This week's progress...it is in the details.

This week, it feels like I didn't get squat accomplished, but that really isn't true.   When I left you last, we had 4 of 6 brick panels carved.  Last Wednesday, I succeeded in stinking up the office with burning styrofoam and completed the last of the foam carving.  Gary returned from vacation Wednesday morning and wasn't up for spending a ton of time in the office. So, when he left, I got out the hot knife and finished the last of it.  The nice pink/purple color and Owens Corning stamp really makes it convincing, doesn't it?

On Thursday afternoon, Sharon and I donned a couple of brushes and 1/2 gallon of medium gray paint and attacked the foam.  Immediately, the textures popped out as the discolored pink vanished.



I had hoped to finish the panels and get them stored away, but ran out of time. I had a 6PM call for a production that I am in.

On Saturday, I came in to add the additional colors to the surface of the brick, but Gary's sister had an art student and needed the nice, warm studio. So, I couldn't paint and moved my efforts to the shop.  I began the pay phone.  I tackled the cabinet first.  The rounded corners are easy to achieve in machine-formed aluminum.  In wood, it is a bit more of a challenge.  On Sunday, I built the base and stand for it and painted undercoats on both pieces.



I was out of silver spray paint for the aluminum portion, so I grabbed a can from home Monday morning and came in and put a dusting of silver over the gray cabinet.  While that was drying, I made the sign that says PHONE in Photoshop and printed it on glossy paper, trying to model it after the old AT&T signs from the 90's.




On Tuesday afternoon, I mounted the payphone in the cabinet









The sign, stuck on with spray adhesive, was the finishing touch.  I'll get Gary to make it look beat up and weathered sometime this week and it is good to go.  One note: the cabinet and base weigh nothing. That freakin' pay phone weighs in at about 50 lbs.  Don't knock it over... :)

(I'll screw it to the floor once we get it in place, don't worry)

This afternoon, after the driveway was cleared of snow and I could get out of the garage, I went in the the shop to tackle finishing the brick.

In order to give the brick the distressed texture of real brick, I need to layer several colors the on the surface of the brick, while leaving the joints dark gray.   I start with the darkest colors and work to lightest.

Starting with chestnut brown, I dabbed a speckled coat over all of the surfaces using a natural sponge.

Next I mixed 2/3 chestnut brown with 1/3 cherry red and dabbed another layer.

Finally, intermittent spots of primary red, just to pop some highlights.

This is enough for now. It gives a decent, consistent aged brick appearance. Once we load-in and install the panels, I will tape the seams and coat the tape with the same process.  Then we can distress it, add areas of water damage, mildew staining, and graffiti. (if I can find a graffiti artist who works for tickets)

I have two more projects to complete in the next 10 days.  I need to make the burning trash can for the opening number where Mark and Roger burn manuscripts to stay warm.  And the last big monster that I have been putting off...the base/legs for the moon.  

That is a serious challenge because it slopes, it is in four pieces, and it has to support 8 cast members dancing.  Hmmm...  Well, I think that I have it figured out. I just don't want to haul out the four sections of moon and man-handle them on to legs.  They are freakin' heavy! But I really need to assemble it once in the shop and then take it apart and haul it over. That way we know how it goes together and can reassemble it a lot faster during load-in. 

OK, until next time... I'm getting excited about loading this baby in and seeing it all together.   

R