Coloring Easter Eggs...and Props!

I have a project coming up that will be featuring Mexican recipes. The art direction is leaning towards rustic and textural, with a fair amount of wood backgrounds. I want to interject color into the shots, but definitely not "Fiesta"! Seemed like a good opportunity to work with some of the wood pieces I have, and give them a new look.




When you are out scouting for props, don't overlook the ordinary. If you see a good basic with potential, at a great price, take a chance. These simple salad bowls and boards are a a great example. They are structurally sound, are nicely distressed, and have little glossy varnish left on them.

Start by washing the wood thoroughly, towel drying right away & then air dry. Starting with a bowl, I gave the interior and exterior a clean sanding. I want the interior to be a little brighter, to give the food a clean canvas. I also want the interior white to carry on to the rim, so I masked the bowl just under the rim.






I used Minwax Pickling Stain. It goes on like paint, but wipes down to a wash. You virtually put it on, wait about 2-3 minutes and wipe off. Don't let it dry or it will cake like paint.
Here's one coat, going to let that dry and apply a second. I used a small piece of cheesecloth to wipe off the stain. The texture creates a random pattern that lets the wood peek through. It's a little more organic in feel.






Next, I am going to tackle the outside. Remove the masking tape (actually quite pretty natural, don't you think?), and apply your contrasting color.




Again, I am going to use a Minwax stain, in green. Take a look at their color chart! It helps to put your object on top of something that you can turn without touching it, so I placed the bowl upside down on a can. I gave it 2 coats of green, lightly sanding in between. I didn't worry to much about getting some green on the white rim, a little bleed is natural and I'm not trying to get a manufactured look.

After it dries, sand to create texture and let the wood color come through. The amount of sanding and coarseness of the paper will greatly influence the final look. For example, the green and white bowls were sanded with a fine grit that gives a soft feel, but I used a coarse sandpaper on the blue bowl to give it stronger texture. Start with fine paper and increase the grit if you don't like the look. There is no right or wrong, just personal taste, and you can always start the staining process over.

A word of caution, using stains and paints on your props renders them unusable for food consumption. They should be held strictly as props or decorative items, and any food presented in them should be disposed of.




Happy Easter!

Paula

Dessert Bites

In the past few years, it seems as though our photo shoots are produced with very little lead time. Clients call in potential jobs, but often don't book until a week, or even less, before the shoot day. As professionals we always put it together, but I sometimes feel I could do so much more if I had more time prior to the shoot. So I am really enjoying the luxury of being able to start gathering props for a shoot in May. The project is a book of mini desserts, with most geared towards kids. It will be a challenging mix of propping and crafting. I've done quite a lot of shopping for it already, and will start assembling sets this week. Here's a few things I'll be adding in from my own collections:

We will be shooting treats on sticks, and I couldn't find colored paper sticks anywhere. Digging into my vintage paper straws, I found some that are super skinny, and they are a perfect fit for the Wilton lollipop sticks. You have to be careful and sort of screw them in slowly, then just hold to the light and snip to length. Bakerella featured this recently using standard size straws that she adapted, but our treats are tiny and I'm happier with this proportion.



Keeping with the paper theme, I have lots of vintage paper curling ribbon that I will probably use. I like the matte finish of the ribbon, it has a more organic softness.




The tiniest of vintage tin baking pots, only about 2" tall. It's odd that they are all slightly different in size, like they were handmade.



Of course, we need a dessert in a tiny jar. These are from Europe, and I had to purchase in a large lot to get enough for the project. There are extras on Etsy if anyone is interested.



Hope you have a great week, too. Stay inspired!

Paula


On Camera with Photographer Tate Hunt: Jordan Almonds