The base colours are now in place on the barrels and boxes and we begin to layer on the glazes, gradually building up the colours and darkening the shadows. Bits of dry brush bring out the highlights as a last step. These pieces are going to be spectacular when they are done.
Wrestling a dragon
About twenty years ago Spaz the dragon was born, the lovable mascot for the Imagination Corporation. He made few public appearances and mostly hung out in my studios. He was massive, measuring almost four feet wide and eight feet tall. He certainly dominated the centre of the studio. Likenesses of this friendly and imaginative dragon appeared in our signs through the years. The latest incarnation is the figurehead on our ship that sails through the sliver of a blue moon.
After twenty years it is time for Spaz to go to another good home. He'll be the mascot of a deserving children's ministry. He came into the studio while we were still building it, before the permanent door was installed. Now the dragon had to be squeezed out a 36 inch wide door, turned and squeezed through a second door. It took four of us pulling, guiding and pushing. The whole time we were laughing to the point of falling down. It's not every day one gets to wrestle a dragon. Spaz made it through two small doorways unscathed.
Upping the bar one more time
With each project tackled we set out to up the bar one more time. We continually experiment with new carving and painting techniques, building on what we learned previously. The 'woodwork' in the How to Train Your Dragon project is a good example. While we desired a great deal of texture in the wood grains we also wanted more subtle areas as well. With the paint we would build on that first step. We were looking to create a look of finished and painted wood that has been out in the weather a while and was showing it's age as was appropriate for the story.
After the crew finished painting and glazing the first crate they decided it needed a little something... a label of sorts. Then one of them remembered the Viking alphabet used in the movie (in the dragon book) and did a quick search on the internet. Sure enough they found what they were looking for and proceeded to write on the side of the crate... I suspect that few guests will understand the significance and far fewer yet will take the time to look it up and decipher it. But it one small detail that adds to the story.
