fill a mold of some kind with clay (even a measuring spoon could be "mold"), then cut off all excess clay & remove
..graph paper, etc...cut squares of equal sizes from a sheet of clay in two ways
....lay clay (that's smaller than the graph paper) on top of graph paper, and use the graph lines which extend beyond the clay to place your (long) blade and make cuts
...or lay graph paper on top of clay, then use a pin to prick through the paper into the clay to mark guides for cutting after paper is removed

LOGS:
comb, Marxit, ruler... roll clay into a log which has the same diameter all along its length (measure diameter exactly if want to repeat this size later)... it can be helpful to roll the log under a sheet of glass or something flat to make it as even as possible
....then mark the log at equal intervals using an impression from a comb, a Marxit tool, or just a ruler on the log or beside it... choose the intervals which will give the volume of clay you want for each bead... then cut where you marked

STENCILS:
....draftsman or engineer's plastic templates have round holes of gradually-increasing diameter which can be used after a ball is made ...this method takes more time and is more to check the size than create it, so just try fitting diff. size clay balls inside one hole of the template-stencil, then remove or add clay till the ball fits exactly

(for a few more tips that might be relevant, also see below in Trough Rollers > Measuring Clay Amounts )

ROLLING by HAND & Keeping Smooth

There are an amazing number of shapes you can make with your hands alone.
...A great exercise (for beginners or anyone) is just to play for an hour or two and just see how many shapes you can come up with (I save these in a box for future reference and inspiration). This can be a great use for your scrap clay mud. . . Try to use different portions of your hands and fingers, different amounts of pressure, and different kinds of pinching or pressing, then see what you come up with. Don't worry about trying to make partciular shapes as much as seeing what what things happen when you use certain motions.
...Actually, just about every shape in polymer clay begins with a smooth ball (or a rolled out sheet). The reason for this is because it's the one way we can eliminate all seams, cracks, lumps, etc. After you've rolled a smooth ball in your hands, you can roll one end smaller (for a teardrop or a carrot shape), you can roll it into a log, you can press it into a square/triangular/long rectangular/or other shape. Other kinds of motions include pinching, pressing, twisting, stretching/lengthening/etc. In addition to pressing or rolling with your hands, you can use your work surface as a sort of third hand to create flat surfaces (think of flattening the bottom of a teardrop shape to form a Hershey's kiss shape) or as a flat surface to roll against.
(...for some ideas for shapes, and how to make them, also see Miniatures and also Sculpting Body & Tools)
...There are also sculpting, miniature, and beads/jewelry books you can buy which show many of these kinds of things in detail.
...After you've developed a basic vocabulary of shapes, you'll have the tools for figuring out how to many just about any shape! Diane B.

Roll beads in the center of your palms:
--for round beads, roll in the very center of your hands in small circles, applying as much pressure as works best with the temp of your hands, etc
-- for oval- or football-shaped beads, roll the bead in a larger circle in your hands and/or put more pressure on the bead. DB

If you're having trouble making round beads, I can suggest that you dont' do the reverse of what it takes to *make* those shapes . . . see if it helps:
--for round not football, try making a smaller circle in your palm when rolling the bead
--for round not bicone, try not pressing down quite as firmly ...
I think one of the variables may be the shape and individual muscle strength of one's palm/hand/arm, but assume that creating a different effect could be learned. Diane B.
...I think the secret to a round bead is to roll it in your palm moving only one hand circular...keeping one hand stationary. Cindy

I think this is a very important thing to do, particulary if you're into bead making. Not to downplay the manufactured tools for making beads, but there is a lot of value in practicing with your most valuable set of tools - your hands - especially for something fundamental as rolling a small piece of clay into a ball.
The skills you develop by learning to control pressure and performing precision repetitive movements positively translates into many other manual craft activities. The most important being the confidence you gain to master most any task that requires high dexterity.
Pardon the cliche, but practice does make perfect. It can be very frustrating, at first, to try crafting a simple little ball with your hands. It looks as if it should be easy. And even now, there are days when I just can't do it and wind up inadvertently rolling a football or something, I know I can "get the ball". I've learned to trust my hands and 'go with the flow'. If I wind up with a football, so be it. I set that one aside and try another piece of clay. But I keep at it. When I do make the perfect little ball, it's because I've reached that mental and physical balance. You see, making the ball is mostly about getting my head and muscles into the right "zone".
Some basic tips to rolling a ball by hand are to:
-- relax
-- keep the piece of clay in your palm area; don't let your fingers get involved . ..think of your palms as smooth shallow bowls.
-- start out using some pressure, but then lighten up... learn to keep the pressure light but steady.
-- rotate one direction, then swtich, then switch, then switch, etc.
--try to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the whole piece of clay...There is an optimal firmness to roll a ball of clay. This is determined by the brand and by temperature. Temp is controlled by the environment and your hands. If the room temp is 75, then the clay is starts out at that temp. After rolling about on your hot little hands, the clay can warm up, first on the surface, and then eventually throughout. Inconsistent temp in your clay can make it harder to control creating the shape you wish. - and practice, practice, practice... Did I mention practice? Desiree

SMOOTHING & shaping:
Since clays get warm (and soft) from the friction of rolling and shaping beads, fingerprints and other marks can show up on them easier
...so its' good to let the clay cool off so it can firm up before giving a final roll or doing additional shaping
...also a little water seems to make smoothing easier (and to remove fingerprints) - so, after the beads are shaped, for that final roll, I put some water in my palms, roll the beads a bit, and those beads are smooooth!
..........then set them aside till the water dries and they cool off and firm up enough to put on rods, cook'em, and they come out great. Try it, you'll like it! Jan C
........at Ravensdale Kathy (teacher) made us all keep a bowl of water on our desks to smooth with. Works great. Cindy
....water works great for Premo (& Sculpey?), but have found that Diluent-Softener works better for the non-Polyform clays --Fimo (& Kato? & Cernit?).

Many clayers also like to use cornstarch or Bon Ami, etc., to smooth the clay before baking (in hands or with tools)

I always use gloves (latex, etc.) for making beads and other small things. I either buy them in a 5 pack and reuse them over and over again (cleaning in between) or get a box of small sized gloves (the small ones fit perfect on my hands-no bagginess at all), non powdered, non texured from a medical supply store. (The one-size fits all are good only in a pinch.) Valerie

Also remember that rolling in one's palms will leave fewer fingerprints than using fingers
.... and try to always hold the clay lightly, especially when its warm.

(for more on avoiding or getting rid of fingerprints, buying and using gloves, and also smoothing clay before baking
... see Sculpture > Fingerprints . . . and also Sanding > Smoothing Before Baking)

(for other ways to roll certain shapes of beads, and also avoid fingerprints, see below in "Bead Rollers, etc." below)

The three methods (for learning to make bead, hapes) that I've used (so far) are:
Viewing numerous times the video tapes by Tory Hughes and Karen (Klew) Lewis on bead shapes, practicing these shapes over and over as often as possible, and then using the bead rollers when I need to do certain shapes in a limited length of time (some artists the bead rollers just to roll the base bead and then they add the decor over them.) I think, however, that practice and watching the tapes has been the most help. Dotty

To roll out a bead with a metallic clay you have to be careful to fold the cut ends inside or else you'll have darker lines on the surface. Dotty in CA

For rolling even logs of clay, keep your hands diagonal to the log rather than perpendicular to it, so that your fingers don't leave depressions and raised areas on the log. I think I learned this trick from Marie Segal. Elissa
..Or roll under a sheet of glass or plexiglass. DB

Larger items can also be built up with many component shapes like these logs, balls, etc.
...as an example: http://store.cforiginals.net/index.html (look all around, and clicking a second time will make photos much larger!)
...or shapes can be used as more traditional onlay (see Onlay)

BAKING + SUSPENDING + FINSIHING beads
(& sanding-buffing, drying clear finishes)

baking

Beads can be baked sitting directly on ordinary paper which has been laid on a metal or glass baking pan (the paper barrier prevents a shiny spot from developing when the clay is baked on slick surfaces)
.......or baked on other matte surfaces like terracotta tiles, etc.
....round beads will roll around less if they've had holes already made in them (slightly flattened on each side)
......but if rolling is a problem, beads can also be baked on an accordion-folded paper and/or a baking pan with a lip.

