Paper Mâché Pumpkin

 

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.