Themed Fabrication Design
Inspired by museum exhibits, I wanted to create a sculpture that looks like it could be exactly that, albeit slightly abstract. I also wanted more practice sculpting pink foam, as I've used it in parts of projects before but never to make forms as organic or complex.
Museum Display
Templates
Casting Resin
I mixed paint together to make a swampy marsh-like color for the resin, and once the pigment was mixed in, I poured the resin into a silicon mold. After curing, I used a Dremel to carve away the flat surface to match the shape of the surface of the water. A hole was cut in the center for the bird's beak to slot into.
Making the Fish
After tracing the template for the fish and sculpting it with a hot wire cutter, I sanded it and filled the gaps with spackle then sanded it until it was smooth. I cut the fish in two and hollowed it out to fill it with resin, both to add weight to it and secure the wire running through the bird's beak. Once the head was glued back on, I filled the gaps and sanded it. I painted the fish with primer, and then painted and sealed it with glossy mod podge to give it an underwater look.
Making the Bird
Sculpting the bird followed much of the same process as the fish. After cutting out the rough shape and sanding it, I began sculpting the pattern of its feathers. I made its legs separately and glued them on after everything was sanded and ready to be primed. At some point during this process, I cut its beak off so I could sculpt it from polymer clay, as I needed a stronger material to support the resin/water. Once the bird was mostly painted it was attached to the beak and fully finished.