flat red terra sig bead necklace

This necklace is made using some of my handmade clay beads and some black glass beads on which I painted a copper spiral. The clay beads are made using a process whereby each bead is formed, left to dry, and then painted with a very fine clay substance called terra sigillata (terra sig for short) that has been dyed a red colour. The terra sig is polished to a high shine and the beads are fired in a smoke pit using sawdust as the combustible. The smoke gives the beads the blackened effect (almost making them look dirty). The process is very time consuming but the effects can be fantastic. Stay tuned for another necklace using almost the same clay technique, with a twist!