THE ART OF BEAD MAKING

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Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about the art of bead making. Enjoy the class!

The Art of Bead Making

Bead is a small piece of glass, plastic, metal, stone, terracotta, wood, pearl or similar materials, diverse in shape, with a go through-hole for thread or chain to convert to jewellery or designs.

The art or craft of making things with beads is termed as beadwork. The materials used in making beads are classified into two groups namely: natural and synthetic materials.

Bead making tools and techniques

Bead making tools or materials include; beads, beading wire, eye pins, bead stoppers, crimp covers, crimp, crimping cutters/ wire cutters, crimping pliers, round-nose pliers, clasp, ruler.

Bead making techniques include:

• simple loop techniques
• wire wrapped loop techniques
• cone techniques
• crimping techniques
• clamshell calotte techniques
• spiral bead weaving techniques
• metal stamping techniques
• Riveting techniques
• Bail techniques
• Good techniques
• Stringing techniques
• Coiling and twisting wire techniques
• Bead embroidery techniques
• Sawing techniques
• Netting techniques

Uses of beads

1. To make jewellery
2. For textile design
3. For healing
4. For furniture design
5. For musical instrument production
6. For a diverse area of creativity
7. Decoration on frames
8. Decorating the home
9. As wire identifiers
10. Spiral of hand band books

Symbolic representation of African beads

1. Beads for trade exchange
2. Beads for household prosperity
3. Beads for decorative functions
4. Beads for group or cultural identity
5. Beads for cultural and traditional
6. Beads for availability or marital status
7. Beads for affluence, power and prestige
8. Beads for communicating with the ancestors and spirit world

 

In our next class, we will be talking about Introduction to Mosaic.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and trust us to respond as soon as possible.

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