Getting started with perlers

2015-01-19 02:40:30 pm

I've always had a general passing interest in making perlers, but never was quite sure on where to get started. Does anyone have any recommendations on where exactly to start, what kind of beads/colors/so on to buy, tips and tricks, dos and don'ts, and so on?

Thread title:

philosoraptor42

2015-01-19 02:59:15 pm

Dapper as fuck.

Lots and lots of black beads. When I started I bought a starter jug of random colors and an extra 2 bags of black beads, since your outlining is generally done in them Smiley

Efreeti

Edit history:

Efreeti: 2015-01-19 08:15:41 pm

2015-01-19 08:13:42 pm

Clear as a crisp spring morning!

Always buy beads by the same manufacturer for a single project, if you can. Get white boards, it's easier to see if they're getting warped or if any peg tips have melted. Use parchment paper, the kind for baking and stuff, it's heat resistant. Also, you can reuse the paper, but be careful of not using it for too long as it absorbs wax over time. I recommend melting the beads slowly with a medium heat, as I feel it's easier to melt them evenly. It increases the risk of stuff sticking to the paper and falling off if you lift the paper too early, but with some experience you'll avoid that.

Other than that, you may already know but in case you don't, this site is invaluable for gaming perlers: http://www.spriters-resource.com

bangerra

2015-01-20 12:34:22 am

For what kind of beads to use: In the US you should probably go for Perler beads, In the EU go for Hama beads. They are the same size and can be used on the same project theoretically, but because they are slightly different in production, they have a difference in composition and melt temperature, making it slightly harder to get a smooth perler. So avoid it if possible, but if you need a specific colour it's possible to interchange.