Steampunk Crow

[super_crayola]

i love it!

[noooitaremybirthday]

WOW! This is tooootally awesome. I love the eyes and the helmet! Welcome to Craftster!

[edelweiss72]

Simply awesome! 

[MareMare]

I love it! Welcome to Craftster! It's nice to see another Mary Ann that spells it the same way

[LimeRiot]

Welcome to Craftster!! I can't wait to see more of your work because this project is AWESOME!! Your crow has so much personality.

[chloesmum]

I love it! My nearly 2 year old daughter saw it too and is saying "like it birdie, mummy! want it". It's really awesome

[eternallyeve]

I love him! He can visit any time he likes

[gotgrey]

He is a work of art!

[Chatter]

Oh thank you so much everyone for all of your comments about Russell:) I haven't posted very much just lurked so I really appreciate that you like my work.

I had never used a Frowning Francis pattern before but I think I would certainly do so again. Her pattern pieces came together very well...no adjustments to make them fit..... and her instructions were very straight forward.

Russell was very easy to make in the construction of his body. However the big challenge was his legs and getting him to stand up with the weight of his body.

His body is made from muslin. After I had put him together I gessoed all the parts that needed painting. I used licorice black acrylic black paint for his body which turned out to be a great colour choice. I didn't have any burnt orange acrylic paint for his beak so as I had a deadline to finish him I ended up using watercolour paints...worked great.... and an animal safety eye instead of painting an eye. The pattern calls for further dry brushing with red, blue and purple paint but I decided not to do that.

Just as an FYI......when you make the legs do not use the 22 gauge wire the pattern calls for or you will never get this guy to stand up. I ended up using two pieces of 20 gauge aluminum and one piece 14 gauge copper for each leg and he still falls over if you don't place him just so.  Just as an FYI...the lower the number of the gauge on the wire the thicker the wire.

I didn't follow the pattern exactly to do the finishes. I made my own hat instead of using the one in the pattern.

His hat, collar, leggings and wing guards are made from scraps of faux leather from an old purse of mine. The studs/rivets are tiny brads and some little metal handles that are used to wind watches. His goggles are made from another piece of faux leather cut into a ring shape and then glued to a plastic ring. Everything was painted and then I added doodads. The propeller on his aerial is a foam letter X from a precut alphabet from Michael's that I used last year to put names on Christmas stockings:) 

I really had to improvise because I didn't have the Steampunk elements that the pattern used but I think that makes it more fun.

This was totally a fun project and I enjoyed it very much.

Hope this answers all your questions:)

[rackycoo]

I always loved his hat, and now I love it even more knowing that his propeller is actually a foam "x". How creative is that?!?