Beads (esp. dimensional ones) can also be baked on:
.... polyester stuffing or batting.... nests of tissues or cotton fabric... (on, or in) piles of powders like cornstarch, etc., to keep from darkening as well (see Baking for lots more info and possibilities)

baking suspended

Or beads can be suspended during baking, after threading onto thick or thin rods of metal or wood, then placing the ends of each rod on a raised surface of some kind to keep the beads from touching any nother surfaces.
.....the raised surfaces could be as simple as scrunched logs of aluminum foil, or a cardboard strip formed into a rectangle
.....or they could be made, or assembled from, kitchen & garage items
.....or they can be purchased as "bead trays"

RODS, etc.
advantages to using metal:
....won't soak up particles of clay over time
....can cure, buff and glaze the beads while they're still on the rod
....cleans up nicely with a 3M scrubber if nec.
I sometimes had a sticking problem with wood skewers, but beads will come right off metal when slightly warm ) Elizabeth

lengths of wire (preferably stiff) can always be used

I use long doll making needles to suspend my beads....come in a variety of sizes. You can also use the very long ones and go the long length on a box. Jeanne.
http://www.heartofclay.com/eb/beadbox6.jpg

very thin metal needles-rods (9"?) are often sold at bead supply stores

...Bead Piercing Pins" (same thing? but through PolyTools, intended for use in their bead racks)
........ http://tinyurl.com/4d49u (Misc. category)
.........dia. similar to 20 gauge wire ...sharp ...hardened steel (must protect fr. moisture or can rust) )
.........beads will stick to these pins during baking, so if nec. hold pin with pliers then twist each bead off
...bought a package of metal rods with flags on the end of them at Home Depot...just pull the flags off . Janet

I use very thin.knitting needles from yarn shops (or online)
...... for example Polymer Clay Express http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/tools.html Elizabeth

I use thin or very thin. brass or aluminum rods (or tubes) to cure beads ..come in many diff. diameters (even the thickest is no fatter than a skewer).
.......available at Ace Hardware ....or in railroad-type hobby stores. Elizabeth

I use thin brass rods... across various disposable aluminum foil trays
.....I just lay the rods across the tray , so the beads aren't touching anything.
........even if the beads extend beyond the foil tray, it's no problem. Randi

with the (aluminum) trays, I nest maybe 3-4 together for more support!
.........when the niches wear out, I move that tray to the bottom, and put nitches in the next one
...you can even get them to match the size of your oven and it works great, even better
...you can have more than one, and have one batch in the oven while you work on another!!!! Leigh

Any kind of box bottom or lid that's reasonably stiff can be used to suspend beads on rods while baking:

I made a quickie bead box/tray that can be used for suspending beads, plus other beads can bake in its bottom
(lesson) ...you need a small pasteboard box (I used one that business cards come in)
...slice down the 4 corners of the box so you can flatten the box
...cut around the outside edges of all 4 flaps using pinking shears or decorative edge scissors
...reconnect the corners back in place with paper and white glue (do not use hot glue)
...line the bottom with polyfill batting (if adhesive on one side, lay that side down)

take an old metal pan and cut notches in it for the skewers. Trina... (with a Dremel?)

I took the baking pan from my toaster oven & ran some snakes of clay down both sides.
...then I pressed indentations into the clay with some bamboo skewers, then baked the clay on the pan
.... I insert skewers or rigid wire into the beads & let the skewers/wire rest in the indentations of the clay
..When I'm using wire to bake beads on this unit, sometimes it sags in the middle
..so I also put 2 small bits of clay on the front & back edges (the sides I hadn't used for the clay strips)
.... they cradle another wire that runs from the pan's front to back & helps support the wire & beads. Barb

I use the metal rack that is made for baking stones from Pampered Chef (cost= $4 retail or 10 cents at thrift store)
... I just twist 22 guage floral wire around one end of the "handle", string the beads on the wire, and then secure the wire to the other end.
....When I apply glaze to the baked beads, I stick a bamboo skewer through the hole of the bead (still strung on the wire) so that I can keep the bead in one place or turn it in a controlled manner.
....You can do several rows at a time on the same rack. Kara

Professional Bead Baking Rack "& Cane Slicer".... & Pro Bead Rack ...(2 versions)
......heavy duty aluminum trough(s), with notches in sides to suspend bead(s) on metal "piercing pins"
..........also slots in the frame sides for 45° angle cuts
....small rack (end view)..!__! . ...9x3x1-1/4"...20 pins, 3-1/2" --room to use 13)....$18-23, sold by Amaco
.........http://jewelsbyjewls.com/P620002.JPG ... http://tinyurl.com/cwkos etc.... + JoAnn's, etc
....large rack (Pro Bead Rack)... (end view)...!__!__!__! ...3 U troughs in one unit
....... http://tinyurl.com/6cppo ....(30 pins, 3/1/2")... room to use 27.... $24 , sold by PolyTools
...50 Bead Piercing Pins can be ordered separately http://tinyurl.com/4d49u from PolyTools (Misc. category)
.......hardened steel (protect fr. moisture or can rust), sharp... dia. similar to 20 gauge wire
......beads will stick to pin during baking, so if nec. hold pin with pliers then twist each bead off
(for info on using these as a cane slicer, see Cutters > Stand Slicers)

Sherry Bailey had a great bead rack design in a back issue of Polyinformer. She made a box out of wire grid material. The skewers could poke through the holes (in the sides) and the box could go into the oven, no problem. Looked like it could hold a lot of beads in a very efficent amount of space. Jody

I use a rack that I made from a couple coat hanger sections, crossed and wired together, with bends at the end of the arms, with 26 gauge wire coils (a la Coiling Gizmo) over a second straight piece of 26 guage stretched out to make separators. I keep a bunch of eye looped copper wire around, and put one bead on each, making a little hanging hook. The coiled wires go around the outside edge of the arms, and cross over to make an X outlined by a square, for maximum hanging in minimum space. I hang the beads from this, and tie the whole frame to the ceiling fan on the patio (I live in the AZ desert, but any hook in the ceiling would probably work, if the rack has room to rotate gently. When I start spraying, the whole rack moves slowly around from the wind generated by the propellant. I do the first coat aiming up a little from the bottom, and another aiming down a little from the top, and that generally takes care of the beads. I get to look at them while I'm pulling the wire out, and catch any that didn't get completely covered, and they go back outside for another coat, applied more carefully to keep from getting a build-up on the bead. Kate

I use the thin wooden skewers for my bead holes, & for baking the beads. Most of the skewers have been used many times in the oven. But sometimes it is almost impossible to get the beads off, afterwards. Mavis
....Try coating the skewer with talc. I like to use Armorall, a product made for cars as a release as well. Ellen
...I've seen comments here and there about not using bamboo skewers, that they don't release the bead (or whatever is on them)....the trick is sanding them before placing the clay on them, and then just slightly wiggling the item. Not much, just so... it slides up and down easily (if not freely). There should still be a little tension. The sanding is VERY important, though -- not a whole lot is needed, just enough to eliminate the little barbs and splinters. . . Kelly

I've baked beads on just about everything without using a releasing agent: knitting needles, metal or copper rods, tooth picks, wooden skewers, wire .... Whenever I have one that won't come off easily I just pop it back into the oven for about 5 min. and take it off when it is warm. I have never had one that would not come off after reheating. Jeanette

I have been having a terrible time with beads cracking lately and I've been wondering if baking the beads on wooden skewers has been contributing to this. Libby
. . . it's a very strong possibility that if the clay is just the size of the wooden skewer that the wood itself is contracting and expanding causing the beads to split. This has been a problem with other objects made with wood and covered with PC. I might suggest using a thick wire like a coat hanger or a knitting needle to bake these pieces instead. Jeanette
......A further trick is, an hour or so before using, wrap the skewers in a damp towel (I suppose you could even microwave them after doing so). The point of this is to allow the skewer to expand the least little bit, so when you cure the clay, the skewer will reshrink a tad and the bead will be simple to get off. . .I especially like the @ 2mm hole - just right for leather cord! -- Kelly
...April 2005: I too have had problems lately with cracked beads. I"ve been working with polymer for over 16 years. For a long time there were no cracks and then all of a sudden the cracks appeared. It happend with Fimo Classic and also Premo. I tried (all kinds of things, but) the beads still cracked. It seemed like the larger ones cracked more ...the only thing that works for me now it to cover the beads with an aluminum disposable baking pan... I have 't had a cracked bead since. Jane S.

applying finish & drying (suspended)

While applying clear finishes, or drizzling liquid clay, etc., onto non-flat clay beads, it's helpful to suspend them in some way.
Tthis also helps keep them from touching other things while finishes are drying.

