What I've been up to....

"Pirate Prop Map"

(approx. 15"x26")

    I've been busy helping with the set design of VPS' "How To Be A Pirate" mini-musical.

Design painted for gymnasium doors

       It all started with a pirate map for the actors to use... that was just a warm-up for the BIG (7.5 foot square!) map for the stage backdrop...  That big ol' map was a lot of fun to work on! 

    I racked my brain to think of all the pirate-y things I could include in the map and came up with classics like "Mermaid Lagoon" and "Hideaway Island", and then some of my own original names: "Village of Pillage" and "Whale-y Waters"... I worked away at the lines to make them look as though a feather quill had been used to scribe them - I'm happy with how it turned out!  Here are the details in a thumbnail arrangement:

        After the map was completed it was on to the two pelicans for the stage... I constructed a complete chicken wire framework of a pelican body but due to stability/balance issues I put it aside and started from scratch with some laminated (glued and layered) pieces of cardboard.

    I drew a profile silhouette of a pelican and then padded it out (to look 3D-ish) with newspaper.  A few brushstrokes with some paint and a cheeky l'il pelican took shape and my math skills proved sufficient in designing him to stand straight and balanced! 

    I had made a fish in the same style and wasn't sure how I was going to use it until I talked to my Mom and she suggested a fishing pole over the pelican's shoulder with the fish dangling from the line... a couple modifications and voila! A fishing pelican! Thanks Mom!!

   

    Here is a photo of the pelican before he left home and two showing his place on stage in the play:

    The second pelican was completed soon after - a simple painting of a pelican in flight:

Pelican getting adjusted for hanging...  Will be hanging much straighter by showtime!

    The set design was a complete team effort and my daughter's amazing teacher Mrs. Preece was the one who imagined up all the coomponents that were to be in the set - I set to work on my 'jobs' (as seen above) - she set to work too and constructed the whole front half of a pirate's ship complete with a mast (with working hoist for the Jolly Roger!) and by showtime it will have working sails also! I told you she was AMAZING!!  As for the ship all I can think to say is, "My, she's yar!"

    Here's the overall set design - which, by the time I see it Wednesday morning at dress

rehearsal, will have been tweaked and adjusted to perfection by the wonderful Mrs. Preece! 

I can't wait to see it!!

    

        And now you know what has kept me so busy and away from my watercolours!

        ♥  Cath-