Creating a Wood Sprite

 

I thought I'd show the proccess of making a wood sprite head from fimo.

It starts with a rough drawing over which I twist thin galvanised wire to make the branches that come out of his head.

Tape and foils are used to bulk out the basic shape.

 

Fimo is worked into a flat shape and layed over the foil.

This is slowly pushed and worked into shape.

Two eye sockets are pushed in.

 

 

 Beads are used for the eyes and extra fimo is added to make up the face.

 



 The head is placed on a foil baking tray and fired for approx 15-20 mins at 130degrees. When it comes out it has a richer colour.

 

 

The foil is removed from the head, as this just provided support while I was sculpting.

You can see that the wire was also twisted into a hoop at the back for hanging.

 

Extra fimo is added to give  a clean finish. The fired surface is covered with vaseline to help bind the new and old. This is then re fired.

 

 

After the second firing thin strips of masking tape are wrapped around the branches.
I lay the tape on a piece of perspex and cut them with a knife.

 

 

 

Thin copper wire is also covered with thin strips of tape and coated with pva. This stops the tape unwrapping over time as it loses its stickiness. These will become tin branches or ivy.

 

The head and ivy are stained with burnt umber acrylic. The head is wiped back regularly with a soft tissue so the paint accumalates in the cracks giving a nice aged wood effect.

 

The ivy is wrapped around the head and a second coat of paint and PVA added to ensure  a good finish.

 

The Finished piece.