Artex, Artex, Pipe, Artex, Biscuits, Artex, Artex < 3

Greetings from Outpost 2!

 

I've had a really brilliant time on my work placement this week. Give me artex, pipes and poo-lookalike paint everyday of my life and I'll be a happy, happy lass. 

The majority of work so far has been prep work: priming and basing paint, initial texture coats which will be worked into later with washes, sprays and dry brushing. Boring or tedious work to some, but I actually get a lot of enjoyment out of priming set. Sometimes it's lovely just to have your work cut out for you, everything you need to get on with a job, and the only thing to think about is how much you can get done

This was the first half of my week, with a hundred million pipes to paint. (OK, fine, but there's was at least over a hundred) Most were old cardboard tubes, and all had to get their first coat of 'rust' - brown paint which looked remarkably like sewage pipes had got confused about how they work...

It's paint and sawdust, I swear!

Poop Pipes...

Pre-poo pipes

 Rest assured! They're going to look amazing when they're finished - but that's still a bit away. The foundation of scenic art is layers. It was a big job, but I was not alone - I had Christine there for moral pipe support, although it was mostly too noisy to chat. I sang the entire score of Evita to myself several times like the happy bunny I was. Sometimes I replaced words with 'pipes'. Sometimes I sang to the pipes, they sometimes would duet with me. Maybe Lynsey was right to take me away from them...

More pipes

Christine gettin' in aboot some
pipes

As the chippy's fire up walls all around us, we're chasing them brandishing our buckets of artex and massive scrapers. There's a huge amount of set still to be erected and it all awaits our magic artex touch. The original set from Outpost is almost finished, and soon it'll be onto the super-secret new sets. I'm constantly really impressed with people on this job, and a bit in awe of the sheer skill, knowledge and competency I'm seeing all the time. It's amazing how much happens in one week. I'm proud to be part of it for my work placement.

Which is why I was unreasonably excited when Lynsey asked me if I would want to do a little bit of set by myself! YAY. Can't disclose too much (hush hush, secrets and lies) but it's the little project a girl on placement sings about! A good opportunity to take something from start to finish, and I'm so excited to get my teeth into it. Did give it a wee start on Friday, and it should be finished on Monday. 

Geeze a wash!

The warehouse is still cold, and I'm still rocking the multi-layers, but the temperature is increasing slowly as more walls and ceilings go up. Good news, because last weeks paint was taking up to 5 days to dry, which simply isn't good enough! But we all agree the best part of the day is unpeeling all the layers of clothes and feeling very good about how thin we look.

This Wednesday we also had a little birthday celebration as Iansy turned 24! Ooft, he's a real sugar daddy now. A budget birthday was in order. We were both working, but in the evening I gave him a wee prezzie, and took him out to the City Merchant, Glasgow's oldest seafood restaurant (he got the chicken, grr) and then back home for a pot of tea and a batch of special banana and walnut birthday muffins.

Every boy's dream

I don't take the paintstains
with me when I leave :)

Happy Birthday Iansy! <3

So it's been a packed week for me, I thought I would be able to blog a few times a week but I've literally not had a single night to myself until now, hence the marathon post. So get oor it! I've a busy life these day. 

I'm on t'telly!

Amy and Maw Preston over to
shower us (him) with gifts as I showed
off new camera photos

Other highlights include a visit from Maw Cocozza, and JoAnne, the eating of fajitas, and Friday night dinner at SoHo for Franny's birthday. Which I think was possibly one of fifteen birthday celebrations of hers I've attended! Ian lusted after her boyfriend's cardy whilst I caught up with folk I haven't chatted to since high school (a distressingly long time ago now) it was a really lovely night! And what's that? Finishing it all off at the Polo Lounge? Don't mind if I do... ;)

I'm off now, to tan a whole bag of doritos and watch Iansy fail at Crash Bandicoot. Feels like I'm twelve but without a bedtime :)

Big love and painty jeans!

Xx

"Put me down for a lifetime of success! Give me credit, I'll find ways of paying..."

- Evita