The process of building CARBON COPY took around 5 months with our fabricators F&D Scene Changes. After the foam sections of CARBON COPY were carved to shape, the pieces were fixed in place and hard-coated with fibreglass.

After the glitched sections were shaped, sanded, and re-shaped to the satisfaction of our fabricators, they were painted with a grey base coat in preparation for a more permanent paint coating.

The original car was a muddy brown colour. We wanted to use a more playful colour to change the tone of the sculpture, making it a little more fantastical, while preserving the original 1980s aesthetic.

We researched paint colours common for 1988 Plymouth Caravelles. Car colours have varied dramatically over time. Remarkably, “60 percent of consumers [identify] color as a major factor in their vehicle-buying decisions.” Despite this, white remains the single most common car colour globally.

We heard from several auto body specialists that light colours “hide imperfections” in the surface of a car, and our vehicle has definitely been around the block in its 30 years. We narrowed down our colour selection to lighter tones.

We wanted to consider the nostalgic qualities of colour, especially when associated with the ownership of a first automobile. Ultimately, we chose ‘ice blue,’ a shimmery cool colour that is dynamic in different lighting situations and will be distinctive against the brick of Edmonton’s Brewery District in all weather conditions (even the dreary winter months).

This blue is our best match for a hue commonly used by Plymouth in the 1980s. For us, light blue strikes a balance between mundane and pleasant to look at, just on the real side of whimsical. When the car was assembled and painted, it looked like candy: good enough to eat.

Next up: detailing! Windows need to be painted in, trim needs to be re-added. Stay tuned.