Bead Saguaro Cactus

1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 bisque. Moisten a clean sponge and wipe bisque to remove any dust. Do not oversaturate the bisque with water.
2. With a pencil, lightly draw flowers onto bisque
3. Using a #4 Liner Brush (RB104) underglaze the flowers using UG67 Ivory, UG222 Soft Yellow and UG203 Squash Yellow, outline the flowers with UG90 Green Mist.
4. With a #4 Soft Fan Brush (RB-144) apply 3 coats of UG68 Apple Green to entire cactus, avoiding the flowers.
5. With UG210 Forest Green, glaze vertical lines down the cactus to separate the segments using the #4 Liner Brush (RB104)
6. Glaze the base of the cactus with UG90 Sand and UG232 Olive using a #4 Soft Fan Brush (RB-144)
7. Bisque Cactus to cone 04
8. Mix equal amounts of SW447 Blue Bead and SW441 Yellow Bead in a container to create a new “green” bead color.
9. With a #4 Soft Fan Brush (RB-144) apply 4-5 coats of the green bead to the entire cactus, alternating the direction of each coat.
10. Using a #4 Liner Brush (RB104) apply SW440 White Bead, SW443 Red Bead and SW441 Yellow Bead to the flowers.

Additional Adaptations & Tips

1. Wipe the excess glaze off the bottom of the piece.
2. Do not stilt.
3. Fire to cone 6.