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

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks, glad you like.

[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).

[knitfish.livejournal.com]

yes!
You know of the christmas tree pickle?

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

That's cute. I think I saw it in a catalog once...if you spot it it's good luck, something like that?

[knitfish.livejournal.com]

yup & you get an extra present if you're the first to spot it.

[tearofabasilisk.livejournal.com]

It still would have been beautiful without the tail fin, the fin just gives it some umph, that little extra bit of detail that makes it sing.
I'd love to show you, but I don't have a digicam. :(

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Definitely! He could come sit on top of my room box and terrorize Jack. (Stephen would probably be delighted, though.)

[(Anonymous)]

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

-Sara

[krecik.livejournal.com]

That is awesome for a second plushie! Well, and awesome just by itself!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I should add that there's also a dragon in the book, but it's a Chinese-style dragon.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Just like in the third pic above. Isn't there an incident in the books where Jack wigs out over a snake in Stephen's room? It'd be like that, but 10x more entertaining.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I've always loved the idea of fire lizards. Next time I go to a SF con, I'm bringing this guy with me.

[omylouse.livejournal.com]

I do love that movie although their biology wasn't flawless!

No problem if you don't want to or don't have time, I just thought I'd ask on the off chance :) I can't get over how great he is, is he really your second ever plush toy?

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! At times I thought I'd bit off more than I could chew, but I'm happy how it worked out.

[zomgtaffy.livejournal.com]

It looks so cuddly! o=

[hasu.livejournal.com]

Awww~ it's so cute. I wish I had one :3

[waterfire741.livejournal.com]

that's an AWESOME replica!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

He is :-) Well, he's not "squishable" since he's wired, but he has a nice warm texture.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

My friend, who works in a vet's office, complains about the holes in the wings all the time. You'll notice I don't have them in mine :-)

The thing about my pattern pieces is that I would try to sketch the bigger pieces out on paper first, but then when I sewed the felt pieces together I had to make a lot of adjustments, so what paper patterns I have are probably way off. Some smaller pieces I just cut from felt freehand. Oh well, he's only my second, I'm still learning as I go. When I was a kid I tried a couple small plush animals from books and kits, but trust me you don't want to see those! It put me off the idea for years.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I don't have a digicam

A scanner, maybe?

I'm tempted to watch the movie again. Despite the fact that I made the dragon, and that I'm using the movie in a crossover fanfic, I haven't properly watched it in a long while.

[dragonmage86.livejournal.com]

That really is cool. Awesome talent, he looks so lifelike.

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

I am one with the pickle tradition. :-D It's the only ornament we don't put on the tree until Christmas Eve -- and I get to hide it. It solves a lot of morning arguments over the prezzies. I believe my pickle looks just like YOUR pickle, too!

Got tomatoes and pears as well?

[knitfish.livejournal.com]

I don't have any tomatoes or pears. I think we used to have christmas apples on the tree when I was growing up, but I don't know whatever became of those.

[prismhottie.livejournal.com]

That's amazing!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I wanted to make this for a long while, it just took me a while to figure out how.