One can simply stick one end of a toothpick into a bead with hole, then stick the other end into a piece of "Styrofoam" or a wad of raw clay, or some kind of "stand" created with holes for the toothpicks (e.g., a thick, baked slab of clay with pre-made holes)

Some people use pins or T-pins (set into a base, points up) as a rack to hold drying beads (feeling that the tiny marks cause by the pins won't show

Beads can also be suspended on lengths of wire or rods of various kinds as just above, to apply finish and allow drying.

Applying liquid finishes to beads without drips (lessons):
......I bake them ten at a time on bamboo skewers. When cool, put the blunt end on the table or on your chest, twirl the stick as you use a soft paint brush to go around each bead with some varathane.
.......when each stick is done, lay them across the baking pan again to dry. It looks and sounds very primitive, but is very fast and effective once you get the hang of it. Dont use too thick a coating, and it won't pool or drip. Sarajane

dipping: I took a length of 2x6 piece of wood and drew a graph on it so that the squares where 1/2" apart. I drilled holes in it. Then I took some toothpicks and cocktail picks and placed my beads in them.
..... I put my Future in a film canister and dipped the bead in it. Then I tap off any extra future that may be on the bead. Then quickly place the other end of the toothpick in the hole on the board. And I say quickly because otherwise when some of the future runs down the bead and down the toothpick it will then run down your fingers and then your arms and before you know it you got a mess!!! LOL
....... I then bake them to set the future and then I do it again. Mia
...Dar's lesson on dipping with wire http://modernclay.homestead.com/dipping.html

I've been painting (Varathane?) on with a rush, and the bead *sticks* to the skewer, and it hard to get off, and somewhat peels the sheen off. Caroline
...I find that twirling the beads around on the stick as soon as they come out of the oven, before I put on the Future resolves that problem. I also make certain that they can move around on the skewer before I bake them. If you just thread them straight onto the skewer the hole is barely the size of the skewer and when the clay shrinks the tiny bit it does in baking, the hole snugs up. If you loosen them prior to futuring, there isn't further shrinkage when reheating with the future.
...I don't know if this works with Future, but when this glue thing happens with Flecto (Varathane), I put the beads on the stick BACK in the oven long enough to get hot, and they slide/twist right off. Sarajane
...You can drill the wood out later with a smalll hand drill to rescue old ones--it's a pain, but does work. Jeannine
...You could also try coating the skewer with vaseline before you apply any finish to the beads. that should help to keep anything from sticking. Glenn
...or use cornstarch or talcum powder if it's necessary...

( ....for much more on all kinds of liquid or wax finishes), see Finishes

sanding, buffing... & brief high heat

For info on sanding beads in various ways, including "Smoothing (raw clay) Before Sanding,"
see Sanding-Tumbling > General Info and Other Methods for sanding
........ on that same page, also see Tumbling (sanding in a tumbler), if you're interested in that technique
.....Or for using an electric drill or a Dremel to sand round beads with a doll or tapestry needle (plus wet-dry sandpaper, steel wool, or sanding pads) see Tools-Dremels>Sanding>Sandpaper

buffing:
I have a (tabletop) Foredom buffer in addition to my Dremel, but since most of the time I buff little things like beads, I like using my Dremel.
....My Dremel is small and light and, "it comes to me", instead of me having to "go to it", so to speak. In other words, I don't have to specially mount it. I can sit at my project table and simply reach for it, hold it in one hand and buff. Desiree
...Most buffing just requires a light hand with the piece being constantly moving across the face of the buffing surface. Patty B.
...If you have a lot of beads to buff, then you might try laying your Dremel on its side with the shaft and wheel sticking out well past the table/counter (use a Quick Clamp or C-clamp to hold it in place)..... Turn it on. and then you'll be able to hold your object with both hands and move it back and forth against the wheel.
....I like to put a number of beads on a metal rod (piano wire works well) or a bamboo skewer ....then for buffing I hold them on the rod, parallel to the floor (this allows the beads to rotate against the wheel and the wire keeps them from flying away).
....usually I start at one end and do 2 at a time ...as they are finished, I slide them off into a container. Kind of an assembly line system. Patty B
.....here is a different way (to polish round beads on a buffing wheel) ... into the bottom end of a short length of pipe, insert a dowel (which is narrower); then drop a bead into the top of the pipe (which will rest on the end of the dowel inside the pipe)... now push the dowel and bead up past the open end of the pipe maybe a third of the way, and let the bead spin freely against a buffing wheel… takes very little time that is how they make spheres out of rock cubes… Faun
......for buffing beads in a tumbler, and with other electrical devices, see Buffing > ....and Tools > Dremels

brief high heat
... I had a wonderful accident the other day... I bumped up the temp to 350 degrees just to raise the temp slightly but quickly. I hadn't realized that the top elements would come on (as well as the bottom ones), and my pan with beads was on the top shelf. ....the elements got red hot and I noticed smoke (not a lot but enough to know what was happening). ....I immediately removed the beads and they were perfectly shiny! ... and no burns or markings at all. Just perfectly shiny.... Now I'm thinking there must be a way to do this, on purpose. To shine beads without having to sand, polish, or glaze. Wouldn't that be great!? Especially for those small 7mm beads that you would never do that to anyway. Cindy P.
......the shine I got was actually a complete accident. I used FimoClassic and I'm pretty sure I burned it, cause there was smoke coming out of the oven. When I pulled my items out, they had that shine. (I've only used FimoSoft before and that one bakes to a nice matte finish even when you burn it). honeysuckle
...caused by extreme softening of clay which settles enough to become perfectly smooth?

"to FINISH Beads" ....end caps, etc.

Nancy Banks sometimes cuts off the tip ends of her beads (often odd-shaped ones) after baking (while still warm) rather than doing it while raw, so the cuts will be very straight and not deformed

Carly’s lessons on making your own “end caps” for beads
...also making multi-strand bracelet, & crackled center bead w/ foil & acrylic paint
http://www.geocities.com/lubellebeads/projects/gbproject.html

Lynne S's coiled cone-shape end caps made with thin strand of clay
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/chall_may03.html (click on Details, under Lynne S)

Liz's tube beads with 3 stacked, graduated-size, disks on each end used as end caps
http://www.libzoid.com/files/goldscribbtubes503.jpg
Dayle's wide end caps for tube beads
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1751472&a=32123747&p=73924291
Marcella's (Balinese) filigree endcap for tassel http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/chall_aug04.html
......VR James's endcap for "tassel" under woven clay basket pendant http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/chall_sep04.html

domed (or other shape) bead caps can be made by using the same techniques used for making lentil beads (see Hollow Lentils below)
.....Marcella's lentil Bal. filigree "bead", made with two halves (same website as Marcella's just above)
..special metal "beadcaps" to make all kinds of animals & insects, teapots, tiny figures, etc.... these are generally used on both ends of a bead to simulate a torso ... could make these faux metal though
http://www.pennymichelle.com/

"finishing" beads ... some people like to create tiny faux beads with clay to use as finishing beads or decorative covers over holes made for cording in pendants ....or where something rodlike is attached to a surface, etc. (e.g., where a handle or knob, etc. is attached to a vessel)
....roll a tiny ball of clay in the size you want
.......then either place it where you want it with your fingers, and poke a hole through it and into the hole below it with a toothpick, or tapestry needle, etc.
......or with one motion, pick up the clay ball on the end of your pointed tool, place where you want and push through at the same time
...these can look like seed beads (just dimpled where the hole is), or they can be flattened a bit more to look like a donut spacer bead
...clay balls applied this way are very firmly attached
http://www.kelliesklay.homestead.com/inro.html (various sizes, shapes)
...many clayers like to use a tiny "o-ring" made from black rubber in the same way
Desiree's o-ring "beads" on necklace cording
http://www.desiredcreations.com/images/galleryTwoPics/hornNeckl.jpg

"mid caps" for beads ...Elise Winters made a narrow clay cuff, then placed a tapered bead at each end extending partly inside ... the final bead seems to have a decorative girdle around the middle
...(girdle was made by placing a clay sheet around a small roll of paper or dowel, rolling it under a dowel a few times to create grooves, leaving the ends flared and rope-like to "finish" the ends, adding metallic powder?, then baking... (did she cut the girdle widthwise so it would fit over a cinched bead instead if she didn't used removable paper?)
http://www.npcg.org/Activities/muse/images/winters/Original%20Files/winters1.jpg

(see other possibilities below in Tube and Spacer beads)

