Blog 2: Evil Evolution

4 min read

Hello and welcome to this week’s blog. This little ducky has evolved through sculpt and build. In the short scene in Nightmare Before Christmas, both Scary Teddy and Evil Toy Duck have been ingrained in my brain forever. Tim Burton created a dream world with these creations for weirdos like me. So back to the Evil Toy Duck, that character is just so cute and gritty at the same time. I like to believe that duck is an evolution from the previous one seen in Batman Returns. I’m fine if you call it a reach, it’s still fun to think about. (It’s all good fam) I’ve learned a few lessons when it comes to the jewelry pieces I’ve created inspired by all the madness. One thing I will say is that sometimes you have to break the design because weight distribution affects everything. I learned the hard way that a toothpick is NOT ideal when it comes to heavy weight on opposite ends. The core needs to be thicker from 1mm to 6-8mm, about the size of a wooden dowel. Here’s the kicker, 1mm toothpick size worked fine when resin was in play. I was able to create a mold with that had the entire body, neck and head connected. I sold many of those when they were brooches. I still have the mold; I just haven’t used it yet. Sadly, brooches don’t sell like they used to anymore, unless it’s just me. (Insert nervous emoji here) That eventually lead to the recent design that evolved into a 3/4 perspective that isn’t the typical view for a pendant. The necklace you see now is sculpted directly onto the pendant setting, a large 28mm long tray. I love this perspective because it looks candid and different. I decided to exaggerate the features a bit more, made it more grittier with scuff marks. Black paint over scuff marks is something else, it’s so satisfying as little details steal the show after wiping the paint off. I find marks and texture fascinating; I love how simple techniques can build so much character and depth. Many moons ago at the D23 Expo, I remember just watching Imagineering demonstrating the creation of a wall that would be found in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. I was at school just watching and observing that day. Thank you for reading this far fam.

See you in the next blog post!

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