How to make Murano Beads

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Genuine Venetian Murano Glass Beads
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How to make Venetian Beads

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To make Venetian glass beads

First of all, it is necessary to love the material you are working with, in this case
Venetian Glass.
The glass rods are almost all made by Moretti (effetre) or vetrofond.
From long long time ago the most part of the venetian glass beads artisans use this glass but,
there are also other furnaces able to make some particular glass for your beads.
The matter is that the glass must be all the same I mean, with the same COE ( expansion code)
otherwise you will loose all your work.
Many years of practices are required to know glass and to be able to work with it.
Any color and type of glass is different one another and it needs a lot of experience to know all of them.
Without this knowledge is very difficult to make a beautiful bead especially using Venetian glass.
Any case it is not only how, you deal with glass but, it is also important the methods of working and the tools used to do it.
First and very important thing is the air pump burner and the power of the flame you use.
It has to be proportioned to the bead you want to make.
Venetian bead's burner could be square or round it depeds of what you want to do.
Than you need a little oven placed in front of the fire on top on a little iron table to keep hot flame all around the bead.
For other kinds of glass beads you can also use an Oxygen burner indicated for the purpose.
Here below I show you a little example of how to make.
If you desire to know more about it write me and I will be pleased to teach you how to make it.
I can also have class to teach you how to make venetian beads.

What you need to start

What you need to start it is not so difficult to get
1) Burner / torch
The Venetian's typical air burners come in two types:
one is square shaped an the other one is round shaped with the possibility to change the range of the flame.
Carlo dona' can make this burner very well.
Using air burner propane gas is not the best.
Better use the natural gas, it contains less impurity.
Oxygen burner is very good too but for the classic venetian beads i a little bit res.
GTT or NORTEL make wonderful torches and also Carlo dona' "Roberto" nowadays makes
very good torches.

2) an iron basement 20 cm x 30 cm x 1 cm about raised up from the table 5~6 cm about.
Under this basement place some refractor stones or something similar.
It is very hot and it could demage or burnig the table you are workin on. Be very careful.
With the Oxygen burner there is not this problem.
Oxygen burner is easy to use but for classic venetian beads is a little bit limitative.
On the basement there must be placed the refrattarium oven to keep glass hot also from the basement.
this is not for sale anywhere, everybody makes it by himself.
This basement is very useful also to heat up frittas, mosaic and all the things
that must be heated up.
It is very important for glass to be always very hot when you work on it.
I think this is the most important thing for beads GLASS HAS TO BE ALWAYS HOT.

3)various diameter of copper tube to make your bead in the diameter you want,
you can use also some iron mandrels with a bead release powder on it,
this one is easier to start. The copper wire must be place in acid to take it off.
You can buy this tube in many handcraft stores but if you need big quantity
it is better to buy them in Venezia.

4) Various tools to shape the beads you want to make.
In this case Carlo dona' is the best.

5)Various colors of glass rods.
Remember to clean your rods very well before use them
I personally wash them with water and a little bit of vinegar.
Dry them up because also water somewhere has calcium inside
this could affect you rod and of course your bead.

6) Aeration.
A torch produce a lot of carbon dioxide
take good care about this if you have not enough air in your room it
could be very dangerous.
The best is to put an extractor fan almost in front or on the flame to throw away the carbon dioxide.

This is almost all what you need to be comfortable in shaping and holding your beads.
Open your heart and fantasy and make what you feel.
NEVER copy other artist's bead but learn from his art to grow up your ability, to be yourself is always the best way.
All the tools you need to work can be bought by Carlo Dona' in Murano, for my opinion he is the best.
Good tools are not cheap but considering that they are all hand made the price is reasonable.
To start you do not need lot of glass rods, buy the colors you like from a rod retailer.
Wherever you live there will be certainly someone selling them or just type glass rods on internet and you will find many.
In the United States I suggest to you the Michael Franz glass.
I do not know him personally, unfortunately I never had the pleasure to meet him
but I know for sure his reputation about glass, he knows everything about it.
Than if you need bigger quantity you can contact the effetre or the vetrofond in Murano island.

