Test Results :: Kryptonite

1 - Plain, 2 - Plain - reduced, 3 - w/ Silver foil, 4 - w/ Silver foil - reduced & encased, 5 - w/ Silver glass frit (Gaia, Elektra, Nyx) - reduced, 6 - w/ TerraNova2 frit, 7 - As a floral, 8 - w/ Celadon, 9 - w/ Tuxedo, 10 - w/ Ivory

When I first used CiM Kryptonite a year or so ago, I didn't really like it very much, but now, after testing it and using it in some of my organic beads, I have no idea why. It was clearly a completely misguided first impression, because I definitely don't feel that way anymore.

General Impressions
Since semi-opaque colours are generally a little stiffer than opaques, I wasn't really prepared for how smoothly and readily Kryptonite melts down. That was the first of a few pleasant surprises this colour gave me as I put it through its paces. It's beautifully reactive and so nice to use!

Kryptonite is also silver and silver glass-friendly, it stays opaque enough in thin layers that you can still see it over Clear and it is curiously non-reactive with Ivory. I guess there are oddballs in every colour family, but the Kryptonite just doesn't do the things I assumed it would from all of my other testing.

I've grown really fond of this colour, and now I have to go buy some more, because I don't have very much left.

Reduction
Reducing Kryptonite seems to make it a little milkier and somewhat kills its inner glow. (Bead #2) It's much brighter and prettier before you turn the propane up, but that milky look has its uses and appeal as well.

Reactions
I love all colours that behave this way with silver, because it generally means that silver glass will LOVE them. Kryptonite is no exception to this general rule that is forming in my brain.

Bead #3 has silver foil melted onto the surface, and it mostly disappears and balls up and leaves a greenish/brownish residue. In Bead #4, I reduced the silver and then encased it which has made it do that fun shiny blanket thing you see in the picture.

These beads are sort of misshapen -- sorry about that. In the bead with TerraNova2 frit (Bead #5), the frit struck (and kept its strike!) reasonably well, confirming two important things. First, it confirmed that running away from Khaos frit, fast, was the right choice for me. Second, it confirmed that Kryptonite will make a spiffy base for striking silver glass.

This is further supported by what the reduced silver glass did in Bead #6. Now, this test wasn't really great because I accidentally left this bead in the kiln and annealed it twice which might have exacerbated the fuming on the surface. The silver glass reduced beautifully though, and stayed that way even through an extra cycle in the kiln.

There is some bleeding between Tuxedo and Kryptonite, and it's interesting how the Tuxedo has turned the Kryptonite lines almost to purple in places. (Bead #9)

I also think that it's interesting how Kryptonite made Celadon separate. (Bead #8) Kryptonite really does seem to behave more like a pink or a brown than a green or a blue.

And, strangely enough, Kryptonite doesn't really seem to react with Ivory very much at all in Bead #10. The Ivory has gone a little funny where Kryptonite is on top of it, and the Ivory has separated a little on top of the Kryptonite, but where's the dark line? Beats me... but am I ever thrilled to know that there is a green/blue colour I can use with Ivory without getting that reaction. I love the dark line reaction as much as the next person, but sometimes you just don't want it.

Here are some fun beads made with CiM Kryptonite: