Let’s go to the Movies
Let’s go to the Movies
Graal for Dummies
featuring Robert Mickelsen
Here’s a quick tutorial I like to call “Graal for Dummies.” This technique may seem intimidating to some, but is made simple through Mickelsen’s direct and concise narration. This particular graal section comprises the center of “Serenghetti Moon,” a formidable sculptural vessel. An excerpt from our “Elements” DVD, I remember the day we shot this. It was a sweltering August day in his hot Florida studio. During our set up, as we were getting all the gear in place, our cameraman accidentally knocked into the previously prepared graal element, and it crashed to the floor. It’s one of those moments that seems to take place in slow motion, as you scream, “Nooooooooooo!” deep within. Anyway, this tutorial is shot with the replacement section, which had to be made there on the spot, and held up the shoot by two hours!
“Graal is the process of creating images on a glass bubble by building up layers of contrasting colors and sandblasting through them, to reveal the layers below. Masks are applied to resist the sandblasting so that images appear on the surface of the bubble.”
-Robert Mickelsen