Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Finally - the right light conditions

To capture Gaffer Chalcedony in it's natural state.

Sometimes (quite often in fact) indoor lighting just doesn't capture the colours as one would like, & certainly not as they appear in hand....unless you are prepared to do a bit of photo editing.
I've found this glass particularly hard to capture - but noticed that direct sunlight they appeared truest to colour. Of course direct sunlight causes it's own set of problems - namely reflection & bright spots all over the beads.

The next best option is on a sunny day, but just out of direct sunlight.

Today the masses got fondled again - taken outside, placed on the nice neutral weathered background in a shaded part of my old outdoor table & photographed. Not quite as vibrant as it appears in the sun - but gorgeous none the less.

So here it is "Gaffer Chalcedony Unplugged" - no editing at all apart from quickly cropping & resizing.

Gaffer 109 - Chalcedony Unplugged
Gaffer Chalcedony 'en masse'

Finally I can show you why this bead is one of my two favourites. It seems to glow from within - it certainly has a depth & flow to it that is unlike anything I have achieved to date. The striking cycle seems to be purples, plums & pinks first - then the blues & greens. You can have heaps of fun with selectively re striking certain area's of the bead for colour contrasts & variations.



Perhaps when my new glass arrives I will get over my infatuation & enthusiasm with this glass...then again perhaps I will have a greater selection of glasses on which to test it!

I'm still predominantly using the 96 COE's with this though, even though there are no signs of any incompatibility cracks on the beads I made using the Vetrofond Black 104 COE as a base. The bead that landed end down on the tile floor is, of course the exception.

I'm annealing a bit higher, a bit longer & with a slower ramp down - just to be on the safe side ;o)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

omg....
deb these are stunning...
awesome colors..
mona & the girls

Linda said...

I'm going to have to get me some of that glass! BEAUTIFUL beads baby!!!

Are those your nails? I tried having nice nails but I burned my thumbnail....it was actually smoking as I was focused on a bead...between burning my nails and getting them full of clay or paint at school, I've given up hope of pretty hands :)

Deb said...

Hey Ladies - Thank you!

Yep Linda - they're mine. I've done the thumb thing too, funny that we dont realise just how close we are to that flame - ewww at the aroma of burning keratin!! My right hand has had a few flame casualties.lol!

I actually don't spend much time on my nails or give them any special attention other than a colour change once a week. But I can tell you, they are either dead long or really REALLY short. There is no in between - I refuse to waste time in 'cultivating' them - glass, crafts & gardening are all much more fun ;o)

Mermaid Glass said...

Aaaaahhhhh...the colors. The colors! (and the fingernails!!!!)

I really need to get that glass. Everytime I see your pics, I tell myself to order some and then keep not doing it.