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Don Williams writes:
We did two weeks ago at DCTC for the Smithsonian course on
polychrome wood. Even though Mitch has already weighed in
with his first salvo, I wanted to give you my perspective from a
much longer description of the course which will be forthcoming.
This is ensemble including THE NOTEBOOK, which every participant
had to figure out 1) how to get closed (we couldn't -- they were too full!),
and 2) how to get home. Each one contained more than 1,200 pages
of information (at about 8 lbs), to which we referred frequently during
the week. I expect the participants will take a couple years to get
through this collection, which borders on encyclopaedic.
Also note the damaged faux finish panels that were used for inpainting
exercises, the plain boxes to be japanned in the antique fashion, and
the replica lacquer boxes on which we attempted structural repairs.
Along with working on actual objects Mitch and I had collected,
we pretty much agreed that this much material
needed two weeks to cover... or is it two months?
(stay tuned for Polychrome II).
The white boxes were made of powlonia wood.
I bought them at a local craft store for $3.
Everyone was to get theirs as close to finished as possible
during the week, following 17th and 18th century protocols, including:
Sizing and gessoing the surface with
animal hide glue and calcium carbonate,
Building up the base coat of pigmented shellac to a high polish.
Modeling the surface with applied gesso
(notice the copies of Stalker & Parker's "Treatise on Japaning",
1688, and Robert Sayers' "A Ladies Entertainment" from 1758)
Gilding the gesso modeling
(we made the bamboo knife in the lower left corner --
it cut the leaf like a charm, better than anything else I've ever used)
... and after final detailing, a gallery of magnificent objects!
We also spent a lot of time experimenting with different methods
and materials for inpainting damaged surfaces, using eight different
material/technique options ranging from high quality artists' pencils,
watercolors, acrylics and other exotic resins and colorants, to the
more typical shellac and pigment, and many, many points in between.
Class participants learned the difference quality makes.
Ten cent pencils do not work as well as two dollar ones.
We also got the chance to work on some old pieces
which provided great opportunity and excitement,
such as the selective removal of varnish on this 18th century
japanned cabinet, a la the article in the Groop archives,
The always difficult problem of paper appliques to modern objects.
Toss in the odd bit of molding and casting
(one of the participants, who shall remain nameless,
called the use of compo and paper pulp molding "bombdiggety".
My vocabulary has been duly enhanced ).
Mixing up batches of Mel's Wonder Wax for everybody,
(it works even BETTER than I promised, just ask the participants).
I think Mitch is preparing a much longer piece
describing the process in detail.
Throw in a dash of lecturing and some of the most amazing
documentary videos you'll ever see, and it's fair to say
a rewarding experience was had by all.
We also videotaped this course and the initial one in the Spring of 2001.
With the recent purchase of a digital video editing system at SCMRE
(so cheap I'm considering one myself) I want to play with the tapes
to see if we can make any good enough to post on the web.
That way you could get a taste of what the courses are like.
DonLibro