Remember to wear always your glasses to protect your eyes
when you work on the flame. Wear them always.
Think that to light up the torch you need to wear glasses
otherwise it doesn't work.
You can buy them specific for the purpose if you want.
Sometimes glass rod makes little explosions and if the hot pieces will reach your eyes
you can have serious problems.
It is very dangerous to work without them.

CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO MAKE DECORATIONS

	These are some phases of making Venetian Beads		Here is how to wrap the bead. Glass has to be very hot	than add the color you like for the base
In here is how to stick gold foil on the bead		..........

Our Venetian Beads are all hand made by glass artisans in Venice. Beadmaking is a very old tradition and it takes several years to become a glass bead master.		This is one of the many shops in Venezia in here you can buy fruit and food cheaper the the normal stores.
	Any glass bead's artisan needs completed concentration when making each individual piece. One mistake and the entire bead is ruined.		This is one of the most famous bridge in Venice the rialto brige. On top tehere are many little shops selling typical venetian souvenirs. You can also admirate a wonderful view form here.

Venetian Beads are made from 100% Murano Glass

We are able to produce more than 3000 different kind of Venetian bead designs
Each Venetian bead is handmade by our Master bead makers. A Master bead maker typically studies for up to a big amount of years before they are considered a master in their field

Directly to you from the best Venetian Bead's Artists
www.perle-veneziane.com
You can also look at
www.venetianbazaar.com
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Venetian and Murano Glass Bead Facts

Venetian Beads
Venetian Beads are made by using glass rods or sticks made mostly from Moretti (effetre) on Murano Island.
Murano Glass is divided by many different kinds of glass.
The most popular are 1) Transparent, 2) Non Transparent , 3) Opaline, 4) Alabastro.
For the Reticello, Zanfirico or any kind of Latticino you can also have them made but I suggest to make them by yourself.
Using these kinds of glass and mixing them with gold or silver foil makes it possible to make almost any Decoration and Shape.
The first step is the glass has to be prepared.
For each bead it is necessary to have different diameter stick depending on the decorations or size to make.
This step is very important because, the stick depends on the development of the entire bead.
Of course you can use different diameter but it takes longer better being proportionally.
There are many types of methods to make glass beads a master bead maker may choose from, as each one is unique.
In Murano the most used method is by melting the glass with an air pump burner.
The glass is not all the same for example Venetian glass or any kind of bead can not be created from normal glass, or better it has to be specifically made from the same company or as to be with the exact coefficient of expansion.
Venetian glass is 104 coe and for the 99% of the case you must use the same coe glass if you want to have something to string in your jewelery.There are exceptions of course, but it is better you know something more about glass before starting using them.
In Venezia there are still bead makers that love their work and make extraordinary beads but to make a bead in Venice you must use some very important materials which are: your heart ,your passion for glass and your love for Venice and its traditions
but what is most important for our Venetian glass bead is that they must be created by the master bead maker in order for it to be later called, VENETIAN BEADS.

Venetian Glass

There are many books about Venetian glass and history of glass making.
But, what I would like to transmit to you is the feeling of this wonderful material.
Venetian glass gets its name because; it is made in Venezia on the island of Murano. There is for sure better glass but it is not Venetian Glass. Venetian glass must be made in Murano to have this name. What also is important is the how the Master glass beads artisan are able to insert inside their own design within the glass. It seems like they are sharing part of their soul, it is their passion to create.

Foil Beads

Foil Beads are Beads made by using many kinds of Foil. The most commons are Gold foil 24Kt, Sterling Silver Foil, and White Gold Foil, but it is also possible to use Platinum foil or other precious metal Foil. What is very important is the thickness of the foil. Usually in Venezia is used 0.0032 or 0,0036 someone also uses 0,0028 but it is too thin for my opinion. The gold I use is 24Kt. Gold Foil 0.0040 and this is the best. I tried to use it thicker but the effect is like a wrapped candy and it is not so pleasant. To make them is necessary to make a little ball of glass according to the size to make and when it is still hot spread on it a layer of gold cut for the size to make. Press it in to the glass in a way that it sticks completely with the glass and then place on it another layer of glass to cover it completely. If it is no completely covered there is the possibility for gold to disappear in time. For a good Bead this is very important.

