doing dishes

I started working on this new project a couple of days ago, taking random dishware and unifying them into a single set of china with a pattern from my parents wedding set. The first few that I acquired were just from free piles around San Francisco, but now I have my eyes on certain types so that I can eventually have a perfect set for a family of four.

First I take the dishes and cover them with paper mache, and then after I apply a coat of gesso, I sand them down, and apply a second coat of paint. When I'm all done drawing the pattern I bought this special clear varnish to make them waterproof and shiny-- you know, like plates again.