Life Size Found Object Alligator

An alligator began to grow from an abstract art piece I was working on, and I decided to excise and turn him into a life-size 10 foot gator sculpture made out of found objects and construction materials. He was inspired and modeled after an alligator sculpture I encountered on a trail in Florida*.

This was an experiment on my part (please don't take any of my advice as set in stone), therefore the steps may not be absolutely optimized for efficiency. They are based on how I chose to approach it, along with technical details (like drying one thing while working on another) - doing things in a different order may be more helpful for you.

Also, while my muse was a gator, yours could be a coyote, a cat, or a camping chair - make what inspires you! The concepts learned along the way (explained in more detail in the next step) - using what's around, trial and error, make it work, be open to happenstance - can apply to any project.

*Full story: my partner and I were on a hike in the Everglades, and as we came around a bend she jumped back shouting, "Steve!" For a split second my primitive brain reacted, before I realized it was a clay sculpture of an alligator, artfully done not in a detailed way, but capturing the shape of a gator enough to provoke. I found it funny and fascinating; my partner: less so.

This is a non exhaustive list - you may find other things to use; the basic concept is to use what you have around without having to buy much, if anything. Think of it as an exercise in resourcefulness, like you're in the jungle and in order to survive you must build a convincing version of an alligator (or your chosen model) with whatever you can scavenge.

• Base to start with (I used an old circular table lamp, but you can use anything that has the basic shape to build around)
• Chicken wire (or some other type of mesh wire with not-too-big holes), and a few more sturdy-type wires (I found the thicker wire made for wreaths works well as a support)
• Newspaper, packing paper, really any kind of absorbent or semi-absorbent paper - cardboard works too although it's a little less malleable
• Glue (any and all), but especially Rapid Fuse (a super superglue you can find in most stores - I found it to be the best at gluing plastics and other hard-to-stick materials)
• Caulk (whatever you have/can find - exterior longer lasting better)
• Paint (any and all - can usually find this discounted at home improvement stores, or being given away for free at yard sales/online. I would suggest going for exterior if you can, but it really doesn't matter as it's mostly used as a binding on the inside)
• Assortment of found objects (anything you can use to take up space, or use as outer layers)
• 5 gallon bucket for dipping paper into
• Picture of the animal/thing you are looking to create

*NOTE: I will sometimes refer to the paint, glue, & water mixture that you dip your paper into as PGW from here on out.

Choose which color you'd like your gator (or other creature) to be, and begin collecting items on walks.

I found a lot of things on the ground while walking (good motivation to get out and about!)

You can also use this opportunity to scout for things that might fit the other shapes (tail, head, legs) - look in thrift stores, around your house, by the side of the road. Once you start looking, there is stuff everywhere.

Working space is key!

I didn't think about this step in the beginning, so sort of built supports as I went, but I'd suggest estimating how long you'd like your gator/x to be, and then using/building a platform a foot or so longer on each end and side. I used cinder blocks and a leftover board - get the most solid support you can find as the weight can get up there...

Consider ergonomics when setting up your work area - having it at a level that you can sit or stand at easily for some period of time is very helpful.

I set up an area outside under some trees, which came in handy when I had to string tarps over it come winter. You could do this project inside, but it gets messy! Plus it's a good excuse to get outside.

Spread paint, glue, caulk all along the platform, then put base structure (in my case, a long lamp with a table) on top and dig it in. I had to cut part of the lamp table so it was a half circle and could rest on the platform levelly.

Attach a bent wreath wire to the top of the body (where the head/neck will attach) as a supporting structure for the chicken wire to be added in a future step.

Wrap chicken wire around front wreath wire to secure, leaving an opening to stuff things into, then begin filling that space with newspaper dipped in a mixture of paint, glue, and water (PGW).

This is where the 5 gallon bucket is useful - fill it about a third with water, then add paint and glue (depending on your paint and glue, you may need more or less water). I also poured paint and glue over the platform before adding material and over the filler as I went, to help solidify everything.

As you're filling the space with paper, you can add in other things to make the process go faster - the lighter and stronger the better. I used paint cans, empty aluminum cans, an empty glue bottle, some clothes, and other miscellany. Whatever you can find will work, as long as you use paper (or some other material that takes glue well) for the final outer layer, as this is the surface you'll be coating and or attaching material to.

Let dry completely (you can start on next step while you let this dry).

You'll also notice I attached dryer vents as placeholders for legs. This is optional, but recommended to help get an idea of the proportions.

Use a strong, long material for under support and attach to platform. I used a metal strip to secure metal shelf brackets I had lying around. Basically anything longish and solid will work.

