Glass Beads 104.2-Rose Murrini

This class will be presented to show the student how to make Rose Murrini and then how to use that murrini to make a beautiful glass rose bead.  The class is intended for the beginning student and does not require a lot of experience or expensive tools and materials.  The class will start with an introduction and a presentation slide of the class Syllabus.  We will then review the prerequisites including having knowledge of basic lampwork safety requirements, a well ventilated work area and a pair of didymium safety glasses.  It is also recommended that the students has a kiln to properly anneal their canes and beads.

The class will start off with a review of how to make a barrel base on a 1/8″ mandrel.  Clear glass will be used as the core because it provides some stiffness to facilitate making the cane.  Once the initial base is made, the instructor will demonstrate how to put layers of petals on the clear base.  After 4 layers of petals, the instructor will cap and barrel and pull the molten glass into a cane.  The cane will be annealed and cooled to help with cutting the murrini.

After the cane is cooled, the instructor will demonstrate 2 different methods of cutting the murrini.  The first method uses a glass cutting disc nipper  to simply cut the murrini into 2mm discs.  The second method will use the torch to heat up the cane.  The instructor will then use jewelers pliers to pull one end of the murrini into a point.  Both methods are currently used in the lampwork world to cut the murrini.

The final lecture will instructor will demonstrate how to make a rose murrini glass bead on a base barrel of Effetre Opal Yellow.  Green vines will be applied to the base bead first, then the instructor will demonstrate how to place both the pointed end murrini’s and the flat disc murrini’s on the bead.  Each murrini will be capped with a dollop of clear glass to protect the murrini design.  By using gentle marving, heat control and gravity, the clear glass will slump over the murrini and spread out the petals to form the rose flower.  The instructor will also demonstrate a coiled rose using encased cane and leaves to embellish the final bead.

A short congratulatory wrap up will conclude the class.

Who this course is for:

• Beginning lampwork glass bead artists.