Metamorphosis

I decided to find some people who could help me paint the suitcase. First I called uncle Keith, the car repairer/mechanic in my family (hasn’t everyone got one?) to ask if he’d ever painted aluminium - to which he replied “Yes” and gladly told me I needed to get some etching primer to help the paint take better. I’d read about this and it seemed a complicated process so I asked Keith if he knew anyone who could tell me more and he pointed me in the direction of a local business on Canvey Island industrial estate, called simply “CARS” (google search). I got there and explained my predicament to the men of cars, showing them my suitcase, with the lovely golden plasters stuck on it, and they were very helpful. I couldn’t get any free stuff from them but at least they gave me exactly what I needed. I chose my colours carefully from their colour charts and they made up the spray cans for me on the spot for my tropical beach scene - including Flash Red, used for VW Beetles! “Perfect!” I thought.

Spraying, by the way, is not easy, especially when you have a suitcase with lots o little noks and crannies and features that you really want to keep clean. Nevertheless, after a very patient session with masking tape, a pointy tool and newspaper, I was able to get to work on the first side of the suitcase.