AzTtec by dmcgrath

The ventilation posed a different design problem. I wanted to keep it all functional, but cover it up, without really covering it up. I came up with that by using hot glue as a crafting medium. I 'drew' vines on to the mesh in as random and 'viney' way that I could, without overdoing it. The vine leaves are little bits of plasticine clay that I formed and then baked to harden them. Also gluing them into the final structure. Several layers of paint later and they came out pretty nice, I think.


I also used an item from a hobby store that came in handy, helping cover some tiny mistakes, and adding a bit of depth to the overall look. It was a fake moss (really just a tinted foam product), and super easy to apply. Just using some white craft glue and a paint brush as an applicator, then sprinkle the moss where it's needed and shake off the excess. It turns out to be a real nice addition, and when used sparingly doesn't detract at all from the carvings


Using a dry brushing technique for the final coats of paint worked best for me. It's where you lay down a base coat, in this case a darker hue for the shading. And then you use a painting technique where you load up a paint brush with your top color and then wipe most of it away on to paper, or a rag/sponge to soak it up. Leaving behind a nearly literal 'dry' brush for you to paint just across the top of the object.