OTHER GEN INFO re all beads

ragged edges on clay sheets (especially from drier clays, or when run through the pasta machine) can be used to advantage
...use a strip for framing (ragged edges up)
... roll up a strip so that the irregular edge end forms a spiraled cone
......sliced off, they could be end caps for beads, or other onlaid embellishements??
...blends can give a nice effect, too ... or edges could be highlighted with metallic powders, etc.

if I feel like a patterned bead is not turning out well ....instead of throwing it in the scrap pile, sometimes I wrap it in a very thin layer of translucent clay ... that mutes the pattern underneath (see Translucents > Thin Layers)
... you can then add cane slices on top as well, letting the underlayer show throw again. It's a nice save! Heather P.
http://www.humblebeads.com/tip3.html

for making a pitted surface on beads by using raw clay rolled in salt (then dissolved out), see below in Tube Beads
http://www.nfobase.com/html/viking_beads.htm (various pitted natural stone beads...also look down about 2/3 of the way for the large orange bead)

to add weight ....if you only need to add a small bit of weight, you could imbed a BB or two in the piece. Joanie
...or get the tiny sinkers that fisherpersons use ... these come almost as small as BB shot, and I got a box of them assorted for under $4.00. (a hundred.)
....since these are lead, they cut easily if they're too big or the wrong shape, and they weigh a lot for their size. This will make those light pieces hang right. Janey

wired bead figures lesson (a polymer clay doll, with a torso of pc and then beads and wire for the rest of the body. )...They sell well at $20 and are a good way to use up odd beads. I haven't used clay for the body, just ordinary beads, but clay would be easier cause you could imbed a pin finding in the body. Ornamental Resources has directions, but basically:
use 1 to 2 feet 22 GA brass wire or art wire, start at head with double rolled hanging loop, string first section of beads for hat, hair, head & neck. I've used colored telephone wire for hair, wrapped around a knitting needle. Leave about 3mm bare wire below neck to establish shoulders. Insert stick pin loop at neck if using stick pin.
Bend wire to right angle, string beads for arm, make loop for hand, add a charm if desired, thread wire back through arm beads. Turn wire twice around the 3mm wire area that you left blank for shoulders.
Take wire out for other arm, do other arm same as first, make other shoulder. Bend wire straight down and string torso beads. Put large blanket pin in body beads now if you are using that for a pin.
Angle to left for a leg, string leg and foot beads, ending with a small loop, string back up through leg to base of body, wrap wire once around to stabilize, bend wire down for other leg. string beads for other leg, ending in loop at bottom of foot.
The only warning is that these tend to get to be VERY BIG, so restrain yourself from using a lot of beads. And you need beads with holes large enough for the wire to pass through twice, or blessed PC beads that have holes that enlarge easily! Then you can go on to make all kinds of animals and other figures. ..
(They don't really take much time). . . you can wire one up in 10 mins - AFTER you have picked out the beads!!! lol and expenses are next to nothing if you are using leftover odd ones. I've seen them on a web site, they call them "moon babies" for up to $65.
http://www.moonbabies.com (then click on Shop Online) or go to http://www.ornabead.com, send them an email and request the instructions for a wired beaded figure. Jan Clausen
...the idea for the figure is from a "Beady Buddy" book which we actually use an example of how easy it is to do in our store! klew

the technique that works best for me (applies to anything sculpted or even beads ....and Premo, Cernit, Pro-Sculpt or Kato Clay)
...work a little while, and then let it sit it on marble or glass so it hardens a little and cools
...then go back later and work a little more.... i is amazing what you can touch the next time, and how much more control you have over the clay. Jeanne

for building up a supply of non-polymer beads for using with polymer beads (or not)
.... I go to those cheap jewelry boutiques in malls, etc., and haunt their clearance racks... every month or so they run a "10 for $5" clearance sale, when they need to clean out inventory..... while most of their stuff is usually not my style, there are often beads that are salvageable. I can get at least $20 worth of beads (based on the usual "bead store" prices for similar items) for that $5, sometimes more. I got a lot of my batiked bone beads, pendants, and other interesting bits that way....phrena
........lots of times the clasps or other parts are useful too!
(also garage sales ... thrift stores, etc.)

Cheryl's necklaces featuring a single elongated bead (with rubber cording) (website gone)

I have many old beads . . .so I pulled out all the flat and somewhat flat beads, and I'm going to use them to make a random mosaic tabletop. obirtasil

Yesterday I found out about a group of mentally challenged adults that has a creativity meeting every Wednesday. They're always looking for supplies to make things with. So, my formerly unloved beads are going there. Kim K.

Sometimes beads (particularly larger ones) will develop a crack or cracks after baking. There is a lot of discussion about what might cause this, as well as ways to prevent or fix cracks, on the Heads page (sub-category "Cracking")
... (see also above for cracking if using wooden skewers)

Just Beads is my own favorite auction site: http://www.justbeads.com.
You won't find shoes, or magazines from the '50's, but you can find some extraordinary beads! Just Beads is a site created BY bead lovers FOR bead lovers, and its is a select and focused marketplace that is growing steadily...with some extremely cool beads and beading supplies. Many glass and polymer bead artists are finding it to be a receptive and appreciative market. Its easy to get set up as a buyer or seller there, prices are great, and bead artists may also wish to apply for a spot as Artist of the Month.
There is also a lot of information to be had there --about beaders, bead societies, bead shows and events, bead books, and more. Sarajane Helm

history and info about beads in general at The Bead Bugle, The Bead NFObase Magazine
http://www.nfobase.com/default.htm (look in the lefthand column)

COVERING a core

Cores and bases made from clay or from other materials can be completely covered, or partly covered, with slices, bits, or sheets of decorative clay in order to create a decorative surface.
....the decorative clay may be applied then be rolled into the surface of the base/core, or it may be left dimensional.

wooden balls and wood shapes can also be used as cores ... all details in Covering > Wood)
scrunched aluminum foil shapes can be used as cores ... all details below in Foil Cores
hollow polymer clay balls or other shapes can be used as cores ... all details below in Hollow Beads > Round forms)

.......(for cracking problems, esp. in larger beads, see Heads > Cracking)

clay cores (cores hidden)

If want to completely cover a base bead with round cane slices:
...overlap the slices (though this will create a different look because some of the slices will be partly covered up)
...or, make the base and/or cane squared first (details on this just below in Flattened Onlays)

To cover a rounded bead completely with a sheet of clay, wrap it around the widest area first, then close it around the rest (or the poles) by pressing gently, folding, squishing or whatever
... shave off the excess, and pat it down flat
.... create a shape with it .... or cover it with another clay element like a cane slice or a flat bead (or make sure it's on the bottom or in a place not easily noticed).

Klew (Karen Lewis) always wraps her patterned clay around a scrap clay base bead to avoid waste ...she has a wonderful video tape on making beads.
....she creates base beads by making a fat roll of waste clay
....wraps it with a sheet of black or whatever color she wants... and rolls it out into a long snake
...Then she just cuts same size lengths... pinches the colored ends together... rolls each into a ball... and then covers it with canes.
...Watching her roll the canes in smooth is worth the price of the video. My beads were not too good until I began practicing them the way Klew does them. Dotty

Mia's lesson on covering a ball (or other shape?) by wrapping with a long strand (rainbow -variagated) from a clay gun around the baked ball
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/february2001/rainbow.html (bottom of page)
...would work for wood beads as well... just roll in hands to smooth

