Going For The Gold...

 

 Step By Step...

It's Been a while, Dear Readers, but Some of you might remember way last spring when I was starting to work on the ceiling trim of the second floor room in the Dollmaker's Studio project. I wanted to create an ornate, gilded floral swagged Rococo border to accompany the cherub painted ceiling. I began to construct the corner sections first and had assembled and painted many of the pieces when summer arrived and the Castle painting became my central focus. You would be forgiven if you thought I had abandoned this project! (It became buried under the pieces of "rock" I was needing for the Castle...)! But as often happens with my projects, this was really because I had become unsure of how to make a part I needed for this ceiling trim. I wanted to add some leafy sprays of foliage that would counterbalance the downward sweep of the swags... but I could not find leaves that would suit my purposes. At any rate, I had temporarily taped a few of the "swags" into position and there they stayed until I unearthed the pieces a week ago. I decided that at least I could attach the pieces I had already finished and then it might be easier to see what was still needed! So I began gluing the swags to the gold painted cornice trim... one piece at a time, being careful to not get glue onto the wallpaper.

The ceiling cornice is not yet glued in place 

which means it easily falls out of position...

but it is necessary to attach the swags while it is in place

 so they hang correctly against the wall.

The ends of the gold ribbon are glued down afterwards, 

leaving one of the corner sides unattached 

until the final gluing will be done.

I know, it is complicated!

And, of course, the wall is irregular because of the stone archway,

 so the different pieces need to be carefully fitted around the arch.

Each swag is slightly different anyway, 

because I wanted it to feel loose and carefree

 rather than too structured. 

Rococo design is dependent on

 asymmetrical flowing forms.

It was night time and dark, so the flash is necessary.

 

 

Here you can see it in the clear morning light!

But I wanted to see how it would look with the painted ceiling in place.

 

Without the flash, it is impossible to see it well enough.

 

And with the flash...!

It is starting to feel like I hoped it would... 

except for the missing leafy parts... 

Which I have been experimenting on

 making from plastic pieces and paper pieces.

Here I am testing some foliage....

 without the flash...

And with the flash.

I have added a few of the heavier plastic pieces

 in between the swags,

 but this is just testing, not glued in place.

And a few of the paper pieces

 peeking over the top against the ceiling. 

They need to support the illusion

 that there is sky above the gilded trim!

 

As you can see, Dear Readers,

I still have a ways to go before 

I can really glue it all in place!

But I am making some progress!

Step by step... Going for the Gold!