After a couple of busy weeks, I've finally found some time to work on my Halloween tree.
When we last saw the Halloween tree, Plan A had proven disastrous, thanks to the evils of spray paint. Plan B, an adaptation of Plan A which involved fabric dye, was still on the horizon.
Well. Plan B has at last entered the realm of reality. With this comes both good news and bad news.
My new plan was to dye cheesecloth black and use it to cover the thin foam which would then form the trunk of the tree by surrounding the tomato cage and chicken wire assembly. The black cheesecloth would provide not only colour, but the added benefit of texture. In my mind's eye, it looked wonderful. In reality, not so much.
The dying of the cheesecloth was quick and easy and successful. Impossible to screw up that part. But then came the attachment of the newly black cheesecloth to the foam. I brushed glue onto said foam, applied the cheesecloth and put it aside to dry.
I am rapidly losing respect for the quality of this foam. The cheesecloth adhered to it quite nicely, but the glue was not much kinder to the foam than the spray paint had been, causing it to warp and bubble. I'm not sure that this is a bad thing, however. It seems to have given the foam an interesting, gnarly appearance. Perhaps more glue is what's needed. This may fall into the category of "happy accident".
But despite the absence of total failure, I'm not entirely happy with the appearance of cheesecloth on foam. And while I plan to do more experimenting with the glue, I also have the beginnings of Plan C simmering in my mind.
7 comments:
Oh yes, trial and error and error and success! Happy accidents are those miracles for which we haunters live.
I think the cheesecloth looks quite cool.
Yes, happy accidents are always welcome. Not sure yet whether this one is a keeper or not :)
From the sounds of it, this project is a "success" just from what you're learning. The fact that you're experimenting with different techniques and materials makes it exciting. Can't wait to read more of your discoveries.
Using that kind of foam (I'm actually a big fan of that material), have you thought about using some cheap fabric and a half-white glue/half-water mixture to make a kind of fabric mache? It's a great technique for large area work that needs to be wrinkled/gnarled/tree-like. Readily painted when set and dried, didn't know if you'd used the method before!
GF - Yes, the process has been interesting. Lots to file away for future reference :)
Mike - I usually avoid mache for outdoor projects because October can be a month of incessant rain. But the effect does sound like what I'm looking for . . . Thanks for the tip :)
You are so artistically creative, it's not even funny.
Can't wait to see how this all turns out. :)
Bridgett - Me too! :D
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