HEART-shaped cores:
Donna Kato's lesson on covering a clay heart base shape with slices of mokume gane
http://www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_20284,00.html
http://www.mindspring.com/~janruh/clay/bargello.htm
Candice's lesson on making a "heart-shaping" tool, then using it to shape logs into heart-shaped canes, or making individual heart shapes from pattern-covered balls
http://polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/heart_tool.html
Pewter heart swap http://www.polymerclayhaven.com/PCHSwaps/pewterlike.htm (gone)
Byrd's hearts (website gone) (look around for them)
......... (Elissa's) asymmetrical hearts are done differently (from the Natasha type below) http://pcpolyzine.com/november2001/ezheart.html (find new site too?)
--lesson.-- For those, I roll a ball of scrap clay,
-- and to it I apply a thin covering of a base color/pattern, then thin slices of various other canes.
-- I then shape it into a rough heart...keep in mind the natural flow of things, like the way that a Hershey Kiss tapers to a point. A heart should taper as gracefully as that.
-- Also it helps to accentuate the cleavage by gently pressing and rocking a folded piece of cardstock into the cleft ...
-- then either press it into the mold to make it uniform or
-- form by hand...and with your fingers, round out any flat areas. I (sometimes) want a more abstract or asymmetrical shape..(.I may also begin with) a bicone bead, carefully flatten the cones, preserving the spiraling pattern, and then shape the rounded bead into a heart; the friction of the rolling so warms and smooths the clay that making an even, shapely heart is easier.
-- Then it is baked, sanded, buffed, and glazed, the same as the others.
(these pendants are two sided... rounded on both sides, with balanced and usually related designs on either side.
...These pieces, since there is no (flat) back, have a screw eye inserted for hanging. Some pendants are slightly puffy on the back, with an attached leaf-back bail or a screw eye. Elissa Powell
(for making sculpted hearts, see "More Bead Shapes" below)

one use for the white-Sculpey-in-the-box clay is to be used a lightweight armature base for beads (cheap and bakes up really hard... will be made stronger by covering it with a strong brand of clay

flattened onlays

CANE SLICES
...any base clay shape can have cane slices applied to them
......the method may differ depending on the final form you want though
.......you can partially cover or completely cover a base... then flatten the slices into it by rolling, etc. (seams will disappear)
(......or you can leave the onlaid cane slices dimensional --for that, see Dimensional Onlay below)

To partly cover a clay bead so there's background color showing all around each slice, simply apply thin cane slices or other clay bits (any shape) to the clay ball leaving spaces between them, then roll in your hands to smooth away all the seams.... shape the bead further if you want an oval bead, etc.
...if the color of the base bead is the same color as any background clay in the slices, they will merge and the image in the slice will appear to be floating freely
...one example would be silastones' partly-covering base clay balls with tiny balls of clay and ribbons of stripes (cut from a stack) in contrasting colors
http://polymerclaybeads.blogspot.com/2007/06/blog-post.html
(where did I put all the others?)

If want to completely cover a base bead and you're using round slices:
1....you can overlap the slices (though images slices won't be whole because they're partly covered up, or edges may show on any slices)
........Desiree's lesson on covering a scrap ball with slices, overlapped
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_CABullseyeLaceCane.htm (middle of page)
......What I do is use less slice per bead, so what you have left is gaps and not overlaps .... then just take a darning needle and tuck the scrap base bead inward ...and re-press the cane slices back together fitting over the dent you made with your needle. Mia
2....or, you can make the base and/or cane squared first:
2a....one way to avoid the overlap problem is to form your base bead into a cube shape first, and also squeeze your cane into a long rectangle (the sides of the base bead need to be same size as a slice from the cane)
.........place 6 slices on the cube (one on each face).... pinch together any that aren't butted completely
.........gently roll the bead back into a ball, or any shape you want (you can gently press each corner of the whole bead inward before doing that to help avoid distortion at the edges)
2b...another way would be to add extra (background) clay to the outside of your round cane, then trim excess to make it rectangular ... then apply to a cube base bead (this avoids any distortion of the cane pattern, since you won't be squeezing it alone into a square cane)
3....(...or you could partly cover the bead, then add some tiny bit of color to the spaces, etc.)

I get less distortion from adding slices on beads by letting the parts cool off from the heat of my hands and even out in temperature
...... I press the slices into the ball so there is good contact, but I don't roll the slices into the base right away
.......I let the slices sit on the base for about 10-20 min, and then I roll them in my hands until the seams are MOSTLY gone
(and softer clays can be more difficult to roll into even shapes, so you may want to leach those clays, or at least cool them at various stages)

For more tips on rolling cane slices onto beads, see Canes-Instr > Translucent Canes > Basic Info

small sheets of (butted or overlapped) cane slices can also be used to cover base beads --for example, tube beads.

A neat trick from Ann M. for making equal-sided square beads:
....roll out a slab of clay... cut it... stack it into layers of the desired width (e.g., three slices at #1stacked together will create a 3/8" bead)
...cut off one of the rough ends.... then flip it , good side down, and you have a perfect guide for cutting a 3/8" log.
...from that log, cut off one of the two remaining ends, and use that to cut cubes.

for square beads, you can also square up your log between (equal-size) acrylic rods, and slice. . .
http://home.istar.ca/~ladydian/boutique2/
(see Canes-general info >Tips for Successful Canes/Square Logs, for more info on using acrylic or other square tubes/rods)

flatter beads especially, can be covered or partly covered with cane slices and other dimensional or flat materials like metallic powders, leaf, etc.)
....... then all slices & bits can be completely flattened into the surface (or some left dimensional, or dimensional things added afterward)
...Christel's female face cane slice plus added hair rope + background leaf...onlaid, then flattened onto a long bead
http://home.online.no/~raje/Polymer/projects/womanpin/index.htm
(for lesson details, see Onlay > Flattened Onlays)

BITS from shaved texture sheets
Jeanne R's lesson on covering a base bead with shaved-off cubes of mica clay (which had been first textured with a sheet of plastic canvas) see Mica>Ghost Images
...or with shaved cubes from a 2 colors (first textured)
...she applies the shavings to a base clay ball (....or she just rolls a bunch together) for quick faux pique fabric
http://www.heartofclay.com/pc/fauxfabrics.htm
...could use different shapes of shavings too from diff. texture sheets

very thin onlays (+ "slice painting")

very thin cane slices can also applied then rolled into the surface to "paint" a picture or design on the bead ("slice painting")
... create (multi-part) single items by sequentially laying very thin (possibly very small), slices from one cane onto a base (bead or sheet), to build up a finished picture or design (like all the petals of one flower or all the scales on one fish/dragon)... overlapping them or not, reducing the cane for some parts or not
...create single items by laying very thin layers of one or more different canes, in order to add details or elements, onto individual cane slices or onto sheets
(translucent canes and "invisible canes, e.g., are similar in their thinness and being added later)
for much more on this technique, see Canes-Instr >Flowers > SlicePainting ... also Canes-Instr >Later Manipulations >Slice Painting

very thin translucent +opaque canes slices...canes which have used translucent clay along with opaque clay in the same cane
... you can apply very thin slices from a translucent cane over a base of patterned or plain clay, and the opaque parts will appear to float over the background.
... you can also use translucent clay as the "background" clay around your motif in a cane (e.g. a flower), so when it's applied, the background of the slice will disappear and the flower shape will be the only clay that shows up on the base
...Jainnie's unusual dotted beads, using (opaque) black wrapped with translucent slices over various base colors (often metallic clays or clays with inclusions)
http://www.littlebearstudio.com/ (click on Beads 1)
. . If you're having trouble slicing translucent canes thin enough, here's what I do...I try to get slices as thin as I can and still be able to work with them. After I put them on the bead, I take my blade (I use the NuBlade) and carefully slice off the excess clay. I think of it as "shaving" them. Also works with opaque cane slice so I don't have the obvious lines of where one slice stops and the next one starts. Jules
...many flower and leaf translucent+opaque canes, overlapping, etc., are often used for covering beads and pendants
(see Canes-Instr. > Translucent Canes for much more on all these canes)

torn pieces from very thin stacks, overlapped
....if a paper-thin stack of colors is torn rather than cut, the resulting pieces will have pleasingly irregular edges, but also the colors of the under layer(s) will show along all edges which were torn (Watercolor beads)
http://cgpcyOfPendants.jpg and http://www.desiredcreations.com/images/galleryFivePics/WCB2.jpg
(for much more on this technique, see Sheets > Flattened Shreds & Bits)

Dimensional ONLAY (partial covering)

DRUM, etc.beads (dimensional onlaid slices)
Klew's drum beads: http://klewexpressions.com/drum_beads.htm
http://www.nfobase.com/html/karen_lewis_.htm (gone) (Klew’s drum beads, bead shapes, mask, etc.)
Klew's video: "Appliqued Millefiore Beads (Drum Beads) with Karen Lewis (all drum)
http://www.klewexpressions.com/videos.htm and http://www.abbadabbavideo.com
(also Karen Lewis' video "Bead Shapes and Design" videos shows techniques she uses to create the beads pictured in the July/August issue of Beadwork magazine --"drum" beads (appliques)

OTHER dimensional onlaid slices
Klew’s many beads with onlays
http://klewexpressions.com/gallery.htm (click on Accent, )
Donna Kato's beads, some onlay parts
http://www.katopolyclay.com/gallery/jewelry_6.jpg
Kim K's trees, etc., onlay scenes (tiny, on beads)
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=440248&uid=144121
Cheryl's onlaid sculpted flowers and leaves on focal beads
http://www.cherylsart.net/

