all but done

Well, the mountain wall is finished for the most part. We still need to touch up ever so lightly one or two spots on the last panel (far left in the image), mostly so it will match the adjoining sections on the panel next to it.

I expected to feel elated or at least relieved but what I'm fighting off, trying to hold in abeyance, is disappointment.

This whole process, after the carving is done, is so subjective. For one thing, these panels are so big and heavy that there is no way to put them all together to see how well the tones are matching. We look at the one in the sandblast booth, then go look at the adjoining panel on the rack, trying to hold the density in mind. More? Does it need more? Does it match, too much?

Everything is so dusty. After he blasts, I dust off the surface with a bench brush but there's no getting to the back of the panel where dust also collects. We try to mitigate that by putting clean black paper on the blast booth wall and replacing the protective film on the back of the panel so it's clean also before he does the softer tones. But of course, after he blasts the first time, dust starts to collect again.

So we have been taking the protective film off the backs again and photographing each panel as we finish and then compare the photos to see how well they match and then making adjustments the next trip in. But even doing that it's hard to decide because the photos are taken on different days with different light conditions that we cannot control. The smooth side we are photographing wants to reflect the wall of the shop and while the first two panels were photographed with a bare white wall, the last two were photographed with the two finished panels against the wall which subtly changes the intensity of the tones. Not to mention the reflection of the extruded metal stored high up on that wall and of course, my own reflection.

This I do know. The lightest tone on the third panel (second from left in the image) is too heavy. There is nothing we can do about this and we are both and neither at fault as we constantly consult until we either agree or just quit in a fog of indecision. There is no erasing with sandblasting so now, in order for the fourth panel to match it must also be too heavy, at least where they join up. This is what glares at me, that the other main area of the lightest tone is too heavy.

This I suspect. That the lightest tone on the first panel (far right in the image) may be too light. It looks that way in the picture (I didn't adjust the brightness or contrast at all fearing that I will diddle with them til they match when they don't) but when we went back the next week and looked at the actual panels again we each agreed that they looked similar enough. I'm resisting the urge to unwrap that one and look again.

Next week, we will go back, make our final evaluation/adjustment and call them done, clean them, seal them, wrap them and arrange for pick-up.

I'll withhold judgement til installation during which I will be a nervous wreck until I can see if we did well or not.

the mountain wall, 16' x 9'

the photograph of the mountain we worked from