What is a good way to make a bead that looks like a license plate

Well, most license plates r metal but they're painted opaque colors so polymer clay (or another clay) would look more realistic than aluminum foil.

''Sharpies'' r not always the best things for drawing on baked polymer clay though unless u seal the clay first (they can sometimes eventually bleed a bit) --use an acrylic sealer if u use one.
If u want to check out other pens/markers/etc that r safe to use on polymer clay, as well as all kinds of other ways to make ''lettering'' on polymer clay, check out this page of my site:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/letters_inks.htm
(. look at all the categories under ''Letters''
...also look under Inks for ''Inks for Writing & Drawing on Clay'')

(and this page for just painting over baked polymer clay:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/paints.htm
.click on ''Preparing the Clay'' & on ''Acrylics'')

If u want to get the upraised lettering that license plates have (as well as the upraised edges) I'd suggest perhaps making a polymer clay mold first, then baking that & using it fresh clay.
( http://glassattic.com/polymer/molds.htm )
That way u could use letter & number stamps (rubber or metal) or just draw/impress ur own (backwards though) --and also depress the outside area-- in the raw clay that will be the mold (then bake). When u cast the new clay into that mold, all those impressions would be raised instead of depressed. (Start with a larger sheet of clay that you'd need.)

If u really want the license plate to look metallic, u can do that really easy with the polymer clay too by using a metallic powder (Pearl-Ex, etc., or real-metal powders) or even metallic acrylic paints though those would be a bit pearlier.

If u wanted a specific plate, u could also make a ''transfer'' of that plate onto polymer clay, or just decoupage an image of it onto baked clay.

You could use other clays as well, but most shrink to some extent.


HTH,

Diane B.

I'd try the polymer clay. you can use different colors for the background and numbers so you would not have to use a sharpie. it'd give it more dimension too. :D just do not forget to poke holes for the jump rings (or cord or whatever) before you bake it.