Building a gypsy wagon: the things writers do…

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Why create a gypsy wagon? Well, the biggest problem I’ve had with promoting Harlequin’s Riddle is that a lot of people don’t know about the Commedia dell’Arte, the travelling players of the Italian Renaissance. So when I say that’s what my book is about I get blank looks. BUT I’ve worked out that everybody knows what a gypsy wagon is. In fact, a quick search of Pinterest reveals heaps of images of gypsy wagons. A lot of people seem to have the same dream as me, which is basically to run away, go on the open road, get away from responsibilities etc.. No housework! The Tiny House movement seems to be the modern incarnation of this gypsy dream.

So to get over the Commedia problem, I figured using a gypsy wagon as a prop might be a good approach. Instead of ‘Commedia’ I can say ‘actors who travel around in gypsy wagons’. Over the next few months I’ll be having stalls at several conventions and writers festivals. My hope is that having a gypsy wagon on the table will open the door to conversations about the travellers in Harlequin’s Riddle.

Building it has been a lot of fun. I ordered the design from an online company in the US. This meant I could download it and get it printed in Australia. Since postage is crazy from the US, this was a great way to save on costs. The company we used was incredibly quick (thank goodness!). Then began the process of putting it together.

1. The first stage was working out what each piece was, and how they fit together. I also had to work out what had to be done in what order, and devise a colour scheme. Pinterest was great for inspiration. Gypsy wagons are so colourful! I chose traditional colours for the outside. For the inside I let my internal fantasy author free, choosing my favourite colours of purple and aqua.
2. I painted the gold scrollwork first. The design for this was etched on the wood, so if I painted a basecoat first I would cover it up. Doing it the other way round meant I had to fill in the wall colour around the gold with a very fine brush. Luckily, doing things in this order worked.
3. Once I’d painted all the walls, I painted the trim. This included the window frames and other decorative features. Gypsy wagons use a lot of decoration. Each major wall had a little flower set into it with holes punched out. I used a clear lacquer called Crystal Effects to fill these holes, then painted over it with iridescent and gold nailpolish for a stained-glass effect. I tried doing the nailpolish on its own first, and it just fell through so I had to modify my technique!
4. Once the painting was complete, I used scrapbooking papers to add more scrollwork around the windows and doors. I also added a decorative cornice on the two long internal walls with scrapbooking borders. To satisfy my own gypsy soul I created a feature wall using beautiful Florentine paper decorated with birds and butterflies. I also added a picture frame. This was my favourite part of the process.
5. Now it was time to put it all together. The bench and table were first, then the external walls. The roof is detachable.
6. A few final touches were needed. My husband is a tabletop gamer, so he knows some great techniques for model building. He used babywipes dipped in glue (mixed with colours) to create the blue tablecloth and yellow curtains. When they set they look like fabric. He created tiny rails to hang the curtains off. I created a pennant and hung it off the outside. I have played around with resin before, so I had a bottle and a cake that I placed on the table. (Here’s food I prepared earlier!) Using more papercraft supplies, I created a vase of flowers for another dash of colour. The last touch was a scroll. Although the travelling players in my book don’t use scripts, they might have scenarios written down, or sketches for costumes.

It may seem like overkill to build a whole gypsy wagon to promote my book. Most authors just print bookmarks or business cards. But as a very introverted introvert who has a deep horror of marketing, having something I can talk about when I’m out and about will be great. Plus I now have my own beautiful wagon to keep, although it’s not quite big enough to run away in. If you want see it in real life, check out my appearances page and come and say hi at one of the upcoming bookish events.

(By the way, one theory is that gypsies originally came from India. Aspects of gypsy culture may reflect Hindi beliefs and practices. And, having been to India three times, I can definitely say the way trucks and buses are decorated even today is reminiscent of gypsy wagons.)