Gregg Burgard's Zombie Beads Inspire the Question: "What are You Working on Now?" (It's a Contest!)

Gregg Burgard’s Zombie Beads Inspire the Question: “What are You Working on Now?” (It’s a Contest!)

Jan 30, 2012

19 Comments

Gregg Burgard, of Rio's tech team, has been inspiring us lately with his growing collection of whimsical and creepy "Zombie Beads".

Gregg's cast charm beads: An offbeat twist for the traditional charm bracelet.

Gregg hard at work on his detailed beads.

Gregg's "Zombie Beads" are inspired by personalities and are intended to fit onto charm bead bracelets like Frolic. They offer a fun and more personal alternative to charms of cute kittens, turtles, or teddy bears.

Salvador Dali: The most charming bead of all.

Here's what Gregg shared with me about his process (in a nutshell):

The pieces are carved in wax and scupted in polymer clay
Then they are RTV molded with Ditto mold rubber.
Next, Gregg injects this mold with injection wax, takes this injection wax and scrapes off about 1mm off the surface, which gives him a slightly smaller smoothed over copy of the original.
This scraped version now gets molded. It gets injected with a water soluable wax and is placed back into the first mold, thereby creating a core for the original bead that can be dissolved in water --This process allows Gregg to make a larger bead that is light weight and less expensive, yet still has the look of a heavier bead.
Then the bead is conventionally lost wax cast.

Now, we want to see what YOU are working on!

Leave a comment with a picture or two of a work-in-progress. Tell us what inspired your project and where it's headed next.

We'll choose a favorite from among your comments add a quick $10 to the winner's Rio Grande account for their next purchase. Don’t have an account? No problem, you can sign up for one right here.

This is just the first in a series of "What are you Working on Now" posts, so keep visiting The Studio for more inspiring pictures and more chances to show off your stuff!

Posted By Molly Therese Bell

Read more about Molly.

Tagged as: Artists, inspiration, It's a contest!, What Are You Working on Now? Leave a comment

Comments (19) ( subscribe to comments on this post )

chachi95
January 31st, 2012 - 00:59

Some carve in wax, some carve on a screen in 3D.
CFWhite
January 31st, 2012 - 09:29

I built these settings in BronzClay, and have slabs of lapis lazuli and green chrysocolla picked out to hand cut the stone for it. As the center section is over 3″ across, it will be a large piece when I finish it. After the stones are set, it will be linked together with 20 ga. bronze wire links with lapis beads. Right now I’m teaching 6 jewelry classes a week and so my time is a bit limited for stone cutting, but I hope to finish it soon. So that’s what I’m working on now.
anjules
January 31st, 2012 - 12:49

A few months back when watermelon was fresh on the brain and taste buds I splurged on 2 delicious sets of matching watermelon Tourmaline slices cut by a local artist. Just last week when the wind was blowing and the snow was falling down, I had an urge for watermelon…earrings that is! I used bezel and wire to prong set the slices. I used Rio’s round snap settings in 3mm and 6mm for the peridot and pink tourmalines; the 6x4mm oval peridot was set in a Rio setting as well. I topped this off with a lever back earring to complete the watermelon earrings in sterling silver.
silverrabbitstudio
January 31st, 2012 - 13:41

OMG I MUST have a TROLL!!!!…being the (aging) flower child that I am! I think I still have one of these floating around my studio….LOL! Seriously, how do I get one???
This is great! I love getting a poke to think out of the box. I’ve got heart rings and necklaces on my bench, so predictable at this time of year. However, I do have a “Valentine, Schmalentine” card that I made recently from my crafty sideline of greeting cards….just to give a little balance to the sweet, pinky, loveydovey season!
artdogdeb
January 31st, 2012 - 13:44

Gregg has crazy skills!!! I bought the Frida bead and I LOVE it. . . the detail is amazing. I wear it on a silver chain or black rubber cord around my neck. I’m going to collect them all! (But Frida is my all time favorite!)
heylanijewelry
January 31st, 2012 - 14:52

HA! CUTE!
Wonderful little goodies!

Where do we post our ‘in works’ photos!?
Attached to this post!?

Thanks,

E’lan
heylani jewelry
heylanijewelry
January 31st, 2012 - 14:58

HI!
Sorry… I just noted that we do post our photos here!

Well, I’ve already shared this on Rio’s FB wall… but I’m so excited about my new men’s ring line (Heart of Gold) and it is what I am currently working on… so here are the pics!!

Beautiful Argentium and 24K gold (from Rio, Of course!

Thanks tons,

E’lan
heylani jewelry

Photos : In the works & Finished
heylanijewelry
January 31st, 2012 - 15:03

LOL! I’m sorry for my multiple posts!

