Creating Gills In Clay

One of the elements of the human fish hybrid that I am creating is the gills. I began by looking up images of fish gills and looking at the formation and shapes that they produce. It was clear that most fish have gills of about three or four sections, therefore I decided that I needed to incorporate this in my prosthetic piece to make them look as realistic as possible. I decided that I would go for three sections of gill as I would like to attach them to the base of the jawline spreading down the neck and thought that three would look better and fit into the space more comfortably. I also noticed that the gills were very rough looking. I had always thought that they were smooth. This research was good as, like with the sizing, I was able to make them look as realistic as possible. Therefore when creating that look I used different tools and techniques within the clay to create a rough texture. The edges of the sections were also very rough, an important detail that I needed to include. The gills also fold back on to each other and overlap, and this feature adds to the look of the gills and gives them a feeling of movement and malleability.

Fish Gills
http://www.suggestkeyword.com/ZmlzaCBnaWxscw/

Fish Gills
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/cloutier_jonp/adaptation.htm

After looking up initial images of fish gills, I then went on to look at examples of prosthetic gills and how they have been used previously in fish hybrids. I remember having previously watched 'Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire' where Harry had to compete in certain tasks. In one of the underwater tasks he forms gills on his neck after taking Gillyweed. I then went on to look at the creating process of these gills and which prosthetic artists they were created by. Mark Coulier and Adrian Rigby created and applied these gills which were formed by running them in foam latex, applied with prosaide, painted with PPI Premier Products and sealed with RCMA Grease Colours. It was interesting to learn how they created these gills along with the products used. It was also useful to look at images of the gills being applied and the steps behind them. As well as looking at images from the Harry Potter films, I also watched a video of a man, and visited his website, creating gills for a hybrid fish. He taught how to create the gills at home with DIY products but had a step by step video of how he moulded them in the clay and applied them. This was also really useful as I had more of a guide to work from.

Mark Coulier Applying The Gills
http://www.adrianrigby.net/harry-potter.html

A Gills Created From The Video I Watched
http://www.brokenpencil.com/news/diy-prosthetics-or-im-a-fish-no-big-deal-2

Creating the gills was really enjoyable and relaxing although they took me a long time to prepare. I think that the time spent was very beneficial as it has made them more realistic. I first started by measuring the neck of my model so that I could get the proportions of them correct to her face. I measured out the surface area that I wanted them to cover on a flat plastic surface and began applying my clay to it. I first created three sausage shapes of clay and blended them on to the plastic, laying them in rows on the surface. I then filled in between the sausages of clay with flat pieces blending them together. I blended all of the edges smoothly into the tray around them. I then took different tools and began to add texture and shape onto the smooth and raised sections of clay. I made sure I was careful to smooth certain areas to add to the realism of the piece. It was really beneficial to have previously watched the video. I was able to learn new techniques as well as having a starting point of creating them. Now that I have completed the gills I look forward to making them in to prosthetic pieces. I will make sure that I follow each of the steps closely so that the time I have already spent on them is not wasted. I hope that the moulds work well and are realistic once casted in the silicone.

My Gills

Sources:

http://www.couliercreatures.com

https://instagram.com/explore/tags/markcoulier/

http://www.brokenpencil.com/news/diy-prosthetics-or-im-a-fish-no-big-deal-2