Pre-Easter Sculpting

Today Tasmin finished the gum tape prototype of the hyena mask. It feels fairly solid, but has taken many hours of layering to get a good level of strength. Because of this, I don't know if it's a viable way of making the ten hyena masks we have been asked to, even after the list got revised, and the grass head dresses and a few of the other animals got cut out for budget reasons.

If the mask is removed without enough layers of tape, it is wobbly - no good at all. With all of the layers on, it has to be cut off the sculpt to be removed, then gum taped back together. It currently has no eyes! I will need to add these to the sculpt before we solidify how we are going to make the actual masks.

We continued sculpting, Nala being done by Andrea and the cheetah being done by Rhian. I helped both with some feedback and Rhian asked for me to help flesh out the shape in a way that corresponded to the concept art well. I enjoy sculpting and find the biggest challenge with it to be getting the sculpt symmetrical - having multiple people working on really helps, because there is always a fresh set of eyes to pick out any imperfections.
I managed to get Nala finished in time for the easter holidays, with Claire having finished Scar and Esme having made great progress on Mufasa. Simba is also underway but due to a lack of headform to sculpt him on, he is currently a little flat. I am hoping that I will be able to source a headform for him to sit on over easter.

Scar, completed and looking suitably moody.

Nala, completed.

Mufasa, nearing completion. 

Simba, who is a little flat at the moment.

Becca and Ollie have begun cutting out the head for Pumba using a cardboard stencil on polystyrene, and maquettes have been sculpted for the zebra (Naomi, Ollie) and antelope (Lorraine). Jake finished soaking a bundle of willow, which is now ready to use, and Shona is busy creating an antelope's body from styrofoam. I'm not sure how she plans to duplicate it as carving takes a long time - just like the hyena, we will have to refine the process.