A customer at Picture Perfect Gallery in Victoria commissioned me to do a larger version of one of my pieces (Blue Cubes), so I’m documenting the process here. So far I have the cubes portion ready.

1. Configuration mockup: A possible arrangement of the cubes on the canvas.

2. The styrofoam cubes are coated with acrylic molding paste. They look rough and lumpy.

3. Here they are sanded smooth!

4. Impaled on toothpicks, the cubes first get a coating of turquoise gesso, then rough gradations are applied in acrylic paint.

5. Here they are with the gradations painted on, the second pass making them look smoother.

6. A very thin and sparse layer of iridescent paint is added, then topped with countless layers of gloss medium. The cubes are done!

I will have to wait several days for the various coatings to cure, because they are soft. When they are dry enough I will move on to the next stage!