Stone Lamp With Painted Shade

Steps:

1. For the shade: Starting with a plain paper shade, tear gauze and lay over the top of the shade.

2. Spray the entire shade with water. Drip watercolor or acrylic ink over the wet gauze and shade. Let it dry for a while so the shade paper is dry but the gauze still damp. Re-spray with water and drip another color. Repeat this process three more times or until enough color is added.

3. Re-spray one last time and drip watered-down gesso over gauze. Spray with water one more time and let this completely dry.

4. Lightly spray the shade with gold spray paint. Let dry.

5. Spray with a UV-protectant coating to finish. Drying process can be accelerated using a hair dryer.

6. For the base: Cut slate into three rectangles of varying sizes. Experiment with the arrangement of rectangles for the base part of the lamp.

7. Drill a hole through all three pieces of slate for the inner pipe. Make sure to squirt water on the drill bit during the drilling process to keep the bit cool.

8. Glue rubber feet on the bottom piece of slate. The bottom third of the threaded pipe will hold the slate. The slate will be mechanically held into position with nuts, lock nuts and threaded gas caps for spacers.

9. After the slate is screwed and tightly into position on the threaded pipe, measure and cut a piece of copper plumber's pipe for the stem. Make sure the copper is 1/2 inch shorter than the top of the threaded pipe. The copper is then placed over the threaded pipe, resting on top of the slate. Place a check ring over the top of the copper pipe and secure with a nut.

10. With the remaining 1/2 inch on top of the threaded pipe, slip on the harp saddle, another nut, and then screw on the bottom shell of the electrical socket. Turn the lamp upside down and place a bushing into the bottom of the inner pipe.

11. Run the electrical cord up the pipe and up through the socket shell. Separate the two coated wires of cord down about 6 inches. Tie an underwriter's knot with the two coated wires. Attach wires to the screws on the inner part of the socket (identified wire to the silver screw, unidentified to the gold screw). Gently pull the cord out a few inches from the bottom of the lamp in order to cinch the knot in the socket. Snap on the outer shell of socket.

12. Attach the harp and screw in the light bulb. The shade rests on the harp and the finial secures the shade.