LEAF or POD beads (overlapping slices like an artichoke)
Klews pod beads, made with leaf canes http://klewexpressions.com/leaf_pod.htm
...also see Sculpting-Body > Dragon Skin for more examples, but they're actually "overlapping scales"
http://www.nwpcg.org/dec99.shtml (gone) (Cynthia Toops’ leaf and "pod"? shaped beads)
http://www.jewelrycrafts.com/clayproj9.html (syndee's lesson on onlaid leaf beads, lumpies,etc.) (gone)

"filigree" onlays (made from tiny clay gun extrusions) or molded-stamped-etc bits, can also be placed on a bead, then coated with a metallic powder, etc., to create faux metal beads
Janet's large "ethnic" silver beads with filigree onlays
http://www.janetfarris.com/images/2005_11pics/images/silveramber3.jpg

(STRIPS)
"Bargello beads" were popularized by Laura Liska. Bargello is a quilting and needlepoint technique which creates rows of offset rectangles, etc., resulting in a zigzag patterns or a lot of apparent movement.
http://home.earthlink.net/~sbpcg/1198os.htm (scrap bargello technique -SBPCG)
http://thepolyparrot.com/right.html (Irene Y's bargello cylinder beads)
(website gone) –Nora Jean’s bargello beads and explantions
(see Onlay > Bargello and Canes > Bargello for much more)

TWISTED STRIPS (Mike B's "Beehive" beads)
(Mike Buesseler, Jewelry Crafts) . . . Mike used a mica clay (Premo’s gold, silver, blue or green pearl, other colors mixed with lots of Pearl--etc?), rolled through the pasta machine until the mica was lined up and created a sheet about # 3?. He then cut long strips that were as wide as the thickness of the clay, creating tiny square logs. He twisted these and used them to cover a base bead, beginning at the top and spiraling down to the bottom.
...These twisted strips can also be used to cover any other kind of base –a vessel, pendant, barrette, etc., or can be used to make patterns (as in Kato’s Balinese Filigree), etc.
...Or they can be used to outline or otherwise embellish.

Run any of the pearl/metallic Premo clays through the pasta machine over and over until you get a smooth, shiny face. I used a sheet of solid blue pearl, and one Skinner blend sheet, stacked.... (or you could use several different mica colors to stack) . . . you could do this with much thicker sheets, and several colors at once, I would think... (After cutting the strips) twist them... loose or tight, even or uneven, and apply them to a bead base. . . Roll them tightly down to perfectly smooth or leave them raised. Elizabeth

(see website above? ,twisted egg) . . . roll out three sheets of clay, one of each of the colors. . . the thickest setting gives nice effects, as do say, a #4 setting. (atlas settings)….once you have your three sheets, slice off the ends of the sheet so you get a squared edge...you'll see that the edge is not shiny like the top. slice thin strips …like? looooong rectangles) ..carefully take these three strips and twist them (all together) so you get kind of a rope look. I like to leave the hard edges, rather than rolling them into a snake. if done correctly, it will kind of look like the swirls on a candy cane. notice that you see both the shiny surfaces as well as the darker surface of the edge...this is good! don't twist too tight and cover up the darker areas! once you have your snakes (bumpy, not smooth, but I think smooth works too) put them on the same as you would the balinese filigree, but for the beehive look, coil all the way around the egg, not in spirals and the like, like a beehive. that could look nice just like that! use whatever method you like, but flatten the bumpy snakes now and get rid of any seams. i like to use the end of my needle tool to roll over and flatten it all until it's smooth. do whatever you do to minimize fingerprints before baking. ..bake, sand and buff. Lori

Same technique as your beads, only I used two Skinner Blends, back to back, Copper to platinum, and Purple to platinum, the shading going in opposite directions. I covered an egg this way, too. When you look at it from the side, it just looks interesting and kind of nice, but when you look at the ends, each is totally different from the other... I also smoothed my beehive down and buffed it like you did. It's hard to tell how it was made once you do that. I keep telling people that beehive thing has a lot of possibilities....try adding interference powder to one side of your sheet, for instance....Mike Buesseler
....You don't have to have the Premo metallics.. this would work with any clay, it's just that the metallics add a lot of depth. Just make one side of the sheet one color, and the other side a different color, and you'll get that "twisted ribbon" look. Ziggybeth
....(for Mike B's non-onlaid, twisted, single beads, see above in Misc. Bead Shapes)

(see also Cold Enamels in Other Materials)

Sharon's shiny embossing powder beads http://www.geocities.com/ferryblue/polymer_6.html (gone)

"GLAZED" & DRIPPED
...I had been making some cool textured beads and was looking for some way to get them to look a bit like the glazed ceramic beads...then I saw this article on using Liquid Sculpey and Pearl Ex powders... Libby
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_FioratoPendant.htm

See much more on glazed, stained-glass look, using metallic & embossing powders, raku look, drizzling, and other effects in:
Liquid Clay > Drizzling, Piping, Lampwork
(faux lampwork beads... drizzling, making dots or other small shapes with tinted liquid clayon beads, or other surfacess)
Finishes > Other Liquid Finishes
Powders > Metallic & Embossing
Other Materials > Cold Enamels, etc.
Faux-many > Raku

FOIL & lightweight cores & removable CORES

(Pier Voulkos, CZC, Bauchbaum?, et al?)

We used the same foil from the kitchen and crumple it up to the shape you want, and used a hammer to pound it so it's firm. Any little holes you fill with bits clay so you don't have air pockets.
.... cover with a thin layer of clay, bake, then you can cover with whatever design you want.... If you have the summer 1998 issue of Ornament magazine, on page 71, you'll see an article on how Pier Voulkos does her foil beads Lucille

Pier's foil armature beads (lesson) : (can see on the cover of Creating with Polymer clay & inside pgs.)
--alum. foil that shows (through translucent clay?) gives reflective quality to whole bead and also possibly between slices, or along ridges of crumpled foil after hand rolling??)
--using kitchen (aluminum) foil. The cheaper the better.
...crumple the foil... and straighten it
... then begin to compress and shape it gradually
... keep compressing and getting it as smooth (and firm) as you can....you just have to work the foil gradually into shape...Pier says "work with the foil".
...You won't get it 100% smooth, that's why you fill in the pits with clay bits. You form it into whatever shape you want (she made football shapes, tall and short spirals, crescents, worms, etc..DB), of course the foil sometimes has to tell you some of the shape.
...cover the foil with a thin layer of clay, smoothe, bake, sand and then do your cane slices over that. (if you are working with opaque clays instead of translucents and don't need the foil to show through as in the particular beads described next)
TO MAKE BEADS with TRANSLUCENT CLAY (and/or foil shining up through):
...Make some translucent colors, (using) lots of translucent and tints of color. Pier uses Fimo's Art Translucent.
...Make some spiral canes of the colors and plain translucent, whites, (?? --or whatever you want).. you can put a layer of a foil leaf in too.
...Make VERY thin slices of the canes and apply them to your bead in a pleasing pattern.... some of the foil bead can show through,
you should then roll it gently in your hands to smooth it down, and bake!
...Pier does some sanding, but is not a big believer in it....(her translucent ones have a kind of frosty look--DB)
HOLES: ...Pier makes the holes in those beads after she bakes them... she says because the clay is so thin and the foil hardly resists, she can usually just pokes them through!

With the foil armature, you can get very big and still very lightweight beads. Pier makes some really huge beads! She even has a choker made of ping-pong ball size beads. Anna
...(see Covering >Plastics>Misc. Plastics for covering ping pong balls)

Aluminum foil (or paperclay?) could be formed into exact balls using a mold
...or Katherine Dewey uses a nifty bowl-like depression to roll her alum. foil ball around in to create a lightweight, ball-shaped armature (which she forms a head around)
....she creates the depression in a thick slab of raw clay by pressing into the slab a firm sphere of the same curvative as the foil ball she wants to make, then bakes

polystyrenes (Styrofoam and other) can be used as permanent armatures to create lightweight and somewhat-hollow beads of various shapes
....polystyrenes will shrink when heated at our baking temps, but will stay large long enough to hold the shape of the clay
....however, if covering the foam completely with clay, a small gas release hole must be left in the clay covering ...or aluminum foil must be used over the polystyrene under the clay (to keep it from sticking to the inside and cracking the clay)
http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/pc_foam.htm
.......(for more details on covering polystyrenes, plus discussion of shrinking or melting rates and fumes, see Covering > Plastics)

Other lightweight forms for covering might be:
....small glass Christmas ornament balls, or glass molds for making grapes with resin (still available?)
...some of the silver clay sites sell hollow ceramic/porcelain beads for use with the various silver clays. Might that work? Valerie
...ou could try searching the net for round cork balls... I think they are sold for crafting and for fishing bobbers. Sherry B.