Next, attach another platform for the tail to rest on. As pictured above, I used a metal sign and a piece of a child gate, which were secured using screws to the platform. When adding the platform, it's best to use manual attachment methods (like screws) rather than glue.

Optional: attach hose to make tail slightly wiggly. I attached some hose, which will be threaded through the tail structure in a later step. This adds some flexibility to the whole thing - important if you'd like to change positions of the sculpture.

Once the filler is completely dry, coat entire body with spackle.

This gives you a relatively continuous surface to seal in a later step. Fill in as much as you can, but you don't need to get too meticulous as the later materials will help cover small gaps.

This is the first layer of protection, of which there will be several more.

I used exterior porch paint - use whatever the toughest paint/sealant you can find. It helps if it's thick, as it then goes on better. There is probably something else you could use specifically for spackle, but the porch paint seemed to do the job.

TIP: Home Depot or other home improvement stores will often have deeply discounted high grade paints/sealants in their clearance section.

As you can see, the best method is to just slop the stuff on, then try to smooth it out as much as you can.

I was particularly into Brami Beans to help with long lasting energy*.

*I received no compensation from this brand - I just like the beans

The most important part to protect is any area where the gator might touch the ground, so an extra layer of material before coating is suggested on the bottom belly area.

I used roofing shingles , and attached them with staples (remember, manual attachment is almost always better and more long-lasting than glue). It's a bit tricky to bend it around and cover everything, but gets easier the more you do it.

Add a layer of primer sealant to the body.

I started off with a of spray can of Killz I had left, then used a roller with leftover grey sealant primer, and finished with a good ol' brush of Killz in the paint can.

Use the highest level (most waterproof, thickest, highest grade) primer sealant you can get your hands on.

After adding the sealant coat in the last step, you will be left with a somewhat even, somewhat smooth surface.

Now's the time to get creative! This is my first iteration of scales, which I then altered again and again as I continued with the rest of the gator. It's a matter of getting a detailed enough look, without being too detailed (in which case it will look fake - nature is messy). This is a good time to whip out your reference photo...

This adding of scales and refining them continued throughout the process, so don't get too caught up in making it look perfect. There will be ample opportunity to change and adapt as you go.

Begin to use some of the objects you've gathered to add a layer of raised scales on top.

Again, as with the drawn in scales, this is a first stab at it - don't get too attached to anything. Just begin to glue the objects in a line across the center back. If you're feeling ambitious, expand outwards - start with one object layer on each side of the center line. Eventually you will have multiple on each side, but no need to get all the objects on now.

This is where your Rapid Fuse glue comes in very handy - I've found it will attach pretty much anything, although there are some materials that are just too plasticky. In this case you can either discard it or try to attach it using screws (which I did with some materials).

In the third picture, you will see the photo I am using for reference. I'd highly suggest printing out a picture of the animal you are looking to capture, and using it to guide you in your making.

Now is the time to start defining your scales a little more, although really this process can go on till the very end.

I used a mixture of grey & black paint and gel medium/glue, and some caulk. I also covered up and repainted the scales several times, at the end even slashing the paint at the sides like a Pollock painting, just to experiment with the effect.

In the video, I'm talking about how I made the scales in the wrong orientation (how I thought they looked rather than how they really looked), so I correct that at this point. I also mention some exploding caulk which I then go to use in the process (no wasted materials or opportunities to dance with chance!)

This is a good time to check everything and make sure the proportions and shapes are at least resembling a semblance of the photo you're using for reference.

This is a similar process to starting the body, although you don't need as much of an armature.

Some support is nice (chicken wire or some other type of wire/structure) to hold the paper soaked in PGW* while it dries into shape, but not absolutely necessary. This part, being smaller than the body, is a little more like working with clay than just stuffing into place.

Using whatever paper you have (remember, newspaper is preferred, or any paper that is absorbent, but I used construction paper here and other places), dip it in your PGW mixture and start to shape the head. It doesn't need to be perfect, but should approximate the general dimensions.

At this point, there will be a lot of dry time necessary for the things you'll be working on, so we'll be skipping back and forth between the head and the tail.

OPTIONAL

A fun - and frustrating! - part of getting things to dry quicker was setting up a makeshift mini-kiln around the area. I used some ceramic tiles I had lying around and a space heater. While it was entertaining to try to maximize the heat, occasional collapse (and imminent threat of) lent a hint of danger to the proceedings...

*PGW = paint, glue, water mixture in a 5-gallon bucket

This is where the experimenting really gets going.

