Masks and other Art

[Buster's Uncle]

The packaging, in this case, is identical to the stuff that's worked properly...

[Buster's Uncle]

I've always wondered what causes the 'dustiness' that especially shows up in the green.



I sorta like it, usually, on the green -I was going for a jade look on the Budai, and that was perfect- but there's usually some pitting along with it, and it was kinda bad on this one.  It seems to settle most on the head and shoulders, like the scent and/or smootz from the bottom of the wax can is settling there in the mold.

-Also, I can't tell whether I'm having a run of bad luck with chin bubbles -I do tap the mold- or there's a flaw there I have trouble feeling, but this is the second cast from the new mold -100% so far- that I've had to fix a shallow-but-ugly flaw on the chin.

[Buster's Uncle]

[Buster's Uncle]

And behind them, the very last of the wick -until I make some overhead back- in a white candle cooling...

[Buster's Uncle]

I mean, I ain't wasted a whole inch of wick out of several feet since I bought it 20 years ago - and there's about 2 millimeters left, so I'm definitely done with candles until I sell some...

[Buster's Uncle]

[Buster's Uncle]

I have screwed up my courage, proclaimed the statue finished -shaping/smoothing stage- and applied a coat of watered-way-down gloss mixed with white and just a hint of yellow, to hopefully give it that polished creamy marble look.  I'm hoping that thinned way down, it'll sink into the plaster a bit with the water, bonding thoroughly and making the old patched-up thing stronger.

[Buster's Uncle]

Mostly taken as a color check...

...because in the last shot -Triumph of the Kens, I call that one- the contrast between new and old plaster really stood out.  I'd say it's coming along nicely.

-Also, I'm almost satisfied with the hand now -there was a happy accident as I worked on the hand a few days ago with part of the thumb breaking off one last time, and it gluing back on at the wrong angle was actually an improvement- and I just did some improvements on the nose, which appears to have been reconstructed at some point, coming out bulbous and increasing the resemblance to Bill Clinton.  -The hair's bad enough, and the thinner nose looks younger and more Ken.

This is the third coat still wet, and the flash makes it look even shinier than that.  When it's just a tad shiny dry, I'll know I need to stop painting...

[Buster's Uncle]

Taken for the same reason...

 

...and also for Geo to get another good look at his favorite man-butt.

Dunno if the difference from the front is down to having time to dry or what.  I need to put it in front of the dehumidifier for at least a few hours before the next coat.  Better safe then sorry.

-When I make the mold, I'm going to have to leave an air passage to the lowest point of the hand by sticking a thick wire in there that runs over to the thigh, then remove it from the castings.  No way those aren't going to take a lot of handwork to get nice anyway, but it'll be interesting to do the sanding and all with plaster that's naturally in one piece...

[Buster's Uncle]

The universe may be trying to tell me to stop with the latest coat - the pill bottle I had the whitewash/gloss in tipped over and spilled most of what was left as I was wrapping up.  Made an awful mess of my clothes.

[Buster's Uncle]

Well, we talked at great length this afternoon about the art-selling website, and finally came up with an approach to the look of the banner to go atop each page; the bared logo she did up ages ago back in Texas over a dark slightly rumbled sheet texture.






-Any thoughts about square v. rounded corners, vivid blue background v. subdued?

-Are these wide enough?

[Buster's Uncle]

Another set of color comparisons w/ two near-identical busts, one painted with the same stuff I used on the full statue.



The coated one on the right is a copy of the one on the left.









I really don't see a lot of difference, coating or otherwise.  The painted one seems to photograph very slightly better...

[Buster's Uncle]

At least in theory, this is finished.



...I'm pretty apprehensive about the mold - it could conceivably take patches of the gloss off and ruin the paint job.  -Plus, it's a challenge with the materials to get it to come out right.  That the current tube of silicone is painfully slow-curing -the Barbie boots mold from yesterday afternoon is not good and firm yet- is actually an advantage, as it gives me plenty of time to get the entire first half patted into place and add good interlock impressions around the edges.  I'm thinking the tip of a phillips head for that...

[Buster's Uncle]

Well I just broke down and put shoes on and went somewhere by myself -besides a cigarette run; I don't wear shoes for that except when it's really cold- for only the second time in slightly over a year.



My siblings have not exactly encouraged me to be involved in the gallery -to the extent they never even tell me anything- but with the crapulent way the masks are hung as a prime example, I had, I think it was 35, candles sitting on the piano upstairs where for sure nobody was going to buy them - and the only way they were going to get displayed respectfully decently competently well is if I took them over and took care of it myself.  We're out of there in two months and change, but what the heck; the candles haven't had a fair chance showcased prominently and attractively, and they might start selling yet.

I'd done a little ad-hoc arranging, two weeks ago while I was there demonstrating for the festival, of the new candle selection I'd recently sent over - that mostly accounts for the ones on top of the back wall.  I made a stair step display riser out of empty cigarette cartons the next day, took it today, and that mostly accommodated the rest from home and the 12 that have been sitting in the shadows back of the table since December, easily ignored and totally unsold - and they'd been marked $2.  $#@!






I also glued down the Buster figure to the stump pedestal and added the little masks I'd finally gotten Mylochka nagged into finishing - today, that I did my part the first week of June.



(Six shots I took of it, and not a single one came out in focus...)

I had the idea for the Buster-in-overalls display on the fifth of June - and the only reason it's finally as finished as it's ever going to be today is that I did my brother's part with the stump pedestal and the mini-mallet for him two months ago.  If it sounds a little like I'm very frustrated and angry with my brother and sister over gallery stuff alone, that's because they treat me like gum on their shoes.  -Stupid gallery tricks is not the only reason we're not selling anything.

-Anyway, I think it's pretty cute, and if Buster had bothered to make a tiny fairy to go with the rest, it would be a mighty fine capsule representation of something from each of us.  Branding and symbols matter.

[Rusty Edge]

the Buster display is cute.