Peruvian ceramic beads are famous worldwide with designs so intricate that many of my customers find it hard to believe that they have actually been HAND PAINTED. Sadly production of these wonderful beads is not as productive as they once were 20 years ago. Largely due to the original clay source high in the Andes region of Pisac in the Urubamba valley started to dry up. other reasons include the beads became more difficult to obtain as the more skilled artist moved on to other professional areas, they were replaced with other artist however they could not match the amazing detail and patience that the original artist had and so the beads became less popular. The detail in many of wicked_visions by etnico’s beads is exceptional and have been painted by the veteran artist from days gone by I am sure you will not find more detailed beads on the market today. Production There are in general two types of Peruvian ceramic bead available the Glazed and Unglazed (varnished) type generally only found in Pisac .Workshops can also be found in Lima although producing only the Glazed beads made in moulds. Unglazed Production of these beads is very complex procedure and requires skill usually handed down from generation to generation. The Clay is mixed up to a paste and individually HAND ROLLED* into the required shapes, they are then placed onto a skewer and left to dry, after which they are then placed into a KILN for hardening. They are then removed and painting begins each artisan has a preferred way to paint, however the most common is leaving the bead on the skewer whilst the artist paints the designs. Once the paint has dried they are then coated with a varnish. Production of these beads from Pisac is now at a minimal, and artist very hard to come by.wicked_visions by etnico have some of the best quality Ceramic beads all painted by vetran artist . *(Although these days there are other less time consuming methods with the use of moulds) Glazed The glazed procedure is similar to the unglazed except once painted the beads are then placed into a Kiln for a second firing leaving the bead with a harder glazed finish. Wicked_visions by etnico have been working closely with families in Peru for over 25 years and have selected the very best artisans to bring you this unique collection of Peruvian ceramic beads. each bead has been intricately hand painted and each bead has also been hand rolled in the traditional Peruvian way. We hope that you enjoy these classic beads .Unfortunately over the last few years this skill is being replaced with transfers which are placed on the bead, This is largely due to the influx of cheap beads on the market and people not wishing to pay that extra for the Peruvian bead, Many Customers simply can not believe that these beads really have been hand painted, When you see the detail that these beads have it is easy to understand that .Over the years i have sat with these artisans in the back room of their house / workshop and helped paint and prepare the beads. And i can say that after an hour or two I am seeing double. and so you can only image how it would be to spend ALL DAY EVERY DAY sitting at the table painting. These guys really need respect they certainly deserve it. This is your opportunity to buy a piece of art from a fading industry Please log in to our site for these classic Ceramic beads; http://stores.ebay.co.uk/wicked-visions-by-etnico?refid=store