Here be dragon.

[ldhenson]

After I successfully made my first plush animal (the bat), all the excitement went to my head and I plunged straight into my next project.

I wanted one of the amazing dragons from Reign of Fire. The shape and dimensions come from my doing a lot of sketching while staring at the movie's production photos. It's not exact, but close enough that I'm happy with it.






Here he is perched atop one of my decoupaged boxes. "What's going on back there?"








Neck and tail are wired and poseable, as are the wings from shoulder to wrist. Legs are movable at the hip joint.

Even though I'm not using any patterns from Carolyn Vosburg Hall's Sewing Tiny Toys this time, my dragon owes much to that book for construction principles.

ETA: Updated version of this dragon!


X-posted to craftgrrl (here), cute_plush (here), the_dragons (here), Craftster

Comments

[omicron1337.livejournal.com]

That looks really cool! I love the wings, and the tail.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks! To my surprise, the tail turned out to be almost harder to do than the wings.

[swankyfunk.livejournal.com]

That is amazing!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks.

[heartsarts.livejournal.com]

that looks SO great! I'd love a whole flock of them hanging over my bed for some reason.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

"Psst! Look at the sleeping human!" "Let's dive-bomb her!"

[ex-miss-adda231.livejournal.com]

woooow. i love this!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[esteven]

He looks wonderful, just like a fire lizzard curling their tails around their mistresses and masters. I have yet to find out more about Reign of Fire. My dragon knowledge comes from Pern. ...and there are dozens of dragons -china as well as drawn- in my apartment. I just love them.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

He does kind of look like a fire lizard, doesn't he? I sort of had that size in mind when I made him. ROF's dragons are monster-sized (and not blue)...they'd just as soon crush you as look at you. Not at all portable!

It's a fun movie, but what I really liked was the way they designed their dragons.

[sabyne.livejournal.com]

Put some whiskers on it, call it Temeraire and I'll buy one!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I had to google the name...I've seen the series at the bookstore but haven't read them yet. Those cover paintings are pretty.

[scarlett-speaks.livejournal.com]

Just looking at the picture (before I actually READ the post) I thought you were going to say you bought that dragon so you could make one similar.

Very cool.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

If there were ROF dragons to be bought I'd have saved myself a lot of headache :-)

[box-x-of-x-rain.livejournal.com]

wow, that is amazing!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[acidtrix.livejournal.com]

yay, i want one!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Glad you like. No plans yet to make more, but if people really want them, I'll think about it...

[milkysea.livejournal.com]

Awesome!! I love the wings! :D

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The wings were where I started because I was so excited to do them.

[koalajoe27.livejournal.com]

Amazing! *__*

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[penguinsane.livejournal.com]

Looooooove it.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[skyemaster.livejournal.com]

You did an amazing job!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks.

[tearofabasilisk.livejournal.com]

Between my own love of the movie reign of fire, love of firelizards, and desire to come up with new projects, I am in love with this. It's so beautiful. The tail has so much detail! You might be forcing me to try to come up with a patter, which will be a disaster on many levels, but so pretty!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Do you know, I almost didn't do the tail fin? It was the last thing left and I thought, "Ehh, no one will care if it's missing." But then I thought it just wouldn't be right to leave it out.

I'd love to see the pattern you come up with.

[captainschlumpy.livejournal.com]

Fantastic!! He's just the right size too!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks. "Portability" was definitely a factor in the design :-)

[skywookiee.livejournal.com]

This is pretty awesome.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Eee! I want one, too! <3

That is really gorgeous and amazing.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks. I have no plans to make more just yet, but if people really want one, I may think about it.

[emerald-arts.livejournal.com]

He's incredible! What is this sewing Tiny Toys of which you speak? I've only just started so I haven't really accumulated any resources yet.

Very clever of you, 10/10 for your dragon *applause*

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

The book has 50+ patterns/instructions for little plush toys, almost all animals. There are some complex pieces near the back of the book but for the most part the designs are simple yet realistic. I don't consider myself a sewing person, I picked it up by chance at the library, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Amazon has it listed here (http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Tiny-Toys-Carolyn-Vosburg/dp/0873417879). It seems to be out of print but you could probably find a used copy or borrow one.

The bat (http://ldhenson.livejournal.com/153995.html) I made earlier is 95% from the book.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Wow, he's beautiful and amazing! I'm SOOOO impressed that you just invented him from scratch, and made him so marvelous!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was hard, but you know how it is when an idea gets into your head and you can't get rid of it until you carry out the project. Haha, does this count as making a miniature, because the original is monster-sized?

[sogwife.livejournal.com]

Oh, he's gorgeous! And the bat is amazing, too!

Me wants!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks for both.

I hadn't planned on making more, but if someone really wants one...

[partners4life.livejournal.com]

You are so talented. :)

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Aw, shucks.

[knitfish.livejournal.com]

wow! this is amazing! Great work!

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

Small hijack: is that a Christmas tree pickle ornament in your icon?!

[dabble.livejournal.com]

I want dozens of these beauties! Wonderful work!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks much!

[omylouse.livejournal.com]

That is so awesome! I don't suppose you'd be willing to share your pattern? All the other patterns/toy dragons I've seen just seem to have the wrong dimensions but yours is perfect!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I don't have much of a paper pattern since I had some general dimensions but was sort of making it up as I went along. I would have to see if I can re-create the shapes. I'm not sure yet, but I'll think about it.

A lot of credit also goes to the movie's original dragon designer(s).

[(Anonymous)]

i'd definitely buy one! If you make more, let me know! My email is crinkled@gmail.com. I'm completely enamoured!

-Sara