My Kiwi Bird Hot Air Balloon

It was rather hard to try choose something to make in props, as literally the world was my oyster and I was given the option to make anything I wanted. So i spent about half the day researching with Rose and she came across a really cool Art Director/Set Designer/Prop Stylist called Rhea Thierstein (click for her website) who has made prop and designed sets for one of my favourite photographers - Tim Walker. Whilst looking at her portfolio I came across a really cool hot air balloon bird, and I thought not I try make that!

It was really fun to make, despite going a bit crazy at first when trying to sculpt the balloon shape out of polystyrene as I just couldn't get my head around trying to make something 2-D into 3-D! However, after persevering i finally got there in the end! I used a cheap feather duster from the pound land and stuck the feather on with a glue gun (not going to lie my poor we fingers did get slightly burnt - must make mental not to wear gloves) The trickiest part of the prop was the head, I would have liked to have sculpt it and jesmonite it, but i thought that would make the balloon to heavy and swing to one side so I decided just to scrim the birds head instead! I really enjoyed making the basket, I was originally going to weave one, but after 'googling' how to weave a basket I decided that I probably was going to need a master class in that! So instead i just used willow branches and stuck them together!

I feel that this personal project has strengthen my carving skills - the main reason why I chose props as I know in the scenic art business it is also a good skill to have!