 |
PROCESS: A powder glass bead workshop |
| |
The powder glass technique of making
beads is highly developed in West Africa where it's been in use for
centuries. Glass is ground into a powder, poured into moulds and baked
in kilns. Often recycled glass is used or old, broken beads are ground
down and used again. See how it's done below. These beads are avaialable
in the Powdered
Glass Beads section of our online shop. Contact us for special
orders. |
| |
| |
|
| |
Making the moulds |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Balls of pounded clay are flattened and cut to the
right circumference using a pot lid for a template. Size and thickness
depends on the size and style of the bead being made. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
These wooden templates are marked to show the depth
of the bead. The small point on the end makes the deeper hole where
the cassava stalk sits. The cassava stalk will burn out in the firing
to leave a hole in the bead. The hole must be made very smooth for
the bead to release easily. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Moulds are made in a great variety of shapes and sizes.
On the larger moulds here you can see the placement of the center
hole. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
Sometimes larger beads are made by having
the mould lengthwise. A stalk from a cassava plant is placed sideways
and the powder is mounded up over it. This creates a bead with one
smooth side and one rough one. Often the smooth side has fine detailed
stripes and the rough side has less stripes. The bead is then ground
down leaving a slightly oval shape. This shape is unique to these
beads. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
After the moulds dry, they are baked in the kiln. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Preparing the glass |
| |
 |
|
| |
For powder glass beads you
need powdered glass! Here some glass is
being pounded to a fine powder using a pipe with a metal bottom welded
on. An iron rod is used as the pestle.
|
| |
| |
 |
|
| |
After pounding the glass is sifted to remove any larger
pieces. Only a very fine powder is used.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
Different colored dyes are added to the powder. Washing
blue is used for blue beads.
|
|
| |
| |
| |
 |
|
| |
Chemical dyes are purchased in the marketplace for other colours - these
beads are going to be orange! |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Filling the moulds |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
Before the mould is filled, it is dipped in a fine solution of kaolin clay
and water, this coats the mould and acts as a release. Cassava stalks
are put in the center of each hole in the mould and the powdered glass is carefully put into the hole
around the stalk. One color will make a plain bead. different colors in layers
make striped beds. Think of the sand pictures in bottles and you will
get the idea.
|
| |
| |
 |
| |
Trays of bead mould which have been filled with powder
glass and are ready for the kiln. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
Great skills is needed for this fine work.
These photos show a series of beads that a customer has specially
ordered. The beadmakers are always happy to produce new designs and
shapes. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Firing and finishing |
|
| |
|
|
| |
A kiln is prepared - the temperature does not have
to be so high for powder glass as the powder fuses together rather
than melts. The temperature of the kiln is judged by the color of
the flame. Firing is a highly skilled job. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The filled moulds are put into the kiln to bake. This
process takes between 20 minutes to three quarters of an hour depending on the temperature
of the kiln and the size of the bead being made.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
When the beads come out of the mould they have rough
edges and there are traces of the kaolin which stopped them sticking
in the mould. They are polished on a stone using sand and water. This
grinds down the rough edges and removes the kaolin |
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
And look at the stunning results - an almost endless
variety of completely unique hand made beads. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
Beads are oiled to bring out their natural shine. Some people use a light grade of machine oil.
Here they are using cooking oil. Beads are strung on cotton thread. Mostly the beads are strung into a pair of
bracelets. Women usually do this work. It is traditional among the Krobo people that men make the beads and women
string and sell them. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
And then off to the bead market!
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Here is Florence Teiko Martey making beads. Florence is unique among bead producers in that she makes her own
beads and has built up a profitable business herself. Now her husband is also working with the business. Florence
makes beautiful special beads using her unique color sense.
Her beads can be purchased in the bead section of our online shop
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Find out more about beads...
If you would like to find out more about beads we recommend bead-database.org.
As well as bead related news you can also consult the online bead database that has been put together by some of the top bead experts
in the world or if you have a bead question you can post it to the forum. A truly great resource for anyone interested in
beads. |
| |
|
|
|
|
