# My Thestral WIP



## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

So this is my first sculpt ever and I felt I was far enough along in the project to start a WIP thread for it.

Ever since seeing the movie, I've loved the look of this creature...and anyone who knows me well knows I have a soft spot for dark winged creatures (my batty obsession)




Most likely, my sculpt won't be nearly as good as the movie creatures, but who can tell at night anyway? :lolkin:

Okay, so this sculpture started out as your common Christmas Lighted reindeer, that I got at a yard sale for $5. I stripped all the lighting from it and ductaped all the parts together with the exception of the antlers.

You can't see it, but I created the ribs out of newspaper and paper towel roles. I'd love to post the pictures of that, but I took them on a cheap phone and have no way of getting them on my computer.

The next thing I did was wire the blue LED (purchased from Monsterguts) and secured the two 9v batteries to the inside of the frame (I taped them together so I could switch from one to the other should either of them fail.)










After that was done, I covered the frame with a garbage bag and taped it up tight. Leaving only the underside, (for access to the blue LED and batteries) 

















The next step for me is to glue on the eye covers and secure the feet to whatever piece of wood I can and then put the hooves on and then put on a layer of liquid latex (as soon as I can buy it)

Please, let me know your thoughts on this! Any helpful suggestions are welcome!


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

Neat idea for a project. What are your plans for the wings? You'll probably want them at least partially spread open so that they stand out (otherwise people will think you made a sculpture of a seriously underfed pony). Keep making progress!


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Looks good so far, DA! Keep up the good work!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Thanks Bio!

As for the wings, I plan on constructing those as light weight as possible and I'll have to pose them out but kind of curled under like in the movie...and I'm thinking that drinking straws would be good for the frame work. I don't have much to work with at the moment. I'm going to be trying those pretty soon anyway


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

Maybe you could work with old umbrellas to make some wings.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Cool idea, will look forward to finished prop


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Stari3 beat me to the umbrella wing suggestion I'm thinking that might work well. I have an old umbrella myself that I've been holding on to with the intent I could use it to make some wings when I get ambitious enough to start a winged prop. If you can find a black umbrella at a thrift shop, even better since you can use the fabric (assuming you're going with that color for the thestral).

Drinking straws may not be strong enough to support the weight of anything you put on a wing made from them. Wire coat hangers could work - they're sturdy and designed to carry some weight.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You might look at using some new or old auto-shades for the wings armature. By auto-shades, I'm referring to those spring steel framed shades that fold up into something about the size and shape of a frisbee. Making cloth wings with tubes sewn in so that the spring steel can slide into them would allow you to collapse the wings for storage, or maybe even for some posing.
Interesting piece so far. It kind of looks like a mummified Bambi.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Roxy, it was just an idea...but I like yours better. guess i'll be heading out to Goodwill when i get paid again! 

LOL Font. I thought the same thing too! Hopefully it will look more horselike then deer like when I finish!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

^Credit where due - Stari3 mentioned it first


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

oh crap you're right! I'm so sorry stari3!


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## Undertaker (Mar 22, 2006)

Looks great so far DA!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Nice start, DA. Good luck on the wing build.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

After a rain storm in NYC there are broken umbrellas in every corner trash can. I always thought they'd make great wings.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Status update:

I'm having to wait on the wings a little longer, but I did get some facial work done. I need to work a bit more on the building up towards the back of the neck, but I'm loving the look of the winglings face.









First I had to give my thestral two black eyes, which were just to prevent anyone from seeing the white wire frame underneath, These are just two round pieces of soft foam that I painted black and glued around the eyes.










Once that was done, I glued on the 'eyes' which are two separate halves of a do-it- yourself ornament from Hobby Lobby. I used rubber cement to glue one of the halves to each side over the black foam and then paper mache'd the eye sockets around the eye balls. Once that was done i went ahead and gave a nice generous layer of paper mache over the ductape.

Also, I used some of the drinking straws to form a little ridge in the middle of the head and then covered it up with more paper mache.

I hate paper mache, but it's a necessary evil and there's no escaping it! LOL I still love how innocent this little guy/girl looks.


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## silentskream (Sep 20, 2012)

i think umbrella wings are a great idea! i know there are some black ones at our hardware store..


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

DA - have you looked at Dave the Dead's Thestral for ideas?  Undead Horse project


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

You're making good progress on this little guy, DA. I think this is your most ambitious undertaking since you joined here.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Roxy- yeah it is.... I've never attempted anything like this before! 
Haunti- yeah i just did. its given me some good ideas for the wings too!


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## Buzz (Aug 26, 2011)

Dark Angel 27 said:


> You can't see it, but I created the ribs out of newspaper and paper towel roles. I'd love to post the pictures of that, but I took them on a cheap phone and have no way of getting them on my computer.


I know this is a bit OT... but, you might try checking out BitPim. It covers lots of phones as long as you have a way to connect your phone to your computer. I've used it in the past on a couple of phones to transfer photos, contacts, and ringtones. HTH


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Thanks buzz. I'll look into it!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Sadly, there weren't any umbrellas around. So I sucked it up and went the hanger route. I used 4 hangers for the one wing and then once they were attached to the underside of the thestral, I ductaped them and then used plastic bags to give them better shape.









This is the front view. I also used some styrofoam to give the face definition and filled it out. Then the paper mache was added. Although it probably wasn't neccesary, I used some caulk to fill in the crevices around the eyes. 









Once that was done, I took it outside and used papier mache on the wings and on the stump. yeah, this little guy is a special needs thestral. I'll explain more on that when I finish this project.









I can honestly say that I'm done with the mache' for now. Everything will be covered up when I add the plastic to the underside (easy access to the battery pack in the neck) 
Once the wings are done drying, I will be painting it with the latex paint bought at lowes. I'm so excited for this guy to be finished.








The last step will of course, be a mane and tail. I've already decided that he's a boy thestral...but I don't have a good name for him. Any suggestions?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Oscar


The addition of eyes really brings a prop to life. He has a very charming and childlike appeal.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Thanks Roxy! He's still a youngling...and I thought the same thing too when I put the eyes in!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

I really hope I don't confuse many people....or non people....It's really late for me, and I was told by my sister that we'll be losing internet soon. At least until next month at the latest, so I decided to put up the last photos of my almost finished thestral. I'm really sleepy and getting ready to drop off in a little bit. I'm just concious enough to post the pictures....

After a can of black silk finish latex paint.










i was kind of pissed to find out the fabric (a remnant) that I had bought to act as his costume was only a thin strip. So I chose the second best thing. Some horror cloth bought at the store. Wrapped it around him and then glued and attached a bleeding skull for decoration.









This is the side view. I'll also mention that I used some black plastic bags to cover up the underside leaving a thin strip so I can still reach the battery pack for the LED eyes.









Finally, after all of that, I used some black yarn to make the mane and tail. It was very tedious but in the end worth it. That last thing I did was to glue some little plastic skulls into the main and then gave him a bandanna made from some excess horror gloth.










I still have a little more to do, but this is the bulk of the project. The last thing to do is to mount him on some boards and then add some moss and his food bowl full of rare meat.

Thanks guys for looking. I'm going to bed now...night guys!

Oh and before I decide what to name him, I've decided to build up a list.

Roxy suggested Oscar, my sister says Zues, does anyone else have suggestions?


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

I love him!! Nice work!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Thanks Nixie! here's hopin that I get the same reaction when he debuts!


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