The Piglet guitar build project, part 11

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Picking up from where we left off last time, here I have painted in the outline of the piglet, using the carbon lines as a guide. Finally we're getting to see what this little piggy is going to look like, and that it isn't just some weird random-shaped pink blob.

I couldn't resist putting the neck into the pocket to give a better idea of the proportions of the whole guitar.

After waiting several days for the dry rub-off decal paper I'd bought to arrive in the post, this morning I was busy printing off the more detailed parts of the pig's features.

I printed spare copies but try as I might I just couldn't get on with that decal paper. Today must have been the most frustrating part of this entire guitar build to date. I mean, I thought some of the sanding between coats of the finish was hard going, but this damned dry rub-off decal paper had me tearing my hair out.

Somehow, probably more through luck than judgement, I did manage to get three piece of transfer onto the guitar - one ear and both sets of trotters. I tried the snout and the eyes but after wasting about half a day and nearly half of my decal paper supply, I decided to abandon that approach and look for another method to realise the piggy's features.

Luckily I remembered that I still had some sheets of water-slide transfer paper. I had previously used some of this on a cigar box guitar build and recalled it being relatively easy to use. So I set the printer back to work, printing out the piglet's features all over again. It was just as well I'd bought and installed new printer cartridges, considering the amount of toner I was getting through.

Water-slide transfer paper requires being sprayed with a couple of coats of varnish before it can be applied, so while I was waiting for that to dry I set to work painting the various areas of shading around the outside of the pig's body so as to create a three-dimensional effect. Note the areas to the back of the legs, the belly, the jaw, the edges of the ears, etc.

Finally I got to apply those water-slide transfers and they went on very nicely indeed. It took me a few minutes arranging the pig's eyebrows so as to give him (her?) the correct friendly expression but I think I got it about right. It had started getting dark by the time this photo was taken, so it is a little pixellated, but I think you get the idea.

It's really taking shape now. Next job will be to start the clear-coating.

G L Wilson

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