One more sentence that is giving me trouble

[quem98.livejournal.com]

Можно нанести слой пластилина на картон и затем создавать изображения, выбирая в нужных местах пластилин до поверхности картона.

My version:

It is possible to place a layer of plasticine on cardboard and then create images, taking plasticine in needed places to the surface of the cardboard.


I know my version doesn't sound right, but I just don't understand the до construction at the end of the sentence in this context.

Does the artist have to spread the plasticine on the cardboard? Taking pieces off of the surface of the cardboard? Turning the carboard into a bunny rabbit and pulling it out of a hat? I got nothin!

Comments

[nyusha81.livejournal.com]

yeah, i think they mean spread it on the cardboard and then carve, sort of, until you reach the cardboard.

[oryx_and_crake]

That would be "removing plasticine down to the cardboard's surface". Assuming that plasticine and the cardboard are of different colour, you will have a two-tone picture with spots of cardboard visible where you have removed the plasticine. They don't ask you to remove pieces of cardboard.

[colonelrabin.livejournal.com]

"Выбирать" in this context (handwork with continuous materials) means "to take out", "to remove". The phrase means that plasticine in the places of interest has to be removed completely, until the cardboard surface is reached ("до поверхности картона").