This collection was inspired by a new for more men’s jewelry on etsy AND more men’s jewelry within my own jewelry line!

I started thinking about how great a simple ring looks with one or a few flush set stones… then it hit me to ‘set’ a bit of round 24K gold… and I knew I wanted a ‘rough’ texture… THEN I got a little teary eyed when I connected the emotion of the design to my marriage…
Where we often want a man who has an edge, a bit rough, and can protect us… but then we realize that what we want/love is their Heart of Gold, that they keep close to the surface but reserve a bit also!

That’s my story! I’m so in love!

Thanks,

E’lan
heylani jewelry
Richard Dowie
January 31st, 2012 - 22:17

We live in Christchurch, New Zealand which has been plagued by earthquakes since Sept 2010. The house bead symbolizes the damage common to peoples homes – cracked walls, windows etc and broken chimney. The other two beads are cathedrals which suffered significant damage and will probably be demolished.

Richard Dowie
http://www.sladens.co.nz
jenniferflintdesigns
February 1st, 2012 - 15:46

Love the beads and the contest idea! Both extremely cool ideas!

So what am I working on lately? Well, I was never satisfied with traditional casting methods for various reasons, (cough – perfectionist!) so I’ve been trying to take over the process myself in a really simple way at home. I like to sculpt designs in soft-ish brown microcrystalline wax, take a mold of them using a silicone molding material so that I can make them multiple times, then custom-finish and inscribe them.

To make a reusable mold form for each design, I roll out a thin sheet of modeling clay as a base, then press wax strips around the shape of the piece to be molded (see photos). The modeling clay holds the strips firmly in place.

Next I mix and place the molding material on top of the wax model, wait about five minutes, and remove the resulting flexible, nonstick mold. Works like a charm!

I used this new method recently to cast a hand-sculpted oak leaf design with an organic, intrinsic bail. After making the mold, I pressed PMC Sterling into it, stamped the back while it was still damp, then hand-shaped the leaf and the loop bail before firing it. This was my first time using the new PMC Sterling (many thanks to Rio Grande for your EXCELLENT tech support on that), and you can see the results in the photos.

I wrote a blog post about this molding method in a bit more detail, and I’ve included a link to that as well.

Easy and fun!

http://auraborealis.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/breaking-the-mold/
Molly Therese Bell
February 1st, 2012 - 19:04

Thanks for all the inspiring pictures so far!

It’s so much fun for us to get a peek into your studios. Keep ‘em coming!
chachi95
February 2nd, 2012 - 00:25

Not sure why my images didn’t show up the first time, but like I was saying. Some carve in wax, and some carve on the computer in 3D. Inspired by a jet engine/turbine, old hot rod motor….
DianaManning
February 2nd, 2012 - 22:14

I work with a variety of medias, including jewelry and polymer clay. Attached are some photos of my recent work. Some are mixtures of medias, and some are a method of twisting and sewing with the wire. http://www.dianamanningstudio.com
DianaManning
February 2nd, 2012 - 22:26

More of the twisted/sewed necklaces,

http://www.dianamanningstudio.com
heylanijewelry
February 7th, 2012 - 14:29

Completion… (following the above In the Works)
The “Heart of Gold” listing is up on etsy…

Just thought I’d share
http://www.etsy.com/listing/92425123/valentine-for-him-mens-argentium-silver

Have you all made a decision yet on the ‘winner’!?

Thanks,

E’lan
heylani jewelry
Molly Therese Bell
February 9th, 2012 - 09:41

E’lan,

Thanks for keeping us posted! Your ring with a “heart of gold” is strong and beautiful. The winner of the “What are You Working on Now?” mini-contest will be revealed today.
We always appreciate that you read AND that you join the conversation!

Cheers!
Molly
Molly Therese Bell
February 9th, 2012 - 09:48

E’lan,

I love reading about your thought process as you design your piece. What an honor for your husband that he’s inspired such a beautiful (and masculine!) ring.
thanks so much for sharing!

Molly
heylanijewelry
February 9th, 2012 - 15:37

Thanks so much Molly!

It’s been such a joy working on the ring design! It’s been even better that my hubby’s been able to spend a few hours, here and there, in the studio with me

Best,

E’lan
LynS
March 9th, 2012 - 15:55

What a fun idea! I use the local Art Festival as inspiration to create something other than production jewelry. I just finished a piece to enter into the local Art Festival Juried Gallery. I did a whole bracelet last year titled “Attitude Practice” and I wanted to perfect the techniques so here is a pair of earrings titled “Attitude in Disguise” The front is copper, textured with 60 grit sandpaper and the back is brass, etched using a custom made rubber stamp. The copper front is patinated with new LOS gel and the brass back with Midas Brass Patina.

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