I don't have any new photos today, but I did want to give readers an update on the pumpkin. When I blogged last time, I had said that I had to cut off part of the back of the pumpkin in order to get a brush inside to paint the inside of the pumpkin. I was uncertain as to whether or not I was going to be able to get the back on and repaired in a satisfactory manor. Fortunately, I was able to repair the pumpkin. You would never even know that I had cut the thing into pieces.
After I was able to get a paint brush inside the pumpkin, I painted the inside with two layers of Gesso and then two layers of metallic gold paint. I used red-orange on the last pumpkin. This time I wanted the pumpkin to have a different look. The paint reflects a lot of light and the inside is really going to glow when I add a battery operated candle or a glow stick.
The last couple of weeks, I have spent my free time layering more pâper mâché strips over the repair. It takes a while because I have to wait for the layers to dry before I add the next layer. Once the layers were on, I began with touch up painting over the repair on the inside. I had to use a very long handled paint brush to reach some of it through the opening at the top of the pumpkin. A brush would not work around the rim of the pumpkin, so I used a piece of sponge dipped in paint and used my fingers to hold the sponge.
Finally, I am on to painting the outside of the pumpkin. I don't just slap on some orange paint. The color is built up in layers. The pumpkin has received its first layer, which is a Raw Umber. It is very dark. I have started on the second layer which is Alizarin Crimson. I am about half way finished with the crimson layer. Currently, the pumpkin is upside down as I began painting the bottom of the pumpkin first. It is too big to try and paint all at once. I made sure to feather out the paint so there is no hard line where I stopped painting.
This pumpkin is going to be a darker shade that the previous pumpkin. The brown I used on the first pumpkin was a reddish-brown craft paint color called Nutmeg. The Raw Umber is a much darker brown. The color will lighten as I add the different layers of paint. I am okay with this. I did not want the pumpkins to look exactly the same. This pumpkin is a vampire pumpkin. He needs to look dark and sinister. At least that is how I hope he turns out when all is complete. (I say I hope because the last sinister project I made did not come out looking scary, it was kind of dopey looking.)
I had a Plan B in the event that I could not get the pumpkin back together again. I was going to cut off the front half of the pumpkin and use it as part of a door decoration. Now I have a vision for a door decoration, and I want to make a pumpkin with that expression as well. So now I have a new pumpkin coming on the "to do" list. So many projects, so little time.
Next time I post, I will have pictures of the painting process.
