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Gus DaConducta is my first project. I'm proud to come this far!
I gotta lot of sanding to do. I think I'll build up his coat more too.
But.....
http://www.iinet.com/~lengoforth/Alive.wav
http://www.iinet.com/~lengoforth/web0004.JPG
http://www.iinet.com/~lengoforth/web0005.JPG
Gus is the Conductor of everything, including the whole universe! He makes things happen. He's in charge. He's the leader! 
pretty good for a newbie, eh?
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Gus is excellent for anyone, especially a newbie! You've caught his persona without him having eyes yet.
Very nice work indeed!
Suggestion: roll his lapels back so they are a little dimensional, to avoid too flat of a look.
Sue
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What do you mean by roll back?
I know sumpin's wrong with his clothes and am not sure what to do. Any advice will be well received. Thanks!
There's still a lot of work left, but this is a milestone. I'm glad that now I have something on his head to work with. Besides, inside, it is hollow, and not's not something to brag about! 
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Hi Lengo
He's great and he looks so smooth you must have been sanding him for an age.
You said you think something is wrong with his clothes. Imagine making clothes from material and think how they hang and fold on the body. Now make them in paper. You could start by making paper sheets cutting out the shape of the clothes and then apply and fix then add a few layers of paper to give fulness. I hope that helps.
Trying to relay ideas in your head to words is not always that easy.
I'm using the same method for a wall mask of a lady wearing a hood over her hair and face.
Sue.
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He is looking fantastic. Sue is right it is relatively easy to make paper look like cloth folding, alternatively you could use cloth and use PVA to stiffen and mould the fabric. It is fiddly but doable.
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Um... I don't understand. I guess I need a picture.
I'm gonna try this. I'll put an edge of clay on his lapels where the lapels meet his vest, then smooth the edge into the lapels making a shape like an airplane wing. Is that what you mean?
I'm thinking to do the same thing at the outside edges of his coat. In other words, flare the edges into the shape of an airplane wing (side view).
And yes, I've got a lot of time into sanding this! Still more sanding is needed, after I shape his cheeks and eyebrows by rough sanding. I'll be using 320 grit paper at that stage.
Sheesh! I'm thinkin' I should invent a paper mache tumbler, much like a rock tumbler!
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Gus gets paint!
http://www.iinet.com/~lengoforth/Gus2small.jpg
Painting was a nightmare, but I got him fixed. Whew!
This photo is fairly accurately colored. Unlike the previous photos, this was taken in incandescent light which my camera color balances very well. However, Gus is not in a light tent, so the light is hard, not soft.
He is still unfinished. His eyes and bow tie are taped on, so they don't fit snugly. Vertical stripes will be painted on his pants. His shirt cuffs will be lengthened to better proportion. He also gets cuff links.
I made one terrible mistake! Ack! His coat was too long and his legs were too short. I cut his coat length, and THEN lengthened the legs. The result is that the length of his coat is too short. I tell you this so that you don't make this same mistake. Always lengthen before shortening!
But.. pretty damn good, eh? I am very pleased with the colors. This is exactly what I had envisioned, except his coat is shiny.
However, yesterday I took him with me to stores to get a different paint for his face. I never took him into a store though, 'cause I was both embarrassed and ashamed. To say the least, I was BUMMED! Now, it's its a different story, and I have renewed energy.
One quesiton for yas. His coat is shiny (ugh). I intend to finish him with a semi gloss laquer. Will this damp down the sheen on his coat?
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He is excellent, well done. See you didn't really need those minions, they only clutter up the place anyway.
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One quesiton for yas. His coat is shiny (ugh). I intend to finish him with a semi gloss laquer. Will this damp down the sheen on his coat?
You can pretty much say anything with the word gloss in it is going to be shiny. You need a matt varnish or laquer it still has a sheen but not as deep as gloss.
Sue
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He is looking very, very good! You should be a proud papa.
I would stick with matte for his coat and pants. Any sheen at all is going to make it look like he stole some pimp's silk suit. :twisted:
Sue
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I think he looks really, really great Lengo. That is some great work!
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Aw shucks! You say that to all the guys (who have paper strips, pulp, glue, paint, sandpaper, toilt roll inserts, cardboard, and all that)!
I dunno about matte finish. Hey, I dunno about semi-gloss either. But will either of them take the gloss outta that black? It vertainly is annoying!
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Lengo
My question is what are you going to do with Gus now he is finished if he is going to be indoors and hanging out around the house do you need to varnished him ? You may get away with painting his jacket with a poster or black board paint as these will come out matt as you have already painted him in Acrylic which is water proof.
You could make a wash of black and repaint him that might work.
You could also cover his coat in a black paper instead of using paint but as you have made him so smooth you may not fancy that idea.
I use coloured paper alot instead of paint you end up with some nice results.
These are just ramblings of a woman who's wainting for paper to dry and will not start another project for the sake of her sanity.
Sue
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These are just ramblings of a woman who's wainting for paper to dry and will not start another project for the sake of her sanity.
At least you have a little bit left! Mine ran out!
What am I gonna do with Gus? I'm gonna keep him for a mascot. I might trade him for season tickets to the symphony.
He's not finished either. He needs varnish. No piece is finished until it's got a protective finish on it. His shirt sleeves also get lengthened. He gets buttons on his vest and coat too.
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Those are doll hands. I whacked 'em off a 50 cent doll bought at a second hand store.
Gus is mixed media. He is paper mache, doll hands, wood (his wand) and Creative Paper Clay.
p.s. I visited your blog space. You have some wonderful creations!
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Those are doll hands. I whacked 'em off a 50 cent doll bought at a second hand store.
Gus is mixed media. He is paper mache, doll hands, wood (his wand) and Creative Paper Clay.
Excellent. I, too, usually incorporate many non-paper items into my stuff. And I like to recycle old materials. In fact, I am using an old toilet right now.
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