Well, it's not entirely an excuse. As you may know, I do some folk art painting for a local craftsman, primarily wooden bowls, saffron cups, pencil cases, etc. He recommended me to a local chap who restores antique cars, built a stagecoach from scratch - and has started building cedar blanket chests. He'd like them painted with traditional Pennsylvania German motifs and "fancywork". Trouble is, I've never done a project this big, and he wants a reproduction of a particular chest - and the only photo is of poor quality and black & white. Which means a lot of research, and guesswork, as to some of the detail and colors.
Oh well, I do like a challenge. So here are a few "before" photos as I get underway, and I'll post another when I finish.
All of the work, including pinstriping and scrolling, will be done by hand - no masking tape, stencils, etc. This will lend some charm to it (I hope) and is in keeping with traditional work from the 1700 and 1800s.
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I just thought I'd throw in a pic of my fave painted river rock - a cheetah.
So that's what I'll be doing over the next few weeks. (Then there's the A to Z Challenge.) Oh, and I've buggered up the blog header. Need to get to that.
Sigh.
Do you have creative outlets besides writing and/or blogging?
Oh well, I do like a challenge. So here are a few "before" photos as I get underway, and I'll post another when I finish.
All of the work, including pinstriping and scrolling, will be done by hand - no masking tape, stencils, etc. This will lend some charm to it (I hope) and is in keeping with traditional work from the 1700 and 1800s.
Pin It
Pin It
I just thought I'd throw in a pic of my fave painted river rock - a cheetah.
So that's what I'll be doing over the next few weeks. (Then there's the A to Z Challenge.) Oh, and I've buggered up the blog header. Need to get to that.
Sigh.
Do you have creative outlets besides writing and/or blogging?
I am so envious of multi-talented artists such as you. I can't even read my own handwriting! The cheetah is adorable!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jackie! I love the cheetah too :-)
DeleteMaybe...I'm an idiot when it comes to tech stuff, even simple things.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you'll get one as a birthday gift :-)
Cool project... I hung some shelves. ;) And I still would like one of your painted river rocks. :)
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Hi Jules,
DeleteThe shelf I hung in the garage is, shall we say, precarious looking.
I'll see if I have any rocks lying about :-)
Great work on the chest! And I dig the little cheetah rock.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alex :-) He makes a great doorstop.
DeleteAmazing work.
ReplyDeleteThank you Beth. The chest is really beautiful; the gentleman does nice woodwork!
DeleteIt looks stately already! Hope you have fun with it.
ReplyDeleteHi John. Overall, I find painting relaxing, although the fine detail and pinstriping by hand can be a little tedious. I also had to use some rusty math skills to convert the proportions of the figures he wants used (from a photograph of a similar chest circa late 1800s) to the current project.
DeleteVery cool! I keep thinking I'm going to start painting rocks but unfortunately it is one of those projects (in the pile of many others) not yet started.
ReplyDeleteStopped by early for the A to Z challenge. Did it last year. Couldn't resist this year!
Giggle, Laugh, Cry
Hi Kerrie! Thanks for stopping by. I have lots of prjects on "standby" too :-) Nice to meet you, see you at the A to Z! (I'm on anther computer in case this posts as anonymous.)
ReplyDeleteLi @ Flash Fiction
Looks like an interesting project. My gran also paints river rocks. We use them as doorstops. :-D
ReplyDeleteI loved the rock look, very realistic and painstakingly done.
ReplyDeleteI paint on fabrics, clay pots sometimes...its de-stressing and fulfilling.
Very creative. I like to do patchwork quilts, but must admit have been too busy writing to do any for a long time.
ReplyDeleteWagging Tales