Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Plaster Columns --Question

The first picture below is the inspiration for my cakes---4 cakes on different sizes of stands. We are planning on using tall roman pillars for the backdrop in the auditorium for the ceremony so when I found these smaller plaster pillars at Garden Ridge, I thought they would be perfect for the cakes. I plan to make silk rose cake toppers and trail some greenery or something up the pillars.

I want to glaze the plaster pillars somehow to soften the stark white and make them look "finished". Does anyone know, do I need to do anything to them first before applying paint? (like a fixative??) I've never worked with plaster like this before, and I imagine it will soak paint right up...any tips would be appreciated!

Jessica




3 comments:

  1. I'd just paint on the glaze directly. Yes, it might take a bit to cover, but the color variations will be even nicer.

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  2. thanks! I'm still trying to decide if I want to do them with a silver/grey looking wash or a ivory/browned one. I want them to look aged and old fashioned!
    J

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  3. When I attended the Atlanta College of Art we had to carve plaster sculptures. We finished them by hand-rubbing carnuba wax (The kind for car finishes or furniture). The wax will warm from the heat of your hand and soak into the plaster creating a nice low lustre sheen to the plaster and it's washable. haha. We used the same finish on just about all wood and plaster items. It will age to a mellowed off-white color. You can always tint the wax also for whatever "aged" effect you would like. I've seen that done on faux finishing sites.

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