Here is an excellent tutorial from PCC member Barbara Poland-Waters! Follow these directions for a truly beautiful and unique bead design!
Supplies:
1 block (1-2 oz.) of black clay
1 block (1-2 oz.) of white clay
Liquid clay
Pinata inks or oil paints (to tint the liquid clay)
Varathane gloss or Future floor finish
Rectangular cutter (I use Makins Clay brand, 1 x 9/16)
Cornstarch for release
Ceramic tile
Brayer
Bead piercing pins
Skewer or thin knitting needle
Tissue blade
Clay gun with two smallest multi-round hole discs
400, 600, 800 wet/dry sandpaper
Note: These beads are time-consuming to make but I believe they are worth it. The multiple bakings indicated in the steps below are not mandatory, but I have found the more often I bake between steps, the less chance there is for accidentally distorting the clay or the "leading" at the various stages of assembly.
Click Pictures for a Larger View
1. Roll out a conditioned sheet of black clay on #3 (for an Atlas) of your pasta machine.
2. Place clay on ceramic tile, smoothing with the brayer to prevent air bubbles from forming underneath the sheet of clay. Cut rectangular shapes into this sheet using a rectangle cutter that has been dipped in cornstarch. I usually space the cuts close together, two or three in a row, to save on bead piercing pins, which are used in the next step. (photo below)