I found a perfect board in the workshop which although, ridiculously heavy, is a great size. It’s also coated in melamine or some such material which makes for a great surface for drawing (and erasing) the script template.
First attempt at script template , 2015, Hannah Maynard, pen on melamine-coated board
Having practiced the style of writing I wanted off the board and on smaller test pieces, I felt comfortable free drawing the script onto the board. I used a white board marker to make sure I could erase and re-draw as much as I light until it looked good to go.
Once happy with the writing, I figured there was nothing left to lose so just went at it with a drill to start the first guide holes for the wire lights.
First lights on, 2015, Hannah Maynard, neon strip lights, tape on melamine-coated board
So far so good. Taking a lot of hammering and so far I’ve only got batteries for one light strip so will only be able to see one section lit at a time!
Although it’s taking a lot of nails to get the contours right for the lettering style, at the moment it feels like the best way to assure a good look when illuminated.
I’m relying on the piece being shown in the dark so that only the light is visible and not the rest of the workings, nails etc. This was ok in the test piece although in that I only used tape to secure the wire. Once the whole thing is put together and tested, I will look to see how the finished piece works. I’m prepared to make adjustments to the finish of the work if the nails stand out too much. Although the piece should be shown in the dark, I feel it would look more streamlined and professional if it looked pleasing in full light as well. Kind of like making sure the back of your needlework is as neat as the front?!?!?!
Next steps:
– Complete this first test piece
– Source enough batteries to light all lights at once
– prepare alternative fixing strategy in case finish of nails is not good enough
