Of Dragons and Cephalopods . . . . .

After avoiding polymer clay due to the heat for the past few weeks I finally gave up waiting for the weather to change and went ahead and made the dragon for the Hall.  The warm weather made the clay so soft to work with that it was impossible not to get unwanted distortions and marks so I kept the dragon as plain and simple as possible.  The result is far from perfect, but quite effective enough when the dragon is fitted in place in the rafters.

The dragon has a core of scrunched aluminium kitchen foil under a 'skin' of green polymer clay.  He was baked on a frame made from scraps of balsa wood which simulated the rafters and allowed him to hang properly.  After baking the plain green clay was given a coat of gloss varnish mixed with green mica powder to give him a shiny, irridesent finish.  His wings lie flat along his back and are made of Fantasy Film and wire.

With the dragon fixed in place in the rafters, the Hall is now complete.  I'll now conentraite on finishing the 24th scale tower before starting the next rooms for the Tower of Magic, the Lab and the Master's Chamber.

While I had the clay out to make the dragon, I made a start on some accessories for the Tower.

For the hanging shelves I made a horned dragon skull and coil from clay.  The books (urgh, more books!) are printies wrapped around balsa wood pieces and the glass phial is from a jewellery pendant.

 You'll have to excuse the above photo, if my camera has a marco setting (for taking photos of small things) I haven't found it yet.  On the worktable is another coil, an empty tea cup and assorted tools made from polymer clay.  These are joined by (yes more) books, some small (watch) gears bought on the interent and a magnifying glass.  The magnifying glass is made from jewellery findings for the base and supporting arm and a large cog like gear shaped finding for the surround of the glass.  The 'glass' is clear faux leadlighting paint

On the left wall a polymer clay octopus sits on rocks in a tank made from a clear acrylic box.

The ceiling has been decorated with flat backed gems in a random pattern.

Downstairs, the desk has another clay tea cup and (wait for it) more books and a clock made with more assorted watch parts and a cut out clock face from an old magazine.

The grandfather clock has migrated to the downstairs room as the furniture continues to be rearranged.  Both stoves have been given drinking straw chimneys and glued in position, so they at least won't be moving.  Maybe.  Small clay coal scuttles filled with seed bead 'coals' have been positioned beside each stove.

The final piece of polymer clay for the Tower is this cephalopod (i.e. octopus) chandelier.  I did have him hanging in the downstairs room, but his hook fell out of the ceiling.  When in place he does look a little too large for 24th scale.  OK, a lot large.  As a 12th scale light fitting he would be fine.  At the moment I'm not sure whether to re-hang him downstairs or to try him upstairs were the vaulted ceiling creates more height (which he will fill) or maybe to leave him for a future 12th scale room and try remaking a smaller light for the Tower. . . . .