Bonsai is a miniature (dwarf) tree. In this article I will talk about how to make bonsai from beads with their own hands.
What is needed for manufacturing
To create this masterpiece, we need to stock up on the following materials:
• about 200 gr. green beads, necessarily plain;
• about 50 gr. beads of various shades of green (light, dark), it is possible even with mother of pearl and shine, the main thing is that additional beads are combined with the main one;
• a coil of copper wire with a cross-sectional diameter of 0.3 mm;
• a coil of aluminum wire with a cross-sectional diameter of 2-5 mm;
• two skeins of thread that are used for embroidery, such as "Mouline thread", better than brown;
• a pair of small skeins of ordinary adhesive tape;
• packing of gypsum - 1 kg (this amount will be enough for the next few trees);
• black and brown gouache;
• colorless varnish;
• decorative pot;
• pebbles and other materials for decorating the pot.
You will also need the following tools:
• container for beads;
• scissors and knife;
• pliers;
• brushes for drawing large and small diameters.
Getting to work
Now that everything is ready, you can start making bonsai from beads with your own hands. Before starting work, pour all the beads into a convenient container so that it mixes. Below is a master class on how to make bonsai from beads (step by step).
Step 1
To form a first-order branch, we begin to string the beads on a copper wire. I recommend immediately stringing about 60 cm of beads (do not cut the wire from the coil). 15 cm from the beginning we retreat and begin to make the first leaf, for this we move 7 beads from all the stringed beads and twist them into a loop, turning several times. So we make 8 leaves and only then we cut off the tip of the branch from the general skein, skipping 15 cm at the same time. We twist the tips together, forming the base of the branch 5 cm long, straighten the leaves. We repeat this process until we use up all the beads (it should turn out 250-300 branches).
Step 2
Now we proceed to the formation of twigs of the second order. To do this, twist the previously made twigs together and wrap them with threads (5 cm), while about 4 mm of wire from the leaves should be left. You can wrap three at once, or you can add one at a time.
Step 3
From the branches of the second order, we form the branches of the third order, connecting three or four branches together. And finally, we form the largest branches of which our tree will be composed. To do this, we connect the three middle branches together in the same way as before.
Step 4
From the thick wire we prepare the frame of the future tree. Its height ranges from 30 to 35 centimeters. Next, we attach the largest branches to the branches of the frame, wrapping them with ordinary adhesive plaster. In order to keep the gypsum well on the frame, you can not wrap the branches with tape or tape, but only with adhesive tape. Otherwise, with a neat barrel, no bonsai made of beads made with their own hands will not work.
Step 5
Having wrapped the branches, put the frame in a pot and fill it with gypsum. After the gypsum hardens in a pot, we make a tree trunk, coating the frame and branches with a solution of gypsum. We carefully cover the trunk and branches with brown paint and make thin vertical strokes along the trunk of the whole tree with black gouache. The tree is almost done!
Weaving bonsai beads (master class) is completed. We will take up the decoration of the soil (this is a matter of imagination) and finally cover the tree trunk and the soil with varnish.
In this way, you can try to make beautiful and branched bonsai from beads with your own hands, without resorting to outside help.