Noilly Prattle: Can you see the resemblance?

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Can you see the resemblance?

I was doing a project with papier mache and paper clay in one of my elementary art classes a while back. I hit on the idea of using PET bottles to make it easier for the kids to work with the material. But I realized that it was such fun that I got carried away in my spare time and went hog wild. This little bust is the result of the fit of madness. The eyes are green marbles imbedded in the paper clay. I stained the whole bust with an oil-based maple stain and rubbed tempera blended to resemble a copper patina over the stain. Finally I varnished the whole thing.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, now I see where Noilly Prat comes from. Is this a well known Japanese wine? You might remember that I am bad at abbreviations…what is a PET bottle? And…sorry, I don't see a remsemblance…but it is a lively piece…love the oxidized copper look. - Ronnie

Noilly Prattle said...

No, it's a French vermouth used to mix cocktails. It's smooth and silky and makes great cocktails--not harsh at all. PET is short for Polyethylene terephthalate, It's a safe plastic used for beverage containers. You probably have a lot of them in your fridge. Aw, shucks, I was the model for the bust.

Anonymous said...

That is a really cool sculpture. I never realized you were such an artist. One question; how are the bottles used in this project? - Michelle

Noilly Prattle said...

Thanks Mitch. Compliments will get you anywhere. ;-) PET bottles are light and strong and a 2-quart one fills a lot of space inside the bust. It saves on the material and dries faster from both the inside and outside. The "shoulders" are a piece of wood attached to the head with paper clay.