The workshop was great. I know that’s a really overused word but it was. I definitely learned how to make a better bead and Dan was an interesting and generous teacher. I know I would’ve been tempted to keep a few of the tips to myself 
For example, he showed us how to make the cool dimensional beads in this white necklace featured on Polymer Clay Notes.
There were a few epiphanies and I highly recommend taking the workshop if you ever get a chance. For one thing, anyone who can make a base bead of rough-sanded, grey scrap clay look so exquisite that we were drooling over it is worth watching.
I don’t think I’ll be making beads specifically like Dan’s (although they were wonderful) but I do plan to use some of his forming and finishing techniques in my own sculptures and sculptural beads. For one thing, there’s an abstract sort of sculpture that’s been nibbling at the back of my mind for a couple months but I was having trouble figuring out how to get the effect I wanted technically. I think this class solved my dilemma.
Now I just have to make some time to work on my clay…
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Don’t you just LOVE when taking a class starts up all kinds of bubble and froth in your head about how you can take the info and make it yours? Sounds like a “great” (overused but definitely wonderful descriptor) class! Looking forward to seeing the ideas show up in your work (love that butterfly on the necklace on your web page)
Definitely! I could barely sleep the next couple nights. And when I turned over in the middle of the night, my brain still had clay going around and around. It might be some sort of disease but it’s a good one.
If it’s a disease, I’m afflicted…. =]