The Hampden Dragon 2.0

Getting the Sculpture out of my basement did not go well. First thing to go wrong: the dragon was a lot heavier than planned. It needed 3 people to lift it. Second thing: the dragon couldn't actually fit through the door way. Third thing: the wings, arms, head, and tail were not strong enough to withstand the trauma of transport. As a result, the dragon lost its tail and is in the process of losing its wings and extended arm. There are many cracks covering the body. 

Click to see cracks on its left arm

The only option at this point to remake it better than the first one. To do this, I am switching mediums and building a stronger form for the underneath. After some more research, I found that fiber glass is a common medium for professional outdoor sculptures. It is also used on boats and cars, meaning that it will be able to withstand the elements. As a form, I made another chicken wire form that is slightly different from the original to help solve some issues. The second dragon is slightly skinnier with a smaller tail that curls up instead of down and with shorter legs that do not touch the ground. The new tail is also reattached to the body to give it extra support. 

After I finished making the second chicken wire form, I added a black iron pipe skeleton to support the arm and wings and then I filled the entire thing in with spray foam insulation. The spray foam is meant to grow as it dries which takes 8 hours. After it expanded, I cut away the parts that outgrew the chicken wire. Now it is ready for the fiberglass.