I have had a grand old time today working on the Entry floor. It is coming together! What I envisioned is getting closer to a reality. Nowhere near finished...but it is beginning to look like I have a plan of sorts!
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| Current State of Entry Floor |
My first task of the day was to dismantle some old broken jewelry my daughter offered up to me.
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| Some perfect additions to the trinkets for the floor |
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| Hobby Lobby Find also dismantled |
I spent most of my day sanding resin gears, buttons, and clocks. I was able to level and trim the resin castings to improve their look.
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| Before Sanding - lots of crooked looking pieces |
After sanding and painting, here are the same set of disks.
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| After sanding and painting. Less variation and each piece is leveled out. |
There is now much less variation in color. Each disk was treated with several coats of paint..highlighting detail and reducing variation so that each disk appears to have a copper tone to it.
The photo above doesn't really show that off well...the light of the camera highlights the undercoat of each disk more, so that these still do appear quite varied in color. However, in real life, while they do have some variation, as planned, each has the overall tones of copper.
I then spackled and repaired a couple of dents and holes in my Foam Core board. Most of those dents are because I keep propping up the stairs and inevitably I let them fall...not good for Foam Core!
I cut illustration board to the same size as the floor, then painted it and created a faux copper feel by layering and daubing paint onto the board. I then used a paper towel to move the paint around and create a mottled effect. I used a basic tan as the base, added some verdigris, gold and bronze coloring, and finished up with multiple layers of copper color, in two shades. Again, the light highlights color you don't see much of in real life. I sure wish I knew how to take a decent picture!
The photo above doesn't really show that off well...the light of the camera highlights the undercoat of each disk more, so that these still do appear quite varied in color. However, in real life, while they do have some variation, as planned, each has the overall tones of copper.
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| Floor repairs required! |
I then spackled and repaired a couple of dents and holes in my Foam Core board. Most of those dents are because I keep propping up the stairs and inevitably I let them fall...not good for Foam Core!
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| Painted and Cut Illustration Board |
I cut illustration board to the same size as the floor, then painted it and created a faux copper feel by layering and daubing paint onto the board. I then used a paper towel to move the paint around and create a mottled effect. I used a basic tan as the base, added some verdigris, gold and bronze coloring, and finished up with multiple layers of copper color, in two shades. Again, the light highlights color you don't see much of in real life. I sure wish I knew how to take a decent picture!
I am still not overly happy with the blue color...it is a Wedgwood Blue that is too light, and fights with the darker wallpaper, so I will darken the blues.
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| Two components of the central rosette |
The rosette in the center is the combination of a Christmas snowflake decoration in an iridescent white with some rose colored tints, and an antiqued silver jewelry finding by Lalibert, that I tinted with the copper, green, bronze and gold.
That is where I am knocking off for the evening! Here is a final photo from a different angle of the floor as it stands as of now. As usual, nothing is glued down!
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| Tinted Jewelry Finding Closeup |
That is where I am knocking off for the evening! Here is a final photo from a different angle of the floor as it stands as of now. As usual, nothing is glued down!
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| Shiny new Steampunk floor! |
Once I have darkened the blues, I need to rig up a way to pour resin over the whole thing. I haven't quite figured that out yet...I predict one of my "mock up" moments soon.
Hope you all have a great evening!
Doug S
Hello Doug,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy I am following your blog and cannot wait to go over it from post # 1. I love steampunk and from a quick glance at your blog I think you will do a fantastic job. The floor is going to be fantastic. Good call on darkening the blue a little.
Big hug,
Giac