1:32 Steller's sea cow by Joan Milelire (finished & updated)

Hello STS friends!

Of all the projects I had in mind, I decided to start with two extinct mammals. One prehistoric and the other recent. This post makes reference to the most recent, Steller's cow, documented for the first time in 1741 and extinguished in 1768, only 27 years later    (from the other project I will speak to you in another post, later). In wikipedia there is published a great article in English about this peaceful beast where there is a lot of data about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steller%27s_sea_cow . I've been documenting for days, even reading Steller's originals     , it's been a fun job.

But here's my doubt, and it's about the scale. It's said that adults measured up to 9 meters, but I wanted to make a sculpture of an animal that was over 8 meters. I would love to make this sculpture at 1:22, like others I have already made. It's a scale with which I feel comfortable and that also has some good reference with other Sirens that I have in the collection, which are around 1:20. But this means that it would be a really big figure, about 36 cm and I do not know if many collectors could be interested in it.

One option would be to reduce the scale, go to a 1:32, probably, which would leave it in about 25 cm. That would allow several things: less material, less weight, more manageable, it would fit inside my vacuum chamber for making the mold and the copies ... But...    it would stop being a 1:22 and a really big, majestic figure, and at scale with those of their relatives.

To give you an idea I leave a picture comparing to the manatee and the dugong from collecta:

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Opinions please! all of them will be welcome

Oh holy sea cow, I need this, whatever scale it's going to be It's great that you're making a Steller's sea cow! The story of this mysterious creature is so sad. I'm glad you're giving them some love and appreciation!

I don't have a lot of experience with sculpting and what scale to work with. If I can find the money, every scale of sea cow is welcome in my collection

Have fun with this project and don't forget to share some progress pictures, I'd love to see them!!!!

Joan, that is surely a surprising choice! I was not expecting at all to see it among your works. You are also posing a hard question. Steller's sea cows were really huge animals and to work nicely in our major brand oriented collections, it should size more like a whale than a seal. I know it is not a seal neither a whale, I am just giving some examples. If you do it sized like a dugong, the main feature of it, its big size, gets lost. However, I can see it is distinct enough from other sirenia so it could be made in a smaller scale. I understand your choice of doing it in scale with your other animals and I tend to agree with it. Though, it will technically be a big problem to you. It will also probably turn the figure less appealing, more expensive and considering its massive shape, quite heavy. I don't know how moulding work, but maybe you can do it in two halves, obviously not divided in a straight way, you could use under flippers and wrincled areas to glue both halves. It could also allow you to make it slightly hollow. I mean, removing some material from interior but keeping it enough thick and heavy to remove the feeling of a howllow figure. Obviously it means you have to make two moulds and maybe it is not easy to make them fit in perfectly. I also don't know if it will mean that the work could turn more expensive. Sorry, I am trying to help but I am really ignorant about the process. If it was not your historic of making figures at 1:22 scale, I would certainly recommend to you a much smaller scale. Afterall, this animal rivals in size with a very large orca.

Thank you both, Julie and Roger :)
At the moment I will think about it during more time, because I'm working on my other model that will be anounced soon.
At this moment I think 1:32 (an smaller model) has more possibilities... But let's see what happen

The bigger version would sure look very impressive but 1:32 is also a great option!
If you decide for big version probably it would be reasonable to cast it hollow?
I love the idea, great choice of species!

Ana wrote:

The bigger version would sure look very impressive but 1:32 is also a great option!
If you decide for big version probably it would be reasonable to cast it hollow?
I love the idea, great choice of species!

Yes Ana. I also think about it, but I have no idea how to make it. I never have made a hollow model

Joan Milelire wrote:

Ana wrote:

The bigger version would sure look very impressive but 1:32 is also a great option!
If you decide for big version probably it would be reasonable to cast it hollow?
I love the idea, great choice of species!

Yes Ana. I also think about it, but I have no idea how to make it. I never have made a hollow model

It would be difficult to do at home I guess because you would need a roto-casting machine https://cdn.thingiverse.com/renders/bf/4a/0c/c2/1b/IMG_031a1_preview_featured.jpg.
In model horse hobby people usually order hollow casting service in professional companies, in such case they usually make a preorder list for the model, because ordering mould and copies make quite a cost. It has some advantages, for example, you wouldn't have to make mould and copies yourself and the model would be lighter. Also, making a whole edition at once actually saves some time.

But, after imagining a 36cm long model of a Steller's Sea cow I think perhaps it's too huge for most collectors? I don't collect sealife but just trying to imagine it. Maybe a 1/32 scale is indeed better in this case Perhaps make a poll or more than one? What about doing a poll here and on Likaon facebook website?

Ana wrote:

But, after imagining a 36cm long model of a Steller's Sea cow I think perhaps it's too huge for most collectors? I don't collect sealife but just trying to imagine it. Maybe a 1/32 scale is indeed better in this case Perhaps make a poll or more than one? What about doing a poll here and on Likaon facebook website?

Good idea! I'll do that tonight or tomorrow

As I said earlier, I'd buy any size sea cow if I can afford it. But I must agree with Anna, maybe a 36cm long model would be too big for most collectors. I think a 1/32 scaled Steller's sea cow would still be an impressive model!

Thank you Julie. I'm also more decided with that option. Anyway I added a poll on the thread :)

What a wonderful choice Joan ! . . I love it !.
I recognize that for many collectors they do not care about the variation of scales in their own collection. My collectible figures and the ones I make for the collectors are usually around the 1:20 scale. I try to make all the figures real and balanced among themselves. In my case I would definitely ask you for a steller's sea cow in 1:22 scale

Today I have made the first steps on the sculpting of the Steller's Sea Cow.
Finally the model will be 1:32 scale; thank you to all of you that have voted on the poll :)

This time, because the size of the model, I need to use a foam in the center.

I will update those days the process :)

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I think it is a correct choice for the scale of this huge figure. Very interesting that you use foam to reduce the final weight of the figure.

Exciting!

That is great! We can see already that you captured the proportions and all major shapes perfectly! Can't wait to see the further progress but just now I'm sure it will be absolutely amazing

!? What will you do with the aluminium and the metal wires??

Bowhead Whale wrote:

!? What will you do with the aluminium and the metal wires??

Is it OK if I answer?
Using aluminium foil for creating general shape of the animal before adding actual clay (epoxy clay or polymer clay like Super Sculpey) is a popular method to save the material and time It also makes baking easier, because too thick layers of clay would have to be baked for a longer time. This method is especially useful for creating bigger models, like this one. Hope this helps

It's right Anna
Also, in this case the wires are to improve the adherence between the base and the clay

Oh! I see! The reason I'm asking it is because I have never made "baked clay" modeling. I made a lot of "air-drying clay" bibelot modeling, in which I included many other materials (wood, seashells, jewels, etc), as well as clay modeling for plaster molding (at the university, this time). But I never had the chance to make baked clay modeling.

Some more steps today :)

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It seems that it becomes best model of this species, that I have ever seen

How beautiful the shape you are taking with the modeling of the figure. It had to be an impressive animal with that size !. Congratulations Joan.

Thank you Susanne and Miguel :)

Hello friends,

finally the model is finished and ready. I enjoyed a lot the working progress with this figure. First with the documentation work, searching and reading Steller's original notes describing that animal, and later making that (for me) big figure.

I needed to use and invent new techniques for making a lighter model and use less plastic. And also for working on the texture of the skin.

Here are some pictures of the finished model, I hope you like them :)

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