So that was an experience. Shit show may have been an understatement. Here’s hoping it’s still salvageable, though I’m not sure why. It was destined for the dumpster from jump, so not like it’s a huge disappointment.
Once the second coat cured, I realized that realistic water is less a depth pour and more a rubbery top coat. Between its weeble-wobble, threads of the underlying plaster cloth, and crumbling plaster dust, not a super fun time. And not many clean lines.
Not really looking to invest much more time in this one. Cropped about 3/4″ from the front and capped off the cut edges of the corrugated cardboard cliff with masking tape. Dry brushed a little to blend into surrounding cliff face.
Weird that it looks better in pictures than it does on the table. The raggedy edges were unpleasant but the bamboo coffee stirrers arrived. Roughly the same width and thickness as the pier and literally in-hand. I mixed a Payne’s-ish grey, somewhere between the water and the wood, and carried it around the base. If it’s not really important and you don’t feel like fixing it, paint it all the same dark hue.
The first layer of water effects was OK, but I didn’t go thick enough in some places. Once it cured I figured I’d try the mix with white acrylic paint and see what happened.
Too much opacity is what happened. If there is a next time, I will mix a soft ice blue so at least I can read the tint while applying. I’m OK with the water being choppy, but hopefully it doesn’t dry / cure chalky. If it does, I may hit it with a layer of gloss medium.
