I got into the Bead & Button Show this year so, while I am usually able to take the summer off, I had to kick it back into production. I have an obsession about documenting things, if you haven’t noticed, and I’ve been meaning to make a comprehensive list of my color studies of layering transparent glass colors over each other to achieve new colors. So, to kill two birds with one stone I combined my production work with my color studies.
My stitched beads (approx. 31 mm in size) have been very popular at other shows and I brought them back for Bead & Button because I haven’t been in front of that crowd as a whole before. While all of these beads above look similar, there are slight color variations to each based on the transparent glass used. Of course, you can’t tell from that little picture but the subtleties do make a difference.
It feels good to get the bulk of this project off of my ‘to do’ list. I still have more variations to do in the purples and ambers but I figured that this is enough of this style bead for the show and I needed to get on to other items.
A nice byproduct of sitting down and committing to working through something like this so methodically is that other things come up. After making 31+ of these stitched color studies I went back to making sets. What I had learned and experienced in the color studies is coming through in my set designs too. I’m achieving rich colors that I wasn’t before. I learned a lot.
This exercise has taught me to see things differently. I’ve started the same kind of documentation for myself with my sets so that is next up on the list as well as getting a board together that documents my encased stringers that I use on many of my other designs. I almost can’t wait for B&B to be over so I can get on with it!
Lori Greenberg blogs about beads and the business of beads from her studio in Cave Creek, Arizona. You can see more of her beads at her web site: www.lorigreenberg.com
Studies in Glass Color · Glass Art @ CraftGossip says:
[...] error…I can just reference my documentation. You can read more about this project today on Watch Me Create, another blog I write [...]
May 15th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Erin Prais-Hintz says:
Hi Lori! WOW! That is a really awesome display. Is that a specific program that you are using to create these indexes? I am very impressed by your organization (particularly since I am lacking in that). I will be at the B&B show this year as well. I am coming in on Wednesday…maybe we will get a chance to meet in person?
Enjoy the day!
Erin
May 15th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
mallory says:
The charts look wonderful!
May 15th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Dana Summers says:
Oh my I would love to have just an ounce of that sort of discipline. Your color studies are just gorgeous.
May 18th, 2009 at 8:28 am
FrogsongStudio says:
First, congratulations on getting into the Bead and Button.
Your stitched beads are awesome, but equally as awesome is your ability to document everything you do, and in such a beautiful format.
I’ve tried and tried to document my beads but I’m a dismal failure most of the time which is really irritating when I go back and look at some of the beads I’ve made in the past. Many times I find some that I would like to try making again but can’t remember how I made them.
I really need to start keeping track of everything I do. Your charts are inspiring.
Thank you,
Deb
May 18th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Lori G says:
I have lots of tips on documenting your work. I think a free pdf would be a nice thing to put out, yes? It’s not as orderly as you thing. A lot of it is jotting notes as I go along, making sure to photograph everything and usually, at some later point, pulling it all together into something that looks good.
I have some documentation and samples that have been hanging around for a few years waiting to be cataloged.
I love seeing full bodies of work from artists careers and dream of someday having that for myself. But it won’t be possible if I don’t document and photograph now!
May 18th, 2009 at 11:07 am
104 COE glass bead color studies says:
[...] begun writing about my recent color studies over at Watch Me Create. Here is another segment of what I’ve been doing while creating [...]
May 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pm