You could also make your own half shells from polymer clay using the inside or outside of something like these steel hemispheres (which are hollow on the concave side)... then you'd put two halves together as with a lentil bead (for details, see below in Hollow Beads > Round)

For heavier forms, maybe wooden beads or even marbles, etc.

Other cores ....meltable, removable

.. tiny glass Christmas ornament balls can be broken out after baking

... papier mache balls might be dissolvable, or at least lighter weight

...many food-based items can be soaked out (or left inside beads) after baking

...cornstarch-based packing peanuts (biodegradable) can be used, then soaked out after baking
(for all info on these, see below in "Hole-y Beads")
....also packing peanuts made from cassava from Brazil might be usable....the biggest were about the length of my thumb. They were all sorts of shapes. I don't know if cutting would work. I think they have lots of holes throughout them. But they are a lot harder (than cornstarch ones). I'll have to see if I can get some. Jody B.

...round ice cubes ...spherical ice-cube trays are usually available from novelty cheapo shops - or at least they are over here in the UK. The units are in two halves of soft plastic (top and bottom) with a small filler hole in the top of each division for the addition of the water (or PVA in our case!) Alan

...modelling wax is often sold by candle-making supply places - those are real treasure troves for moulds. Alan
(see more on many of these in Armatures-Temporary)

TYPES & SHAPES

ROUND, Oval, Square & Cabochon beads

...see Desiree's excellent discussion near top of this page for "Rolling by Hand"
...also see more on keeping beads round in Bead Holes
...for using "Bead Rollers," see bottom
...also see "Covering" below

for very round beads. . . I took a bit of clay and rounded it as round as I could get it..them popped it into a round half-ball-type plastic tablespoon (measuring spoon). Hold the spoon in one hand..and use your finger or palm of the other and roll ball VERY GENTLY ! The sides of the spoon are perfect for smoothing and rounding the bead! You can use a teaspoon for smaller ones if you like..but the larger one seems to work fine for any size bead. Jan

The number one suggestion I have for making round beads round is to make the bead, let it rest on glass or marble and cool.
...when cool, gently reroll.... you can then easily see where it is out of round.
...I do several beads, and go back to the first ones and put holes in and let them cool. Jeanne

There is a wonderful video tape by Klew (Karen Lewis) on making round beads. ...she rolls out a long snake
....then she just cuts same-size pieces...for each, she pinches the ends together... then rolls into a ball
. . . My beads were not too good until I began practicing them the way Klew does them. Much better. Dotty

For more on ways to make beads of a particular size, see above in Controlling the Size

(for making very round beads over forms, see Hollow Beads > round, below.... and also Foil and other cores above )

(for cube or square beads, see acrylic rods Canes-General > Square Logs for Cane Components
... and also see above in "Covering")

square (not cube) beads can also be made with cutters, or by hand with less-square corners
...Linelle's Perfect Pearls-covered, thick square beads, each with hole in center...strung on dimensional necklace with spacer beads
http://www.sonic.net/linelle/FamilyPics/images/squares2.jpg

(for oval beads, see Rolling Beads by Hand above)
....for (pointed) oval shapes made in a bead roller, see "Bead Rollers" below
truncated long oval beads (tapered and cut off at each end)
http://humblebeads.com/lariat_art_beads.html
Claude's lesson on making a oval-shaped bead (with a lengthwise seam on one side) by rolling both sides of a millefiori cane slice toward the middle of the slice, then rolling the result into a smooth oval shape (and piercing a hole)
http://www.chez.com/creabijoux/interieur/ATELIER/cal5eme.htm
many tube beads are oval also, but have thin walls (see Tube Beads below for more on those)

cabochons (hemisphere, or half a rounded-oval) .....sometimes misspelled as cabachon
(definition: non-faceted & faceted, round and oval half-stones, flat on the back so will fit in a ring or other jewelry setting)
Kellie's cabochons surrounded by seed beads:
http://www.kelliesklay.homestead.com/cabs.html
Irish Red's cabochons (website gone)
.... 2 push molds made by Amaco will allow you to form cabochons of different sizes
http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/molds3.html
....You can use measuring spoons as molds for cabochons. . . . Sharon
... cut off 3-4 mm of the square of a plastic ice cube tray with the cutoff wheel of a Dremel... the one I have has lovely slightly rounded corners and edges. jclausen
...I don't know if you have seen the little plastic protectors on the tops of solid deodorant i.e. Mitchum, Secret. They make fabulous cabochons... most have a small handle built in. Crafty Michele
....the round plastic flip top lid of my vinegar bottle makes nice round ones. jclausen
....at Michaels I saw wooden bird eggs which are cut in half and immediately thought a form for making my own mold!!!!... now I have a nice little mold for making oval cabochons ....the packs of egg halves range in size from an inch tall up, and I only paid .99 cents for the pack of 4!!
.......so when I got home, I made a 1" square block of scrap clay, pushed the half egg into it and made a mold! Sharon
...Danielle's lesson on creating a cabochon in a bezel by forcing a ball of clay up through a bezel (from the back side) then cutting off the excess on the back (she then onlays flowers and stems onto the "cabochon")
http://tutorials.theclaystore.com/beads-buttons-and-jewelry/pink-flower-applique-pendant
(also see Bezels below for Desiree's forcing-up method, but using a wire frame)

In Lynne W's lesson on making hollow lentil beads, she says that just one of the halves of the bead shape can be used after baking as a cabochon (will be hollow in back, and lightweight)
. . . she suggests adding a "bezel" by cutting a disk just a bit larger than the one used for the lentil half, then pressing it's sides up around the edges of the cabochon.... this would give the back a flat surface also
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/flyingsaucerbead.html

(from a "cutter" --not true cabochon shape because flat in the center even though rounded on edges
..Lisa Pavelka's lesson used an empty metal bezel to cut a small focal "cabochon bead in a frame" for a necklace from a small, patterned, thick sheet of clay
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/crafting/article/0,,HGTV_3352_1812259,00.html

Cristina's simple turtle made with cane slices bead (sort of round) plus head/neck and feet (key chain)
http://www.geocities.com/pastasint/ita/bigiotte/pag1.html

BICONE beads
(see below in Bead rollers)

DONUT beads

Donut beads are usually large focal beads with a hole in the middle
... the hole can be small or large relative to the donut ring...the donut is usually flattened somewhat from a dome shape, but could be thick or thinner or flatter
...often the donut is strung onto a heavy cord by passing a loop through the donut (cord ends then passed through the loop), or something similar
...sometimes it's also hung underneath another shape, or has beads of various sizes-shapes strung below or above it, etc.
....it may be a faux stone of some kind like jade or turquoise, or be stamped-textured, or use any other technique at all

Desiree's domed faux turquoise donut dangled with doubled cord
http://desiredcreations.com/images/galleryTwoPics/Donut1m.jpg
's flatter faux jade donut bead, with various wire wraps used as connector around donut (through hole)
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/2004may/debbie3.JPG
Tonja's several flat donut pendants with transfers ...one has cording through hole to bottom side of donut too, with dangles
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/transfers/transfers.html
Linda G's donut bead (leaf canes, medium-size hole) (website gone)

Roll a ball of clay (patterned or not).
Press down with something to flatten it as much as you want (or press between your palms with a light rotating motion).
Use a drinking straw to remove a plug of clay from the center, then widen and/or smooth the hole until it's rounded.
...First make a ball, then put it in the middle of your palm and push a little with your other palm. Then roll the upper hand like clock hands move above the other hand. You get sort of flat bicone. Now take a small round cutter or drinking straw or something like that and pierce a hole into the middle. If the hole is small, take a pen and wiggle it inside to get rounder sides for the donut center. Turn and repeat. Widen the hole a bit and shape it a bit with your finger to get it round. Put back between your palms and smooth with the rolling- clock-like motion. Bake, sand and buff. Porro
...Depending on how fat you want the doughnut and how large
....... I use 2 circle cutters and some (plastic) wrap.... I start with a doubled sheet of clay (on my thickest setting) Lay plastic wrap over it and cut the outer circle, and then cut the inner circle with a much smaller cutter (I use a 2" cookie cutter and probably 3/4" brass tube for the interior) .........(for thicker ones) then I cut another set just like it and butt (stack) the two together, and smooth the seams.... its SOO much easier than trying to hand shape them and they are more uniform. Otterfire
...I roughly molded that particular donut by hand, baked it, then shaved, carved and sanded it to complete the shape (this turquoise donut was made a bit differently from most because it was critical to retain the nugget quality and I couldn't twist and turn the clay). How you construct the donut depends on the pattern you want showing when it's all done. Desiree

