3D portrait update.

I have been working on the three vintage Italian metal oval frames. Here is a look at how I create the shadow box sides for the oval frames.

The side of the frame is built up with a piece of heavy plastic and then masking taped to the vintage metal frame.

Fortunately the other frames are all the same size so I can place the second frame around the other edge of the plastic. This holds the plastic form in a perfect oval front side and back side.

I then used light weight card soaked in water and then wrapped around the plastic form and glued in place. Four layers were glued around the form to build up the thickness of the inside lip of the metal frame. Once the thickness was built up I then glued two more layers of card around the frame that covered the metal lip.

The plastic form has been removed from the inside of the glued card. The card is then placed back on the frame to allow it to thoroughly dry.

Once the card is dry I drill holes through the card and the metal lip. Each card wall was sewn onto the metal frame. I do this with all of the metal frames so that there will be no problem with the card separating from the frame.

After the frames have been sewn with the wire I then glued two more layers of light weight card to the inside of the frame. These layers hide the wire on the inside as well as providing a smooth surface to work on.

The walls are about 1/4" thick. I am able screw through them in order to hold any wooden armatures in place.

The following three antique images that I came across have been a bit of an inspiration for the 3D portraits.

  

This last image is a movie still from a vintage French film. The set and props are very intriguing. It is interesting where inspiration comes from. It gets tossed together and then out comes something different.