I started with some hose attached to the body in a previous step, believing I could make the whole tail flexible, but at this point scrap the idea and remove the hose.

I initially played around with a long dryer hose, but eventually come to use a mailbox and a large foam block as the filler for the base of the tail. You can use whatever you happen to have around, and it's ok if it's boxy (this'll add stability) as you'll be adding curves after.

After securing whatever you decide on to the base platform (screws and glue advisable, but just glue is ok here because, well, gravity), staple the chicken wire on one side, then form it into a shape approximating the curve you'd like.

Before you staple it on the other side, stuff any malleable material you can find (I used clothes here) in between the hard item and the chicken wire. This will allow you to use less spackle to fill. If you're doing the outdoor kiln thing (space heater and ceramic tiles for me), this is another chance to use it.

The video at the end shows a bit of process and I talk a little about both the tail and the head.

Once the paper shape you've formed has dried (this may take a while), add layers of spackle to continue shaping the head.

You don't have to be perfect here (as you'll see in a future step, I take a bit of drastic action to fix a mistake), but it's good to be getting the general form the gator's head will take.

This is the same procedure as the previous tail step (step 14), except on a smaller scale.

Extend the tail with any material you can find (here I used styrofoam blocks), and staple chicken wire down on one side and wrap into shape, then fill the curve with your paper/paint/glue mixture. I also added some cardboard at the top for support.

Begin to spackle the whole thing. This is a good time to step back and make sure you have the proportions correct.

Again, the homemade kiln is an option!

Start forming more details of the head.

I added a bit more newspaper to certain spots, and some spackle. Then I added a layer of pink paint I happened to have to start sealing things up a bit.

We last left the tail as half spackled.

Now is the time to fully fill in with spackle, and start to coat with paint and whatever else you have. As you'll see in the pictures, I've kept the tail separated from the body - this makes transport at the end easier.

When we last left the head, we were forming more details and working on the proportions.

Now is the time to begin finalizing the shape and start in on details, plus adding some materials (like cardboard or whatever else) to add a bit more structure.

You'll see I carved out a mouth and jaw opening, and shaped the snout a bit more. The last three pics show some of the random materials I've been using to add on to the different parts of the gator.

While this isn't an end to the work on the tail, it is a literal end piece.

I made this a separate element so it was easier to carry and less likely to break during transport.

Plot out where the end piece will go, and shape a piece of wire to fit that space. Then stuff it with paper in your PGW mix, and any other material to add a little solidity. Let dry in place.

This is not a recommended step.

After taking a break from the gator, leaving it covered with my canopy, I came back from a trip to see snow had done some damage. Luckily this was towards the end of winter, so I was able to unpack and clean up pretty soon after... calamity no more...

Here's the first stage of the final sealing.

If you don't have any leftover from a different project, find some of the highest quality deck coating you can at a home improvement store clearance section. Coat the entire tail and head, and fill in gaps in body and wherever it might be vulnerable to the elements (undercarriage especially). Let dry, and repeat according to instructions on can.

OK, so now is the time to start making appendages.

It's a similar process to making the body, tail, and head - first get the shape down with chicken wire, then fill with paper soaked in PGW. Once that has dried, add a layer of spackle, let dry, and coat with deck paint to seal. After letting the sealant dry, use paint to add a little life. You'll see in the video I went back and forth between grey squares and black scales, which gave a sort of mottled but structured look.

When making the initial shape of the legs, I'd suggest leaving some extra wire around the base to use when attaching the legs to the body.

Before you position legs and arms next to body, place supports underneath to hold them in place.

Since the place I was building gator is not it's final resting place, I decided to not attach the legs but just put them in the general area to make sure everything looks right. For supports, I used a table and some cinder blocks, but whatever you have around will work.

The video above will walk through the (somewhat convoluted) steps I took to arrive at a finished product.

These steps include:

-Painting base layer of black using brushes and spray paint

-Adding in lines of scales with grey

-Using different materials (such as a grocery basket and chicken wire) in an attempt to get the pattern right, but in the end using good old school freestyle painting to get the variance.

This is your chance to really experiment with the total effect you're going for. I enjoyed the appearance of everything painted in neat little boxes, and it definitely made it look like a geometric gator, but because I was going for a more realistic look I decided to keep playing.

Finish work on head to make it whatever style you're going for.

I added details like the inside of it's mouth, the eye, and the ruffle on its neck.

Figure out where you'd like to display your new creation.

Level it enough for a good viewing angle, and move your sculpture in whatever pieces you split it into (if any). Adjust as needed.

Enjoy any plaudits!