Meet the BeadedMarblings Trio

[Bob in SF]

A textile designer friend asked for a pen update.

I showed her the Marblings.
Explained in an earlier post:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/metal-marbling-via-watercolor-ground-150141/

I showed her the BeadieBabies.
Also explained in an earlier post:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/beadiebabies-unstrung-heroes-151798/

I asked her if she'd like marbled or beaded: "Yes"

I asked her she'd like tiny or very small beads: "Yes"

I asked her if she'd like 1,2, or 3: "Yes"

(I am not one to argue - especially when adventure is in the offing)

Meet the BeadedMarblings Trio:

Happy Sunday to all - Bob

 

[turncrazy43]

Real interesting Bob. Good job and unique. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Turncrazy43

 

[MRDucks2]

Impressive Bob. I can see it all. Others may not understand that comment, however, from previous posts, I believe you will. The combination of depth, content and balance is ideal, in my opinion. These have hit a sweet spot.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Woodchipper]

Very impressive!

 

[Aces-High]

So cool!

 

[mark james]

So, my favorite is 1, 2 or 3... YES!

Well done. (I do love the little beads).

OK, so I do love Blue, so the left is might fine!

 

[magpens]

Beautiful, unique, or outstanding ? --- YES !!!

 

[Bob in SF]

Sincere thanks for kind comments from Wayne, Mike, John, Jason, Mark, and Mal!

These were fun to make.

Stay tuned - working on a new set of ideas this week - more fun ahead.

Happy Monday to all, and gratefully - Bob

 

[Jplupercio_CSUSA]

Those are some awesome blanks!

 

[Dalepenkala]

Great looking pens Bob!

 

[OZturner]

More Great Eye Candy Pens, Bob.
Isn't it surprising how much difficulty some people have, in making a simple selection,
I am like Mark, I'll chose the same!
I am sitting on the edge of my seat, in anticipation of what "Alchemy" you are developing, Can't wait, my Friend.
Brian.

 

[Bryguy]

Gorgeous again. Bob you sure come up with some inventive ideas. Love your work.

 

[Bob in SF]

Heartfelt thanks to JP, Dale, Brian, and Bryan!

Bryan: The little bits of "invention" in pen-making seem to spring naturally from my other lives in multi-instrumental jazz improvisation and composition - stories once-told - eg's:
Modified plastic recorder - holes drilled wider (but still concentrically) to expand the fingering possibilities from baroque to bebop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpaFar-XCs
Soundtracking music for short films on a variety of instruments with my friends and co-composers Lars Johnson and Byrne Newhart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzl5NzjauX8

More fun ahead.

Happy Tuesday!

Gratefully, Bob

 

[Joe S.]

I asked her if she'd like 1,2, or 3: "Yes"

That means she wants 6 :wink:

 

[Bob in SF]

Nice, Joe! - thanks - you just doubled the fun - I'll give her a call in 1,2, or 3 minutes!

- Bob

 

[Toni]

These are the polymer clay blanks??? If so, how do you avoid the seam ????

 

[Bob in SF]

Toni - These are not poly clay blanks - I sanded the brass tubes with 150 grit; then acetone washed them; then coated them with Daniel Smith water color ground (2 coats, each dried x 3 days); coated them with alum; dried the alum-coated tubes x 12 hours; then twice marbled the silicone-stoppered tubes by wiggling them down vertically through paintings floated on methylcellulose-thickened water (3 days between marblings); dried the tubes x 3 days; then adhered the beads under high magnification using Judikins Diamond Glaze; dried x 4 days; final-coated the tubes with a thin layer of Judikins Diamond Glaze; dried x 4 days; then tube-in cast them with Douglas and Sturgess PR mixed with metal flakes at 50 psi; then lathe-turned and finished them as usual. Fun, but a bit time and labor-intensive.

I've not yet marbled alum-coated poly clay - but no reason not to try it - hmmm...glad for your question!

Warm regards, Bob

 

[mmayo]

There is a lot going on in those pens, all good and very pretty.

 

[Curly]

Bob if I have added up correctly your pens took about twenty one and a half days or more to make. Pretty nice for slapping them together.

 

[Bob in SF]

Thanks Mark and Pete!

Pete - You are right - but still a shorter gestation than:
Tapirs: 13mos.
Donkeys: 12-14mos.
Elephants: 23mos.
Black alpine salamanders: 2-3 years
Basking sharks: up to 3 years

Hoping my next little adventure will yield quicker results.

Warm regards, Bob

 

[duncsuss]

You've raised the bar to the point where I'm getting altitude sickness ... great combination of techniques

 

[Bob in SF]

Heartfelt thanks, Duncan!

One of my dear friends is an ex-Disney animator from the old days of hand-drawn pencil tests, key drawings, in-betweening, ink and paint, animation stands, multiplane film cameras, etc.; and he refers to hand-rendered animation as the "soulful imaging of possible worlds" - sounds like pen making to me.

We are all raising various bars in our shops, and pens are a fine way to animate (and elevate) thought, art, craft, and sentiment.

Warm regards - Bob