project info
This project was my Level 6 Final Major Project. The context of the model is a concept model for a puppet that would be part of a second Cirque du Soleil show depicting James Cameron’s Avatar The design follows Patrick Martel’s full scale Toruk puppet which was suspended from the ceiling during the show and ridden by an actor whilst being puppetted from the ground.
This model is a 1:10 scale concept model for a 7 metre full sized puppet of an Ilu from the Avatar film series that would be suspended from the
ceiling and operated by multiple people from below. The model is mostly metalwork with a control panel mounted onto the side to demonstrate the concept.
Many tests of the fins were done in different sized sections and thicknesses of material to find the most accurate curl. The final design consisted of 3mm sections for the top part and 1mm sections for the end of the fin to allow it to curl further at the tip.
A 1:20 scale maquette was also sculpted, moulded, cast and painted to better demonstrate what the puppet would look like instead of just having the armature.
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