Miniature Sculptural Head

I had a picture in my head. A giant face, of the scale of the Easter Island sculptures. The only way I could think of getting that picture out of my head was to make it real, but it had to fit in my flat...

I made this from scraps I had around the flat:

• A toilet roll tube
• Scrap card
• Kitchen roll
• PVA glue (diluted; approx one part glue to three parts water)
• Wood stain

The tools I used were just a pair of nail scissors and an old paintbrush, plush a small dish for the glue.

Cut a toilet roll tube into four sections, and split three of them down their length.

Paint the sections with glue, and fit the split sections around the un-split section.

Leave to dry...

Tear a sheet of kitchen roll into strips, wet them with the diluted glue, and wrap them around the base structure, inside and out.

Leave them to dry, then repeat, adding strips until you are happy with how thick the walls of the sculpture are.

Sketch the shape of the nose you want onto scrap card, cut it out, fold, and glue into place.

Add two or three layers of glue-wet kitchen roll, then set it aside to dry.

Cut crescents from the scrap card, and snip along the curved edge.

Use the small flaps this makes to curve the eyelids and glue them into place.

Add more kitchen roll strips, and leave to dry,

I did go through a phase of planning to add googly eyes, but I changed my mind after getting feedback from others online.

I wanted the sculpture to look more carved than built-up, so I stained it with a "warm maple" finish that I happened to have in my stash. It was a combined stain and varnish, which gave the sculpture a nice sheen and a natural variation in tone.

The head now lives on my mantelpiece, in a row with the Inch High Guys and Hidari.

I guess you could also use it as a scarf-slider or woggle, or possibly a napkin ring, but I like him where I can see him.