First off, I want to say that this document is more of an illustrated history than a "how-to". The following photos were originally taken for a facebook group, where I undertook the project in front of a "live audience", as it were. I had no idea how it would turn out, and I occasionally asked the viewers for their input.

The following, then, is a visual record (with valuable tips & techniques) of how I put together Gods of the Sea.

The Sunken Ship

Fig. 1	Fig. 2	Fig. 3	Fig. 4

The easiest way for me to make an old sunken ship was to create the planks and spars, using three slightly different colours of clay, and apply cracks and texture to the surfaces. (Fig. 1)

Using super glue, I attached everything together. The planks were thin enough to curve around the spars and create a fairly realistic hull. (Fig. 2)

To finish off, I applied darker paint and rubbed it off to leave the crevices pronounced. I used green clay and paint for algae and other underwater growth. The barnacles were painstakingly added, and painted afterwards. (Fig. 3)

The base had to look like sand, and I found that a mixture of slightly translucent pearl and light gray Sculpey gave the right look, especially when applied in an ultra-thin layer over bits of the ship. A stiff shoe brush gave me the desired pebbled texture right before I re-baked the whole base. (Fig. 4)

The Throne

Fig. 5	Fig. 6	Fig. 7	Fig. 8

I had seen statues where Poseidon's throne contained horses and dolphins, so I knew these creatures had to be worked in somehow. (Fig. 5)

Once I had the two heads roughed out, it was only a matter of fitting them into the arms, and deciding what the legs should look like. (Fig. 6)

My original plan was to make the stone a warm marble colour, but I changed to gray with hints of the rainbow. The inlaid gold and jewels were added as my imagination took flight.

Tip - when adding soft bits of clay to already baked stuff, you will find that washing and drying your hands will help the clay stick to your piece, and not your oily fingers! You could even go as far as heating up the whole project a bit; polymer clay seems to bond to a warm surface.

Looking at it for a few days, the throne started to seem too neat and clean to be underwater all those centuries, so I added some algae growth near the bottom. (Fig. 7)

Finally, more to encourage myself more than anything else, I took a shot of the throne to see where it might sit in the finished piece. (Fig. 8)

Poseidon

Fig. 9	Fig. 10	Fig. 11	Fig. 12	Fig. 13

Creating naked bodies, especially well-muscled ones, is a difficult proposition. I developed a method during the making of my Batman, and this basically involves patiently layering each set of muscles on top of the last. With Poseidon, I roughed out the simplest body shape, and made sure it fit on the throne with room to spare - then I took him out to bake separately. Notice that there is a wire sticking out where he neck will be. (Fig. 9)

Once the body was hard, I was able to spend hours molding new sets of muscles onto his frame, without worrying about something being pushed out of shape. I also attached the neck and head over top of the wire. (Fig. 10) This wasn't so much for the finished product's strength, as much as it was for keeping it in place while I shaped the neck to the body. See my earlier making of "Rachel Rocks", for details about heads and faces.

To give you an idea of the work that goes into all this, his "six-pack" of abdominal muscles was one session of 2 hours. (Fig.11) He still had no hands or feet at this point, since those were saved for when I was finished adding muscles.

Okay - now the hands and feet have been added. I have also attached the trident, a pre-constructed spear using a wooden skewer stick. (Fig.12) This also helped strengthen and support his arm once the spear was resting on the base.

Although I haven't glued him into place yet, this photo (Fig. 13), shows how Poseidon will fit on the base, between parts of the shipwreck. I had originally given him short hair, shown on (Fig. 12), but a facebook viewer suggested I make it longer - and I think she was right. Oh - I put his loincloth on at this point. It was the right thing to do...

Amphitrite

Fig. 14	Fig. 15	Fig. 16	Fig. 17

Now I was ready for the Goddess Amphitrite, who will take the form of a mermaid. The fish portion needed individual scales, and there was no easy way to do this. I just sat in front of the TV, and added 500-odd polymer clay "scales". (Fig. 14)

Tip - when doing something complicated like this, make sure you stop and re-bake every now and again. It gives you a break, and it means you won't have to worry about losing what you've done up until that point. Think of it as a computer document - you wouldn't want to lose what's on your screen, so SAVE the project!

