Researching New Project - Weeping Angel Foam Sculpt

Kerr Avon

I've been working on home improvements through most of this year, I cleared weeds/shrubs and dead wood and made a large section of grassed area as the biggest part this year. But I'm now looking towards the spring and have been working on plans for a courtyard garden for an area between my garage and front door. I'll be clearing the area and seeding much of it for grass, but am also working on some plant stands to put in place for some potted plants. I was thinking of making it into a Zen garden kind of thing with stones, but then thought that the one thing I think that would be REALLY cool to see from my office window would be a weeping angel in the garden. So, I wanted to research this and see how viable a project it would be. I want to build a life size Weeping Angel to stand against the wall between the plant stands, much like the toy that is available:



I think I'd have to change it a little for structural strength. Perhaps tucking the lower edge of the wings against the body so it doesn't have to support so much weight at the joint where the wings anatomical joint. But I really want this stance with the hands covering the face like that.

Now, the question is how to make it? I've seen people carve foam blocks to make statues and such, but how well would the material stand up to the weather? Can it be sealed in such a way it becomes weather proof? Would I have to paint a layer of resin on it to do so? Realistically, how long would it last once done? If it'd only last a year or so I wouldn't necessarily want to go to all that trouble to have it fall apart after a few storms.

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Shylaah

Links to some other threads on the subject and what others have done with the Weeping Angel--lots of adaptable ideas!

For a statue:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/full-size-w...-ideas-126755/

For a costume:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/doctor-who...costume-49264/

http://www.therpf.com/f24/my-version...-heavy-101181/

At the Railroad Museum in Galveston, they have these "Ghost of Travelers Past" statues throughout the old terminal.
Note Songs: Ghosts of Travelers Past
This link is really about the restoration after Hurricane Ike, but still you can see pics of them and how they are done.
They are, of course, indoors and made out of plaster made from live models, wrapped in wet plaster to form a mold. Then the statues were dressed in clothing dipped in plaster......In person they have a very real/surreal quality to them......

So, I'm thinking if you by whatever means come up with the "body", that if you could then use a Quick Crete mixture instead of the plaster to dip the body and wings or paint them with the mixutre. Then also use fabric soaked in the Quick Crete mixture for making the dress, draping it onto the statue as penwiper did for the costume. The Quick Crete should hold up against the elements for some time, unless hail or falling tree branches and would have the added benefit that it already looks like stone.

Shylaah

Shylaah

Opps! Double post.

Hogosha

I also was just thinking about this myself! I started a thread early last year regarding a fiberglass version. I love joe rangers attempt at the angel, and I plan on a version this summer, but probably after I do my TARDIS. It is funny, because just last night I designed a CHEAP PVC based ball and socked joint that I thought could be used for costume display, but should be able to be used for something like this for the armature.

It seems to me the more difficult pieces of thIs project would be the hands/arms, and the face/head. The wings and body seem pretty straight forward, and should be able to be covered in resin to waterproof the whole shebang. I may attempt a mold of my wife's arms/hands to see how it comes out.

Kerr Avon

Yeah, none of those links involves working with foam or a solid statue, and I'm not willing to pay $3000 for a statue from the UK. The statue the other RPF member made was cool but it was mostly fabric draped on a wood form, which I'm sure wouldn't last being out in the weather for years. The statue restoration is cool, but I am looking for building something from scratch.

NormanF

You could do like what I am doing for my mini-nuke: (floral) foam core => resin =>body filler for details => automotive primer and paint. You might want use a wood/pvc/metal frame and add fiberglass clothe to the resin for strength. Or you could make a large mold and use it to form concrete.

Shylaah

Well maybe order a block of stone and get after it with a chisel

Seriously though, I'm sure you'll come up with some techniques that will work for you. Good luck with the project.

Shylaah

Kerr Avon

That's essentially what I'm thinking, but my concerns are how durable will it be? This won't be something that I make to display inside, it's got to be able to be outside all year around. I'm in a pretty temperate area (East TN) but we do get hot summers and occasionally pretty cold winters. Is this a project that is feasible to do? If nothing else, I'll find a nice Buddha statue or bird bath from a garden center, but I'd really like to have a Weeping Angel statue.

joeranger

Other than the head, I have put this together with scrap materials. Really not that hard to get the basic shape. I wanted the eyes more screen accurate but am pretty happy with progress.

Hand and arm are halloween props. Head is wig stand with yarn/glue

joeranger

I should add that for an outdoor version, eBay mannequins are pretty cheap.

Hogosha

I've Done quite a bit of thinking on how to pull this off without breaking the bank. You should be able to do the hands using any hand casting kit available at any craft store. You should be able to use a third kit for the face. All you need is a willing angel! I am going to keep an eye out for coupons to my local a AC Moore.