Hollow Bead Templates
I may not be the first to use paper shapes as bead armatures but I might be the first to make it so convenient for you!
Click on the links below to open and download the forms. Simply print the PDF on light card stock, cut, punch the holes, score, fold, and tape. The folding is pretty easy to figure out but just in case you have trouble, just match the groupings of black triangles.
Cover the folded and taped shape with a thin layer of clay and cure. And there you have it...a lightweight form to cover with your favorite veneer. No need to remove the paper from inside the bead.
Need more? Just print more sheets or trace and cut them out.
Want different sizes? Just enlarge or reduce a bit on the copier!
If you have suggestions or questions, let me know. Contact me at artybecca at gmail dot com.
(These are saved in my DropBox folder so it may ask you to approve the link...go ahead and do so. It's safe!)
LongBead.pdf (four sides with tapered ends)
Pyramids
Diamonds (Either three or four sides)
Cubes
Pillows
And thank you to Jan Frame and Cynthia Tinapple who found these other links to shapes galore from various sources:
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| Pillow |
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| Carol Simmons cane pieces placed on the Long Bead form 2-3/4" long |
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| 4-sided Diamond 2" hole to hole (top to bottom) |
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| Long Bead form |
Thanks so much for sharing these Rebecca! As I said, genius!!!!!
ReplyDeletePlus your collaboration with Carol Simmons resulted in some of the prettiest beads i've seen.
Thanks so much! I can't wait to experiment with these templates. Your clay time with Carol must have been so much fun. The beads are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteAm definately going to try these - thank you!
ReplyDeletelove love love your beads! And what a genius idea -ooh the possibilities :) Thank you for sharing - off to make some paper shapes right now!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Thanks for sharing this technique, Polymer artists are the best! Your pieces are beautiful~ I am now a blog follower too.
ReplyDeleteUPMOST BRILLIANT! Thank you so much for sharing, Rebecca!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this - ever since I found out about cardboard armatures for bracelets from Vickie Turner of Claymagination, no cornflakes packet is safe in my house - hubby will be dismayed that I have found yet another use for them - all the cornflakes in my house will end up out of their boxes and powdered :)- he will have to eat them double quick to get one that is whole!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the freebie, much appreciated, as are all the tuts on your Flickr pages -
ArtyBecca Rocks!
Thank you so much for sharing. Something new to do in front of the tele!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for these freebies! What a wonderful idea for making hollow beads! I look forward to trying these.
ReplyDeleteMarion
What a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing and making it easy for us to try, too.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, what a great idea! Love those beads in your post too. One question: what do you use for tape? I'm thinking washi might work, I'm sceptical of cellophane. This will make a great base and lightweight too. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt is the #M Scotch brand satin "gift wrap" tape...very flexible and smooth. I am sure others would work too, however.
DeleteRebecca, thanks for your generosity! This isn't the first time you have shared your secrets with the rest of the PC world. You and your work are awesome!
ReplyDeleteFabulous idea and results! And fabulous of you to share!
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific idea. I'll be experimenting later today!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, you are genius! Thank you for sharing this fantastic idea! Love it very much! I used the paper as a reinforcement for thin flat objects, but I have never occurred to me to make three-dimensional forms.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your generosity. (BTW--I'm a HUGE Carol Simmons fan and love what the two of you did together.)
ReplyDeleteWow, these are great! Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, for both sharing your technique and the templates! You may not have discovered geometrics, but the templates will save so many people's time.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Thx for taking time to share with us. I'm new to Polymer Clay and I will start learning to make some hollow beads soon (now learning caning). THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those V8 moments when I say "why didn't I think of that?" Thank you for thinking of this and most especially thanks for sharing with us. This is definitely a "pay it forward" item on my list. I will figure out my own art "ta da" item and share with others in order to do my part to keep good vibes and ideas moving forward. You are very gracious. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for something like this for a while. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for something like this for a while. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI like these so much I may have to get back to claying! Thank you for so generously sharing with everyone.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I have tried dozens of ways to achieve this effect!
ReplyDeletethank you so much. eti raz, israel.
ReplyDeleteWow! You are brilliant, patient and generous. Thank you so very much. I'm looking forward to playing with some of your shapes.
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to watch the process from start to finish. Thank you for sharing...
laurie
Wow what a fabulous idea!!! Thanks so much for sharing the templates, can't wait to have some time to try them out.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your splendid idea..
ReplyDeleteHow very nice of you to share this. It is just Fabulous, Thank You.
ReplyDeleteSuper nice of you to share your idea as well as the templates. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, brilliant Rebecca! I love the long bead form and can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteReally great of you to share your idea, especially the method you used to get there. Sometimes it's so easy to forget simple things we have available for a task, but once we do discover them things then go full steam ahead. So double thanks. One for sharing & one for reminding us to look closer to home. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThis sure beats making hollow beads with sugar! I can't wait to see everyone's creations!!
ReplyDeleteLadies, thank you very much for the templates & your generosity in sharing with the world!
Sophia in S.FL.
Thanks for sharing. Everybody use this geometric forms in the school but nobody has thought about their use with polymer clay. Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteGreat collaboration of your left brain and right brain to create these templates to cover. I can't wait to see how it evolves!
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ReplyDeleteThis is such an amazing thing you have come up with and what fun! Thanks so much for sharing this idea with us all!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful, can't wait to give it a try. I am a great admirer of your work. Thank you very much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe beads are wonderful!!!!Thank you so much for sharing..... Greetings from Florence (Italy)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your generosity. Your beads are beautiful and I really appreciate your sharing.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know what kind of clay you are using. You say to let the clay cure. The clay I have used must be baked--wouldn't the paper catch fire? Love the idea!
ReplyDeleteI use Kato. I cover the forms with a thin layer of Kato and cure it. Card stock or index card can go in the oven at the temperature you use to cure the clay without catching fire. They may get a little brown but that's all. Just be sure not to let them touch the heating element...then you'd probably have cause for alarm (ha ha!). Anyhow, with the bead forms, the paper is totally covered with clay so it's really no problem at all.
DeleteThank you so much for your generosity of spirit.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to figure out when I was going to tackle hollow beads and I guess that time has come. :}
Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is a grand idea I'd like to try but can't download the templates ,I get a message Access to this link has been disabled
ReplyDeletethnxxxxxxxxxxx!!!
ReplyDeleteSo clever! Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :) Going to give these a try! Love your blog :)
ReplyDeletethank you so much
ReplyDelete