Artemis II...part 2

Ok now for the rod part. I used a wooden dowel this time around, I found it easier to glue/attach/hack than my earlier metal rod. It's just as light as well. Roughly 170 - 180cm long.... taller than me in any case.

First I used silicone glue to create the "links" in Artemis's evolved stage. You can get it either in a white colour or one that dries clear. Seeing as I was going to spray paint it anyway I bought the white kind. I like the veiny effect it has and it's easier than paper mache. An upside to using wooden dowel is that the silicone glued to it better than it did to the the metal. I basically divided the dowel into about 5 even sections (marking each section with pencil) and left a little extra room at the top for when the blade gets attached. I painted the silicone onto each section in a flower petal-like way, thick to begin with then taper out at the end. Of course I could only do one side of the rod, takes about an hour to dry properly, before I could turn it over and do the other side.

Next step I spray painted the lot with a metallic aerosol paint. I had some problems with flaking paint (especially on the silicone glue) so I bought a cheap lacquer finishing paint (dries clear) to prevent it. Before applying the lacquer I used black acrylic paint to deepen the shadow between the "veins" and the rod. Gives it a more grungy look I think. I applied another light coat of silver afterwards to smooth it out.

silicone glue - $4 (about two tubes)
spray paint - $10
acrylic paint - $1
lacquer - $1