The first attempt at the dome using ribs and sheet metal. This design would have made installing fiber-optic stars too difficult, however, so this version was scrapped.
The new version of the dome was fabricated inside the room because it was too bog to get through the door or windows. It was made out of fiberglass and then mudded to create a paintable surface.
Top side of the dome.
Attaching ropes to hoist fiberglass dome toward ceiling.
Designer/builder Todd Evans suspended on scaffolding to hand thread all 300 fiberoptic strands through holes drilled in the fiberglass.
Dome hoisted into final position.
Dan caulking the drilled holes after the fiberoptic strands were inserted.
Cutting plastic drain pipe in half to serve as an edge and mounting surface for the leaf frame around the dome.
Sky and clouds painted by airbrush by Todd Evans. Fiberoptic strands would later be trimmed with a hot-knife.
Plastic edge installed and gold painting begun before mounting hand-cut aluminum leaves.
Dome completed. Leaves were hand-cut from sheets of aluminim with tin snips, veins scored with the blunt end of a Sharpie marker, then overlapped and screwed into place. Glass beeds were hot-glued into place and hard rubber accent ribbons were installed. The whole wreath is spray painted with Krylon 18 karat gold paint to match all the other gold trim in the room. 150 feet of rope light hidden inside the edge finishes the look.
Back to Gallery | Before Photos | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Phase 4 | Phase 5 | Completed Project
