Clapboards...endless clapboards.

How I hate clapboards. I've painted about 70 sheets of lauan ripped into 6" boards. The lighting designer requested that the edges be painted dark gray. Whatever...so I prime the good side with a roller, let dry, flip over paint the edges and back (as back paint) dark gray, let dry, flip over and then prime the good side again to cover any spooges of the gray. Plus lauan is thirsty and needed two coats on the good side. I think that took me about a week done in two batches. I developed some lovely blisters on my hands. What are all those boards for???

This:
Parade Rendering

This rendering is what is provided by the designer to work from. The odd reflection is from the plastic wrap I put over it to protect the original. This allows me to draw on it as needed. I've drawn the clapboards on the colored wall as well as the structual breaks in the wall. Half of the clapboards will go to the colored wall on the left and half will be grey walls on the right.

Here is the wall ready for me to paint. Per the designer, I need not go with the rigid pixelated look of the rendering. That is there because he just ran it through a Photoshop filter. Some days I think Photoshop is the worst thing to happen to scenics.

Clapboard Wall 1


This is after the first day of painting. I'm using both a larger pneumatic sprayer and the smaller detail gun. The cans along the bottom indicate where the framing is underneath, running top to bottom. Those are the only safe places to step. So I am balancing on 1x framing on 30" centers while trying to manipulate a sprayer and hose and not step in wet paint while following the rendering. I still prefer this to retail.

Clapboard wall 2


After second day.

Clapboard Wall 3


After third day (today) Sad to say this was the day I broke through one of the boards...cracked it more really. Nothing a little glue and gaff tape can't fix. I hope to have this complete tomorrow. Then I can move onto the gray walls.

Clapboard Wall 4

2 comments:

Lisa said...

This is really truly spectacular. Your clapboard landscape is lovely.

I can't believe you broke through! I've been terrified of doing that for years. I've come oh-so-close, but never actually did.

Take another look at the skeletal structure around those eyes. They don't seem to be quite on the same plane as one another.

Gothknits said...

Actually that is weirdness in the shadows of her face. It will look better (i hope) when i finish those.

I'll get a picture of the break on Monday. The Carp who built it was pretty great about it. And besides, it's a WUW...way upstage wall!