2024 Project Reveal...

Hello Everyone!

I would like to reveal this year’s MAJOR project..a painted plaster medallion to be mounted as wall art. The project was actually “born” in 2016 when I attended a short course taught by a master plasterer. My favorite part was when we did decorative plaster as that was the most crafty. We were given the opportunity to take our class made medallions home and I jumped at the chance.

Me with Medallion, 2016

At the time, I didn’t know how to paint artistically, the closest being when I painted wood trim in my home unit. I DO remember the instructor mentioning using an oil based primer as a first step. Struggling with how to present this project, I will start with material from 2016. I do have some process videos but I am leary of posting on the Blogger platform, so I will be posting a couple of them on Instagram @planetnicecrafts and Etsy PlanetNiceOdyssey as they have been more reliable.

According to my old photos, the decorative medallion was created with two ingredients: USG No.1 Moulding Plaster and GoldBond Two-Way Hardwall. This particular design was a previous custom job for the instructor so he had already created a mold from some type of rubber material. Off the shelf decorative plaster can be purchased all ready to paint too.

The mold prepared by instructor, 2016

Below is a picture of the plaster being formed in the mold – it is a similar process to artistic sculpture. Don’t ask me what is or why the netting material is there (I don’t remember!). After it was turned out and before the end of the short course, we must have trimmed it away.

Plaster in the mold, 2016

For more than seven years, I stored the medallion on my spare bed under some paper towels. I dusted  and moved it once a year when I did my annual craft room inventory and cleaning. Until 2024….

At last the plaster medallion, was primed.

Plaster Medallion Primed, 2024

Not having a clue what the endgame was going to be for this piece, I started doing some internet research. Decorative plaster medallions as wall art is not a very popular topic but I did find this article: DIY Framed Plaster Medallion Wall Art. The project was already growing as when I brought the medallion home in 2016, I didn’t think too much about a frame or other details like color. The article did a distressed white which even though it looks simple, it does require multiple steps (under color, top color, etc). Eventually, I did think the medallion could use some color, maybe something simple like gold. But how do you mix the right color of gold? It turns out that it is very difficult but before I got there on this artistic project journey, I did some color studies in Photoshop.

Here is the first round:

First Round of Color Studies

I asked a few people for feedback and everyone liked the one on the right as there is more contrast, and therefore more interest.

I like it too but then thought the one color for the wreath, torch, ribbons, and beads looked a bit flat so I added a second coat of "paint" to the first version color study to make a second version:

Color Study, Second Round

At this point, it was determined that the gold would be “flat” with no metallic – in theory metallics sound great with lots of bling, but a little goes a long way I found in my research. Here I added a black to the gold for the ribbons and a silver gray for the torch, which looks very similar to the background now. Also the leaves of wreath have just a touch of contrast at the tips. This color study is used for preliminary work and I don’t require these exact colors in order for the medallion to be a success.

Now, I was ready to actually paint, but wait..I have to mix the colors and this is my first go with oil paints. The first color was the inner cream which was basically white with a tiny drop of yellow. Then, the gold which involved tempering the yellow with purple (opposites on the color wheel). End of first session photos (the beads were tricky!).

End of First Painting Session, 2024

Detail of Beads, 2024

Next session was the second coat on the wreath and the start of the highlights (which were FUN!).

End of Second Painting Session, 2024

Detail of Wreath, 2024

Yellow paint was becoming scarce so I bought some new fresh paint that wasn’t exactly like the old paint but I went with it at least for the third session.

End of Third Painting Session, 2024

And that is where I am at, still a work in progress.

Happy Spring (1 week away) and Solar Eclipse (3 and a half weeks away).

Take Care!