We love beads, there's no getting away from it! And of course we have our firm favourites; our bread-and-butter beads that always manage to appear in our designs.
But once in a while we do like to spice it up a little, and what better way to do this than using the same beads that we love but with brand new fancy-pants finishes!
In this blog we're going to look at both the Laser Tattooed beads and the Etched beads, and find out a little bit more about them.
Let's look at the Laser Tattooed beads first.
These beads have designs that have been lasered onto the bead faces, some with designs on both sides of the bead (such as the 2-hole Kite beads) and some just on small sections of the bead (such as the 4mm and 6mm Masked Fire Polished). As the patterns have been lasered on they won't rub off or wear away, giving you a much more resilient and crisper design. However, the process is more labour intensive than simply printing onto the bead, and this is generally reflected in the price.
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These Laser Tattooed 2-hole Kite beads have their various designs on both the front and back of the bead, allowing for great versatility in your design. The shape of the Kite beads means you can create some fantastic elements within your beadwork, such as geometric fan shapes, flower petals, circular 'mandala'-style pendants, or as fancy edge embellishments and tassel drops. | These Laser Masked 4mm and 6mm Fire Polished beads have their designs on small areas of the bead face, allowing for a much more subtle element to your beadwork. Used in exactly the same way as normal Fire Polished beads, they are perfect for the main construction of your design or as focal points within your work. |
Take a look at this video which shows how a design is laser tattooed onto a bead has a design lasered onto it (please note we do not stock the beads shown, this is just for illustrative purposes only - plus there is something very calming in watching this process!):
As well as the Laser Tattooed beads, we also have the gorgeously 'Etched' style beads that add drama and texture to beadwork.
The scuffed effect on the surface of the beads is created by dipping the beads several times in an acidic compound until it is etched appropriately. The beads are then washed and finished to really show off the organic texture to the bead. The finished bead highlights the colours used in an eye-catching way, as the tiny peaks and crevasses shine as they capture and reflect the light.
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These Etched 4mm Fire Polished beads are again similar to the Laser Tattooed Fire Polished in that they can be used in exactly the same way as normal Fire Polished beads. Perfect for adding an organic look and feel to beadwork designs, for both off-loom and loomed stitches. | These Etched 1-hole and 2-hole lentils are great for creating petals or embellishments around circular designs. The 2-hole versions are also useful for creating pathways and bridges in bracelets or necklaces. | These Etched drops and daggers create the best fringing, tassel and edge embellishments as their irregular surface draws attention to the design and the tiny dimples shine beautifully in the light. They are also great for creating flower-like designs and petal-like designs as they fit against each other precisely. |
So next time you find yourself reaching for one of your favourite beads or colour palette, try mixing it up a little with the Laser Tattooed and Etched style beads and bead beautifully!
Want to see our full range of Laser Tattooed beads? Click here
Prefer to see our Etched beads? Click here