The Bearded Lady

Progress through making The Bearded Lady

I moulded the head from soft sculpey over a polystyrene ball..

Turns out polystyrene shrinks when its heated up, I did not know this.

So I have chosen to use the plasticine head I made for the bearded lady as a model, as her actual head.

Progress on the set.

I bought some strips of metal with holes in to screw the two pieces of wood together.
I had originally glued the two pieces together and used milliput to fill any gaps, however, this was not strong enough. 

After screwing the two pieces together, I placed the wood on the turn table.
I had planned on buying a turn table from ikea for £5, but my mum said I could use the marble one we had at home, which works in my favour for two reasons. Its stronger, and saved me money. 

This picture shows the lion and my props on the set. I just wanted to see how things were looking and how well the wood balanced on the turn table. 

The foam board balanced in the middle, again just to see how things were looking.
The platform for the bearded lady needs to be finished and the foam boarded decorated. Im also not sure of the material on the outside at the moment. I think there needs to be more material to work with.

Same picture, different angle.

Same picture, but the animals side of the set. 

Here I have taken the middle divider out to finish, and added hay to the flooring of the Lions scene. 

I've decided to use material to decorate the foam board. I'm using any material I can find in the model room, that I think works well. 

I was very lucky to find this lovely red material which works great.
I have attached it to the foam board using just pins. 

Found some great fabric books (those example books of materials you can choose you sofa/curtains to be made from) 

Add caption

I threaded wire through the red material so that I the material has shape and can be manipulated. 

The red fabric is just pinned in place, but I think this is finally starting to look like something I am happy with.
(Sneaky peak of my unfinished puppets to the side there.) 

The Lion's side of the set.

The beginning of the set, the animals quarter.

Wood that I already had, it came with my mums coffee table when she shipped it from Saudi back to England.
Foam board for the background which cost £3.99 

Sawing the wood was not without its injuries. I cut through my thumb nail and underneath it. (Only a little cut)
Moral of the story don't rush things because you just want them done, it hurts.
I also painted the two half circles different colours. The Lions side is made to look like dark wooden flooring (above) and the arena side is a light sandy colour. 

I used cardboard to make the background higher, I will paint/cover it so the two pieces look like one. 

The two rectangles cut out from the foam board will be doors joining the arena to the animals quarters.

The Lion in his cage on the unfinished set. I also have not yet decided whether or not to put the wheels on the cage.  I am beginning to think it doesn't need them.

The material of the 'Big Top' still needs to be attached properly to look more like the tent. 

The lion painted and caged