Sommerso

The Italian meaning of this word is, drowned. To make it, is necessary to crush a colored glass in to very little pieces. Usually this glass is white and mixed with avventurina but, it is possible to use many other colors. To make it you can use the same system of Gold foil and change the Gold with this mixture. What is important is to keep this powder (fritta) colder than the glass to pour on it otherwise you can mix it together and the affect of
Sommerso disappear.

Fiorato

Fiorato means, with flower. This is one the most popular Venetian Beads, even if now there are not so many Master Bead Maker able to to make it. This Bead requires a lot of preparation. At first is necessary to make the vette ( tiny sticks of glass) avventurina.This vettes have to be made in two ways one is round and the other is flat. Than it is necessary to make the yellow vetta, the blue and white vetta and the white and ruby glass vetta. When everything is ready is possible to start. At first it has to made a desired size glass ball around the copper wire. In the very center has to place the flat avventurina vetta. Then both sides top and bottom must place the round avventurina vetta, in a waves like formation.After that in two centers of the bead has to be placed the two roses with the white and ruby glass vetta. Then the opposite sides have to be placed a point of yellow vetta surround with five points of white and blue vetta in a way to make a flower. They are very difficult beads to make.

Avventurina

In Italian avventurina Means, Little adventure. This is a particular kind of glass made with many parts of coppers inside. It looks like moon stone. The color is brown or blue ( once was also red and green but nowadays is very difficult to find them) and inside the glass you can see little parts of glittering copper that look like gold. The name is because it is an adventure to make it. That because it was and it is very difficult to make it. With this material is possible to make many many different variations of decorations. Only a little bit of this avventurina in the Bead and you can changes immediately the result of your beads. It is also not easy to use it.

Mosaico: Mosaico is much more known as millefiori which means, thousand flowers. Millefiori is made by melting different colors of glass in a design up to another and than pulled in sticks of many diameter from 2 mm up to 20 25 mm. It is also possible to make them bigger. When this stick is made has to be cut in a small pieces and placed on the Bead to make. Also this is a very old system to work.

Venetian Beads 2

Murano Glass Beads or Venetian Glass Beads means almost the same thing. There were always been a war between Venetians and Muranesi (people living in the island of Murano). People from Murano said that: we were making the glass and so it was possible for you to make Glass Beads. And Venetians said: we needed glass to make our Glass Beads and so you start to produce it. It is very difficult to know how was exactly even because there are not so many books talking about it. How glass came to Venice is still a mystery. Any case glass was worked in Murano and Venice as well until the year 1294 a.c., in the year 1295a.c. a low made by the Repubblica di Venezia ( La Serenissima ) were forcing all the glass makers to move in to the island of Murano. Many houses were made with wood and the danger of fire were big. Maybe it was made also to control them better in order to not let flee away with the secrets of glass making. What we know exactly is, that right now we produce the most beautiful glass with many colors and it is appreciated in all over the world. Our Handcraft Beads are really fantastic and everybody came from all over the world to Venice to buy it. Especially glass beads. If you want to buy your Venetian Beads do not go through many seller or importer, go directly to the maker and trust Venetian Bead specialists not just any seller.

Italy

Italy once used to be one of the countries who protected and respected hand craft work.
It is for this reason that in Italy you can still find a lot of independent artisans doing the jobs their ancestors did.
Especially in Venice.
During the Republic of Venice there were schools that taught artisan's work.
In Murano, one could learn how to make handcrafted beads.
Nowadays it is almost impossible, everybody keeps all the knowledge
far away in way one's can not understand how is made.
Techniques like millefiori or mosaic beads were very popular at that time.
Gold and silver foils beads were introduced later.
Also, the Murano Glass was protected by special law
that kept the glass only in the island of Murano.
Today one can still find the original handcraft work from centuries in Murano
and buy original handcraft beads made with mosaic, gold foil beads, silver foil beads, white gold foil beads
all representing centuries of Venetian Glass making.
Unfortunately nowadays there are not so many artisans that can teach
how to make venetian glass or venetian beads but
if you are interested on it you can apply at the school of glass situated in the island of Murano.
The name of this school is ABATE ZANETTI in there you can learn many methods to how work Venetian Glass.
To learn more about it go to
www.abatezanetti.it

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For any information info@perle-veneziane.com
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