Drybrushed, With Love: Shuttering, Immaturity and Warring Hamsters

The majority of my week at Outpost 2 has been spent 'shuttering' once again. To give the illusion of shuttered concrete, these lines are to be added to every part of the new set using artex and a template method.

The theory is simple. The reality is not. A two person job, and a lot of faffing required to make it beautiful...in a job where high speed is desired, it's a wee bit stressful. But oh so satisfying when it looks good :)

As with most jobs of this nature, somebody usually becomes the designated expert (or muggins) and with shuttering, that person is me. So safe to say I've been doing a lot of it - with many different partners.

I actually like the job for the simple reason that it is so sociable. With one person holding the template and another measuring, adjusting and spooning in artex, you are very much in each other's space with nothing to do but chat. I've had the chance to get to know people through shuttering, and that's probably been one of my favourite things about this job. Every week there are new faces in the team, some I know, most I don't, and I love learning about different people.

Maisie has unorthodox ways of drying the pipes quickly...

My fellow RSAMD scenic art girly Maisie came early to help this week :) I haven't had a lot of her chat since Panto as she was slogging away in her minor subject, construction, since the beginning of term.

She was part of the team during panto when I was completing my management role, so it's been good to bully her again :) Don't judge me, it gets things done!

It's a third year's prerogative to bully the second years after all!

Maisie and I polished off the last of the pipes together before moving onto some shuttering. The pipes are now done! I kind of miss them...

Also this week at Outpost...immaturity from the Scenic Artists

Lynsey made a fake poo out of artex to prank the chippies. We enjoy it.

Also this week I nipped back to the Academy for a wee Albert Herring paint call.

We got the back of the stage painted with a sort of horizon design, which was a bit of a new challenge as it required the use of a tallescope and a scaff tower. I'm not really used to working at that height for anything more complicated than priming, so it was an interesting way of working.

Gary's crazy hands and JoAnne chatting

Jo is the Head Scenic Artist for this opera, so she was in charge or organising us and keeping us on track with our schedule. She even brought some carrot cake to motivate the masses! It worked.

Being in a heated building was a complete shock to my body and I spent most of the afternoon overheating. A first for me, that's for sure.

I don't enjoy a tallescope. I know they have their practical uses for others, but as a scenic artist it's always a tight squeeze up there, and not enough room even to put down a pot of paint. But, in true scenic artist form, we got oor it.

We have another paint call on Tuesday, and I'm really looking forward to it. There are some really nice bits and bobs to do, so stay tuned. :)

A bit of a hamster update...they hate each other.

The last time they were happy together...

Depressingly, B-Bop and Rock Steady have reached a fork in the road in their relationship, and they decided to beat each other on it. Although we took care to get two males, and a species which tend to be lovers and not fighters, we unfortunately also got landed with two alpha males! And they just couldn't get along. Being hamsters, there's not much room for compromise. But they're our hamsters now, and they will be ours for all their little lives. So, a trip to Pets At Home later, and new free cage, bedding and home, and our little furry friends are now much happier chaps.