Wanted to post a minor update to Squirrel. I'm always looking to learn new things and I've always been intrigued with old school sign painting and gold leaf work. My side covers needed new paint anyways so I figured why not try something on them. True artists do everything freehand so I did cheat a little and had stencils made of the numbers I wanted to run. I used the stencils as a guide for brushing on the size (adhesive).
Funny story related to the particular number I chose. I get a call from an upset parent about his child being given 2 lunch detentions from his math teacher. On a recent quiz, as part of the beginning instructions, it says, "Write any number next your name." Child writes the number 69 and teacher is, "highly insulted." Parent argues that his child (7th grade boy) doesn't know that 69 has anything to do with regard to a sexual reference. Normally, I would direct the parent back to the teacher but I knew I could extinguish things quickly so I tell him I'll have a conversation with the teacher. I do and offer some suggestions such as steering things in the direction you want them to go (write a number between 1 and 30, write a number that contains the following provided digits, etc.). Then at a team meeting a few days later we're talking about our weekends and I share a picture of my work on the side covers and we all had a good laugh.
Obviously, my choice for the number had more to do with a nod to Nicky Hayden than a sexual innuendo that middle school students find to be funny and new teachers find offensive. The leaf work was easier than I thought it was going to be and now all I see are signs on trucks and the like that should be done in this fashion. The outlining was extremely difficult. I still need to clear the covers. This kind of stuff really is a lost art and that's sad.
550 by
Chris Neumann, on Flickr