I went crazy trying to achieve that sort of 'domed' look that some of the donut beads have
....I rolled a small ball (I like my donuts on the smaller side now, roughly 1 to 1.25" diameter; and from 1/8 to 1/4" thick). ...I put it down & 'smushed' it to the right size using a perfectly flat jar top. ...Now, if you want that dome-type donut that I was talking about, set the flattened circle on a curved surface, like a light bulb. I use a wooden sphere about the size of a tennis ball cuz I want a real 'gradual' curve that's hardly noticeable. Kind of smooth the edges of the circle lightly against your sphere, and make your center hole; lift carefully to maintain the slight curvature. . . .the less I fool with it, the better it looks. All I might do is take my brayer and GENTLY, lightly roll it around the edges a couple times to finish... then bake.Cathy in CA

I have two things I use to make the middle hole, one is a cylindrical pen cap with the end cut off and the other is a 'sample' size lipstick cap. I carefully position this, trying to get it exactly in the center of my circle. Then in one fearless motion, (!) I press it completely through the flat circle, and give it a couple of gentle twists to make sure the hole is completely cut through. Cathy in CA
...in leiu of canape cutters, look around your house for anything round and in the size you'd like your donuts to be... I've used the tops from prescription bottles to make circles, with some success. Jodi
...prairiecraft's hole-within-a-hole cutter (for donuts with large holes?)
http://prairiecraft.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AT-14422&Category_Code=KCF

make donuts from large clay "jump rings"
....roll a smooth clay rope of the desired ring diameter... then wrap it around a bamboo skewer or bead mandrel (as you would when making metal jump rings from a length of wire)
... slice through the entire length of the clay coil, down to the skewer-mandrel
....gently loosen the clay from the skewer and separate the cut coil into individual pieces
....bring the ends of each piece together, and smooth with your fingers. Voila!

If you plan to make many donuts, you might want to buy a finished one and make a mold of it to use. Desiree

Libby M's very flat donut shapes... with liquid clay squiggles on flat side http://home.centurytel.net/tkaylen/group6.html
...(thin, flat, small donut beads could also be used as spacer beads --see just below)

donut variation: Ginny's lesson on making a "Saturn" bead --a thick flat disk.... which rotates on a pin inside a thick flat ring of clay
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/july2001/saturn.html

I love making them to resemble the faux 'stones' like:
rose quartz, jade, turquoise, polished granite... there are stones of EVERY color and combination to replicate..Cathy

As far as how to 'finish' your donuts, well, that depends on what you want.... (I wire-wrapped a few with wire) Cathy

As far as putting together in jewelry, I have tried it several ways:
... I personally like the look of stringing it on 1.5-2 mm. cord...leather or silk or whatever.
...Then I add a few beads going up each side of the pendant, but also leaving a few inches of the cord alone, between bead segments. I think this accents the donut bead best.
When I put the donut on the cord, I like to center it, cinch the cord, and then choose a nice 'special' larger bead and string both ends thru, letting it sit on top of the donut like an anchor or cap of sorts. Then knot above that bead, and at this point you can go ahead and add beads as wanted to each side of the necklace.
.... I have seen some with only one large bead, knotted about halfway up each cord, and that looks nice too. Of course, the thicker cording will limit you to the beads with big enough holes to string. Cathy in CA

SPACER (in-between or filler) & HEISHI beads

Filler or spacer beads can be any shape.... and are usually smaller than special or focal bead(s)
....generally used between larger beads, or in longer lengths between beads or at the (around-the-neck end of necklaces), but can be used any way one wants

small disk or tube filler beads may also be called "heishi" (hee-shee) beads ... old Pueblo term meaning shell (originally they were made made from shells, strung together to form flexible strands)
... turquoise, coral, or other natural materials were also used (...nowadays even metal beads may be called heishi if they are somewhat flat)
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=heishi

Claude's various shapes and types of polymer filler beads
http://www.chez.com/creabijoux/interieur/ATELIER/3_lecon.htm (click on all 10 galleries)
various shapes of real filler beads made from natural materials
(round) http://www.trashcity.com/roundheishi.htm, (tube) http://www.trashcity.c m/heishi.htm
...(also shell) http://www.trashcity.com/shellheishi.htm

a few ideas for shape, color, embellishment,etc.:
...make with solid colored clay , or marbled clay
...make with faux stones
...texture ... then perhaps antique or highlight
......texture and completely cover with metallic powder to simulate purchased metallic spacer beads
...use similar colors, but do something geometric (stripes, kaleidoscoped, Skinner blended, etc) ...be careful though to make the pattern small enough or neutral enough that the beads won't take attention from your featured beads (unless that's what you want)
...roll cane slices, or bits of cane slices, into smooth ball, then shape (can twist first, etc.)
...roll or twist cane slices, or colors from the focal beads, until completely mixed (will create a more neutral but compatible color that should go well with the focals)

(see more info on cutting these beads from "tubes" of clay, including using multi-blade cutters.... and also more ideas on possibly using them... below in Tubes)

tubes

tube-shaped filler beads can be long or short ...fat or thin diameter.... plain or patterned/textured/etc.... edges can be flat or rounded...

There are several ways to make small tube beads (mostly similar to making the larger ones --see below in Tube Beads)
... roll a snake of clay on a long needle or wire... cut raw clay snake, while on the wire, into the lengths you want for individual beads with a single-edge razor blade or other blade as you roll the needle... bake clay on wire... after baking, pop apart the beads
...or, partially or completely bake snake of clay on needle...remove clay tube from wire (may need to twist off) ....then cut clay while still warm with a blade (may not want to use a blade you care about)
......sides of beads made this way may be dusty looking but they that face generally won't show (..or can reheat to remove the dusty effect)

Heather R's lesson on making (tube-shaped) spacer beads with twisted-lines by rolling scrap clays into a ball, then into a short cylinder... then inserting a short rod and rolling till long... bake... cut while warm after removing rod
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_tropfishjewelry.htm (....bottom of page)

(slightly diff. tech.) ...I've made "seed beads" (with straight sides) from clay
(.... first I took a long, thin needle and rolled a tube of clay on it to really thin)
.... then I took the blade and made cuts in the clay maybe half way through the clay
.... I baked for 15 minutes ... then cut through the clay when it cooled down. Ginny

You can also give angled or rounded edges to tube beads by using a toothpick or other thin rod (or any shape) to indent lines in the raw clay first (where you want the beads to end) ...then make the actual cuts with a blade in the center of each indentation (before or after baking)

Claude's faux amber, small spacer beads (cut from a baked log)
http://www.chez.com/creabijoux/interieur/GALLERIE/grandes%20photos/186.htm
....(...see info on making individual faux round or donut seed beads from clay, above in Finish Beads)
Sarajane's tube heishi beads for sale (cut while warm, from thin-walled tubes)
http://www.polyclay.com/beads3.htm

...using all translucent clay for these looked cool ....the colored translucent looked okay too. Ginny
...Kim's accessory beads (shaped, textured, powdered --made from cane bits) (website gone)

can also roll a cane slice around a needle or toothpick (...then roll to smooth, or leave dimensional) to create an interesting tiny tube bead

disks

...these filler beads usually fairly thin (like a washer with a small hole in the center)
...they can be smaller or larger diameter... their edges can be flat or rounded
(for "disk beads" where the hole is drilled through the edges, from side to side, as with cane slices, see Jewelry > Bracelets > flat and half-round tiles
or possibly Beads-Holes or Canes-General)

disk-shaped spacer beads can be made in several ways:
...press balls of raw clay as flat as you want .. make holes
...press slices from canes as flat as you want.... make holes, or take slices from a cane which already has a hole drilled though it's center
...cut disks from a sheet of raw clay with a circle cutter ...make holes
...use 2 paper punches (one which makes tiny hole and one which makes a larger hole)
......take sheets of baked clay (#5 on the pasta machine) (or baked liquid clay), and punch a row of little holes with the tiny punch
........then go back and use the bigger punch around those holes to make heishi beads
.......you can turn the bigger punch upside down and use the gap the punchout falls through to center the lit