I used green clay, but knew I would be radically changing the colour later. To get the right effect, I applied layers of luminescent paint for that special sheen. There were up to five layers in some places, ranging through purple, blue, green and a touch of orange. (Fig. 15)

Since Amphitrite is to be hovering in the current in front of Poseidon, I tested various poses in front of the mirror to come up with the optimum pose. The result was a counter-clockwise arm motion with her palms propelling her in the opposite direction. It's awkward, but the thumb on her right hand is up, and the thumb on the left, is down. (Fig. 16)

To help sell her treading-under-water in front of Poseidon, I knew her hair would have to be special. Extra long hair in a gentle current goes every which way, but I settled on three major strands to support the smaller ones. I needed wire to hold these up, so I drilled holes into her head, and glued in carefully shaped wires. (I also felt it appropriate to cover her up at this point...) (Fig. 17)

Tip - I have always used stiff wire to hold limbs together, soccer players to balance on one foot, and witches to fly - but I made life difficult for myself by baking the wire into the clay. One day, I decided to use a very fine drill, and made holes when the objects were baked hard. Then I inserted the wire. With this new method, I wasn't constantly struggling with a annoying wire protruding as I worked. By the way - with this method, there is also the added bonus of being able to change your mind about the exact positioning of objects right up until the end!

Making Amphitrite Float

Fig. 18	Fig. 19	Fig. 20	Fig. 21

I didn't stop to take many photos, but it took several evening's work to add all her hair. The strands that didn't have wire at the centre were designed to curve back and touch the larger ones for support. For the very tips, I applied super glue for surprising strength. While she was still unattached to the base, I added on her "bling" - a medallion around her neck, and gold wrist bands that are similar to Poseidon's (Fig. 18) and (Fig. 19)

Two strands of wire hold Amphitrite in place above the base. These, as you can see, have been disguised as seaweed stocks. Wrapping polymer clay around a wire is tricky, but don't forget you have the option of stopping to bake what you have at any given time. The leaves actually have thinner wire inside, and are glued to the stem. (Fig. 20) When I was ready to glue her into place, I marked and drilled holes into the base.

Amphitrite's eyes were leveled at Poseidon's, and she seemed to be floating realistically in the water. (Fig. 21) As I had suspected, she wobbled quite a bit, and I didn't think this arrangement was robust enough. I knew I would figure something out later, though.

One Big Coelacanth

Fig. 22	Fig. 23	Fig. 24	Fig. 25

This ancient fish was once thought to be extinct, but after 1938 scientists decided it was alive and well. I decided it should be swimming with the Gods. They say that from humble beginnings, great things grow, so please excuse the rather pathetic start to this fish! (Fig. 22)

However, with a rigid base to work on, I managed to get all the fins on accurately. I added them several at a time, and used rolled up bits of paper towel to support the piece during baking. (Fig. 23) Unfortunately, his (or her) face started to look like a salmon or trout.

Before painting, I re-worked the mouth and gill-plates to look more prehistoric and menacing. A project doesn't get completed without me breaking something, scrapping off, adding on, or just plain changing my mind. That's the beauty of working with polymer clay; there just isn't any situation that can't be fixed! (Fig. 24)

In this next picture, (Fig. 25) you can see that I've added in two more stocks of seaweed, one of which helps to hold the Coelacanth into position on the sculpture. Because of the weight, I also added a straight piece of wire to connect his side directly to the throne. I painted this flat black, and it hardly shows at all. The fish's posture is that of a hungry predator about to enjoy a seafood snack - but I hadn't decided what that would be at this point.

The Rest Of The Sea Creatures

Fig. 26	Fig. 27	Fig. 28	Fig. 29

As mentioned earlier, it appeared that Amphitrite the mermaid was a little unsteady with only two wires holding her up. My solution was a Moray eel, naturally containing a stiff wire within. This was glued to the mermaid, the throne, and Poseidon’s leg. I was pleased with how well this brace worked, not to mention how the eel itself helped the composition. (Fig. 26)

I knew that sooner or later, a school of fish had to be worked into this piece. With that in mind, I made myself five tiny Butterfly fish, and looked for strategic places to glue them on. Making use of the trident’s staff, I attached one fish in front by its nose, and higher up, another one behind by its tail. A third fish touched the bottom, and a fourth is glued to an outcropping of the ship. The fifth is simply in front of Poseidon’s leg. I think it looks like a school of fish swimming slowly past the throne. (Fig. 27)

Probably the most exciting addition to this underwater jungle was the sea turtle. I wish I could say something interesting about him, but I made the shell, added flippers and a head...and then painted the whole thing. (Fig. 28) It fit nicely between two seaweed stocks, and one back flipper just touches the short piece of seaweed attached to the mermaid. Careful planning, or perhaps luck, lead to a very sturdy tripod.

As one last addition to this four and half month project, I decided what I was going to feed Mrs. Coelacanth: a six pound rock lobster - who doesn't look very happy about the situation! (Fig. 29) I used thread for its feelers, and reinforced the legs with super glue. After a quick paint-job, I was finally done.

To have another look at the finished product, click here to visit the Gods of the Sea gallery in this website.