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ART-fromthe-HEART — Gourd Elephant WIP
Published: 2012-02-27 03:25:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 4405; Favourites: 37; Downloads: 0
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Description
It's a mess but this is the Phase 1 progress of my Life Sized baby elephant gourd sculpture! I used around 21 gourds, 3 different adhesives, nylon cord, and expanding foam (that's what the creamy colored messy stuff is.It looks strange now, but this gourd sculpture base is just the beginning of an awesome project. Phase 2 includes filling in areas with paper, tape, and glue for accurate proportions. Then, air drying clay for accurate skin textures. That's the expensive part. It currently has no ears because I'm not sure how to make them...I figure cloth. Suggestions?
Once finished it'll resemble a real baby elephant (hopefully). I'll even embed tiny hairs onto the scalp like little elephants often have. Phew, this is going to be tough. I'll keep you posted on this sculpture to top all gourd sculptures!
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Comments: 68
That is so incredible! I have seen some great gourd art, a guy in my area makes fantastic whales, dolphins, ect. out of gourds, but I have never seen anything like your baby elephant gourd sculpture! It is amazing!
I read that you use an electric saw on your thicker gourds. Do you also use a Dremel tool?
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If you dampen the gourd slightly where you are going to cut, it helps reduce cracking. But I use sheetrock and craft knives to open gourds.
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I wonder if it would be possible to use ridged wrap to make his ears...it is like guaze with plaster? It might be to heavy though. Or maybe fabric with that stiffener stuff?
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Anyway, I can't wait to see how your Elephant will turn out, I know it will be fantastic!
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I didn't think about dampening them. I usually avoid water with them so I won't have to wait for it to dry again. I get scared that the insides, once exposed, would easily mold again. Sheetrock knives are a good idea!
I made the ears with wireform wire sheets. Very flexible and hard. I used paperclay over them so it's sturdy and I could form the shape easily. Turned out pretty well! I tried the plaster with it but the plaster was terrible! It didn't even stick to wire base. It fell off in a sheet and was very chalky, leaving dust everywhere. Bleh, not doing that again!
Thanks!
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I only used a dremel tool once, to try and open a gourd. I didn't like it because the shaft left a mark on the gourd.
You must have a dremel with a flexible shaft-I think that would be great. (except for that whine)
My favorite scraper to get the insides out of my gourds? LOL! A scallop shell! It sounds dumb, but it has an edge that gets that stuff out easy, after the inside has soaked a bit. Leave the wet scraped gourds in a warm place to dry. Sunshine is okay. But Summer Sun with heat from Hell will crack them. The scraped gourds dry out pretty quickly. And you will probably finish the dry insides with something.
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I can't wait to see how your Elphant sculpture turns out! It is super so far! You have a great eye for finding the right shapes hidden in the gourds to fit your creation!
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Later this year, I want to try and make a gourd Goblin. Not an awesome undertaking like yours though!
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I use the knives. But please be very careful with them . Have something to hold that gourd still as you cut. Make absolutly sure that the blades are new and sharp. I recently unknowingly broke the tip off one of my craft knives, slipped while cutting one of the little spinner gourds-and stabbed that blade into my left index finger. When I dampen the gourd to cut it, I use a paintbrush along the line I want to follow. I don't soak the whole gourd.
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Do you have any of Ginger Summits gourd crafting books? They are very good! They are packed with great ideas and how toos!
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I am glad that you found the soulution for making and adding the ears to your elephant! I am sorry that the plaster wrap stuff was a bad one.
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Anyway! I love your elephant !!!!!!!
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Oh boy a gourd goblin! That sounds fun! Good luck!
I don't have a Ginger Summit gourd crafting book. Didn't know there was one! 
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Hi, There are at least 3 gourd books. I have The Complete Book of Gourd Carving, Weekend Gourd crafts, (want) and I have another that dissapeared: I think it The Complete Gourd...something or other. They are all really great, beautiful photos, and step by step techniqes. I love books.
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I have dried gourds on my front porch overwinter, most dried okay. It is exposed to the air, cold, but not rain or snow.
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I am not having good luck starting my gourds this year. The seeds arent germinating-I am replanted now.
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I will need the luck with the Goblin, thank you for the kind wishes!
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My my,He's going to be a Big Boy isn't He?!
I can't wait to see the finished product of this!
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Indeed he will! How long has this taken so far?
It looks great,can't wait to see it finished!
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Hmm...I'd say 40+ hours? I'm getting ready to show another WIP so you'll see my current progress
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Wow, you've already started!
It looks really sweet already. I like the mouth, the tail and the nose!
Since gourds are pretty hard, I guess you have to use a saw for working with them sometimes, don't you?
And what are those red parts?
It will be a great sculpture!
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it's gonna be awesome little mate! good for you Cara! i WILL wait. cannot do it, but WILL. hurries hurries....
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*rushy rushy* LOL I'll make you proud
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Oh, wow, it's going to top all gourd sculptures for sure!!! The nose is sooo lovely! Fabric ears would be fine, I guess. Maybe you can put wire with hot glue into them and they won't be too flappy?
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Be careful not to cut yourself! Steel wire is easier to bend, but may be to soft? Are the ears supposed to be posable?
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Hmm, I think it'd be better if the ears were sturdy. I don't want people thinking they can play with the sculpture
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Yeah, baby-elephants shouldn't be pulled on the ears. That's not nice...
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Yep, cloth is a good idea. You can put some spray/other stuff over it so it will harden. (:
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looking great so far babe!
Ears - leather maybe? ... or some cloth like felt can go stiff if you spray or coat it with something? .. I guess it will have to be light weight so some kinda of cloth should be ideal!
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Leather sounds great! I saw a tutorial for soaking cloth in watery glue and then the cloth dries hard a rock. That's the best option so far!
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you could probably get some of that play-leather (fake/plastic-based leather) for cheaper than the real stuf... plus it hås the advantage of being death-free
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pleather! is that what it's called?
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LOL I'm not sure but that's what my family calls it. We're a bit redneck though 
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yeah no, I think you're right! .. now you mention it I think I've heard the term before
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LOL so we're not as redneck as I thought!
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hehe.. I can't really comment on that!!
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This is looking soooooooo good!!!! This will be epic sauce!!
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Looking good! Can't wait to see how it progresses.
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Maybe cardboard or plastic sheets? I'm trying to think of sturdy things...
This is quite exciting to see, can't wait to see it progress!
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I just know its fairly cheap to do XD
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Cheep cheep is nice
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ears.... Cloth sounds like an ok thing to do.
I would go for a gauze or something lightweight with a plaster or something to shape it. Or even use more airdry clay and shape it out on plastic wrap then attach to the head. Yah..something like that. Hope that made sense.
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welcome! ~waits for next wip~
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It looks extremely promising! I can't wait to see it all finished!
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