Fantastic Beasts - Bowtruckle

[The14thDr]

For my first Fantastic Beasts replica build, I'm thinking of starting with something simple: the Bowtruckle. My idea is to make the body from some sort of armature, but then I can't figure out how to make the bowtruckle look like it's made from twigs. :unsure


Any ideas??

 

[KevinBGoode]

 

[The14thDr]

Thank you so much KevinBGoode. Did you make this yourself or is it something you found online?

 

[Ash]

For my first Fantastic Beasts replica build, I'm thinking of starting with something simple: the Bowtruckle. My idea is to make the body from some sort of armature, but then I can't figure out how to make the bowtruckle look like it's made from twigs. :unsure


Any ideas??

The14thDr: I was personally think of doing the armature out of craft wire and than covering it with something like the fake plastic plants and vines you can buy at most craft stores. That way it's still posable because of the flexible nature of the plastic plants.

-Ash

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Looks like a cool build that should be relatively simple. I'll be following along to see ideas.

Would there be any good and easy easy way to basically just cover the wire armature in rubber? If you got enough coats it should bulk up and start to take the shape you need.

 

[Ash]

Maybe dipping it in multiple coats of Plasti-Dip? Do they make it in green, or even white that can be painted green.

-Ash

 

[The Schlitzie]

Maybe even start with an armature and sculpt it with milliput or green stuff and leave the joints bare and build them up with latex you could even mix your colors in with the latex and coat the whole thing to blend in the joints?

 

[Gimpdiggity]

Maybe dipping it in multiple coats of Plasti-Dip? Do they make it in green, or even white that can be painted green.

-Ash

That's what I was thinking. They do make it in white...I have an entire gallon of white in my garage that I was going to try to use for something. I'm not sure how many dips it would take to build it up enough, though.

 

[The14thDr]

Wow!! Thanks for all the input guys! The wire armature seems to be the easiest part of the build, so I will most likely start working on this at the weekend.

As for building up the shape of the bowtruckle, flexibility isn't a huge issue, so maybe clay would work as well?

Thanks again for all of the ideas; I'll begin experimenting once I have the armature complete.

 

[Gimpdiggity]

I would think clay would work fine for a static figure.

I wonder if you went to Jo-Ann or Michaels if you could fine the stuff that they use on the wire stems of fake flowers/plants just by itself? Like the materials to create your own fake flower stems. If that is available, it might be worth a shot!

 

[The14thDr]

I wonder if you went to Jo-Ann or Michaels if you could fine the stuff that they use on the wire stems of fake flowers/plants just by itself? Like the materials to create your own fake flower stems. If that is available, it might be worth a shot!

I live in the UK, so I’ll check in at my local Hobbycraft at some point to see whether they have anything similar. Thanks for the suggestion.

One other thing I’m not sure about is the bowtruckle’s height. According to Pottermore and the Harrpy Potter Wikia, bowtruckles can grow to around 8 inches tall, but by scaling the image at the top of the page against my hand, I’ve estimated that the one in the film was around 6 - 6 1/2 inches tall.
Any other ideas on the height?

Kind regards, The14thDr

 

[The14thDr]

Last night I spent four hours building the skeleton for my bowtruckle. Overall I had to unbend, fold, twist and shape 22 paper clips for the wire frame.


This weekend I hope to add the clay "skin" to the bowtruckle.

Kind regards, The14thDr

 

[The Schlitzie]

Looks good, paper clips?! you are a glutton for punishment my friend. Any soft wire would have been easier to work with and less painful on the fingers.

Last night I spent four hours building the skeleton for my bowtruckle. Overall I had to unbend, fold, twist and shape 22 paper clips for the wire frame.
View attachment 686044

This weekend I hope to add the clay "skin" to the bowtruckle.

Kind regards, The14thDr

 

[The14thDr]

Haha, thanks The Schlitzie. I'll admit, the paper clips weren't the easiest to work with, but to bend them I used a pair of pliers, so the pain was kept to a minimum.

Looks good, paper clips?! you are a glutton for punishment my friend. Any soft wire would have been easier to work with and less painful on the fingers.