Back on track!

I'm as healthy as can be expected so now I'm back on track.

I'm doing some more casting as I found out something interesting.  I used to use a dental plaster called Merlin's Magic for my Hirst Arts work.  Great stuff.  But the cost was getting prohibitive and I had to have it shipped.  I've switched over to Hydrostone.  I can get that locally for a fraction of the price.

The interesting thing is that the two plasters don't take paint the same way.  The paint doesn't seem to soak into the Merlin's Magic like it does the Hydrostone.

While normally this wouldn't be an issue all the columns for the inner temple of the display base were made from Merlin's Magic castings.  The roof sections were made from Hydrostone.  Both of them will have the same color of faux marble painted on them.  And while doing the base coats I discovered that they don't look the same.

So now I'm recasting all the column pieces in Hydrostone so the marble will be consistent when I paint it.

At least I have four fully assembled columns for future use.

Also, for a design detail I'm gluing two curved sections together so they make a round opening.  That will make sense when I post pictures.  I'm putting in four sections so I need eight bricks.  Of course I only had seven.  It's going to be a long build.

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Inspiration high. Motiviation low.

I've got all my great ideas.  But actually doing something about them is tough.

But I did work on my design for the large display base I'm doing.  It's in two pieces - inner and outer.  I'm starting with the inner since it will have more detailed painting.  Yes, I'm faux painting again.

Since the pieces are assembled pieces there are join lines.  In the past I've just painted over them and lived with the result.  This time around I'm trying an idea of filling them in using caulk. 

I did some pre-assembly last night.  I consider pre-assembly things like making columns to length and working with sub-sections.  Essentially making the pieces that will make the larger pieces.

Tonight I filled the join lines.  One of the sub-sections will become a hemispherical roof and there are join lines all over the place.  I'm hoping the caulk will fill them enough so there are nothing but smooth sections where there should be smooth sections.  Considering I'm going to be faux painting those areas I'd like them to be smooth.

I also got smart enough to make a test piece that will be a small section of the intended whole.  That way I can see if my color ideas will work.  I think they will but without a test I can't be certain.  I caulked that thing too.

Tomorrow I hope to do more assembly.  The columns are at length but still need to be glued together on the long sides.  The roof is down to 8 sections from 16.  Tomorrow there will be 4.  Then I'll fill the join lines on everything again.  I'm working on the join lines as each sub-section is assembled because it's easier to get into all the little nooks and crannies when they're still separate.  It might take longer but I'm hoping the final result will be smoother and nicer.

Right now there's nothing that would warrant pictures.  It's just some partially assembled pieces.  And the caulk filling really doesn't show up well.  I don't expect the pictures to start until the main unit is dry-stacked and the test piece is painted.

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