Made by Alison Roome
An animal trail made me want to represent endangered animals to represent one world we all need to share . I have been moved by the pangolin’s fate over the last few years and what an extraordinary animal it is .
First I started using an armature following Jonni’s racoon and using ordinary paper mache with wire to strengthen the legs and tail .I made claws for the front legs . I then covered his head with paper mache clay (amazing stuff ) and made the small scales on his head by sculping . The big scales were a real challenge ! I tried all sorts of ways to make these –first making them with the ‘clay’ and pushing them onto the papermache body but they often lost their shape or stuck to each other in clumps . They also made the body really wet again . I had to put the pangolin in the oven but he didn’t really fit!
Then I tried making scales individually and drying them in the oven . This worked better but was really slow and often the scales were the wrong size or shape and had curled too much . Eventually 2 days before I needed the pangolin to be finished I found I could roll a thin layer and partly dry this in a low oven, then cut the scales out to the size I needed before finishing them quickly in a low oven . They could then be hot glued on . If I ever made him again . I’d do it this way and also paint them all before attaching .
It was a slow process and each scale is individually made .
I cheated with the eyes –they are black buttons with a white head pin put through to hold them on placed into a small ‘dip’ in the paper mache work .
I love looking at everything people have made and watch Jonni’s videos again and again —fabulous Thank you so much.
Great work and ingenuity. Did you use the regular paper mâché for the scales or the silky smooth one?
Thanks, Alison. The great thing with starting another project is a challenge comes with it. Part of the fun (and frustration). I’ll follow you and let you do the experimenting!
Alison, I am touched by your sentiment and creation. I’ve wanted to do a pangolin for years but am afraid of the scales. An additional thank for your lesson on making scales. That is a bit of research and advice I love! Seems you ought to get paid for that! I would have tried the individual scales, and I know the curling problem already. Thank you. A wonderful creation. One of my favorites. Very nice. (Never can quite understand why people want to eat fingernails, anyway, that puts these creatures on the extinction list.) I’m a fan.
Thank you so much Rex . I’ve been admiring your fox and silly bird today!
It’s certainly an amazing craft to start doing and I’d love to try more .