Conquistador Guitar wip, gluing underway

Click to enlarge.


Still need to mosaic the neck and add the tuners, which will be cool raku blue beads. I need to drive all the way to North Austin to Helios Glass and buy the dichroic stringers that will represent the strings of the guitar (and combine that with lunch at Chuys). I plan to use black grout.

Conquistador Guitar wip, cutting and layout

I have the 24K gold plate rims glued. Everything else is still loose. I wish I had matching orange medallions to place on either side of the axe head but I'm probably going to go with his silver shield on one side. Mingling with the flames will be mottled light and dark blue Bullseye stained glass.


















Here's a photo showing the tool I use to cut the flames, a Toyo oil hand cutter TC-600, available at stained glass shops. I score the glass free-hand, use a Fletcher tool (looks like pliers) (also from stained glass shops) to put pressure on the scored line, and voila the glass pops apart right where I scored it (well, almost always).















If you look closely at the 24K gold plate rims that encircle the face of the guitar, you can see how I nip in an alternating slant instead of a straight cut. This helps to go around the curves.

Conquistador Guitar wip, gathering materials

I start with the theme, the song Conquistador, written and performed by Gary Brooker and Procol Harum. Then I decide on the colors, and next I pick out a few pieces to expand on the theme. I come up with a design, loosely, in my head, and start to cut and glue. I'm thinking axe head, stallion's saddle, angel's wing, silver shield, turquoise and blue, the colors of the sea, contrasting with the dramatic reds and oranges of Spain, all framed by the 24K gold of the plate rim.



Click on the photo and then click again to enlarge.

Music inspires me to mosaic

Last night I dreamed about this song and now I am going to think about it while I mosaic my next guitar. See my list of favorite links on the right. Conquistador, Gary Brooker, what a talent ...