beyond neptune

Progress in Works, Volume Four

With all the ink applied, it was time to work on the framing and support structures for the paintings:

First, the individual frame components were cut to the appropriate lengths, then dadoed to accept the sandwich of painting layers. A stain test was performed on some scrap oak to determine the number of coats needed to match the décor of their living room. When it was decided four coats would be a perfect match, I crafted some drying jigs and dedicated two full days to stain application.

As the frames were drying, I was also able to work on the sky backgrounds. I had originally envisioned back-painted glass, which would give a nice, glossy contrast to the much duller painted surface. In practice, however, plexiglas proved to be much more advantageous, as it is lighter and a bit easier to work with—- this was doubly-helpful, as I could cut full-sized sheets down to their proper sizes on my table saw. The main disadvantage, of course, is its susceptibility to scratching, so I decided to paint one side and leave the protective plastic sheet on the other throughout the remainder of the assembly process. A blue latex acrylic was matched to a supplied swatch, and applied in four cross-hatched coats.

Due to the relatively large size and growing weight of the paintings, I came up with a sturdy bracing system which could be used in conjunction with sliding cleat hangers. Since each painting was approximately 33” wide, the cleats would be able to span two stud-mounted screws (distributing the weight across the wall), and allow for adequate spacing.

Now, the only remaining steps to completion are the application of the spot colors and the final assembly!