Merida from Brave
0 comments
Following my love of Disney and Pixar, I liked how Merida was a strong and brave princess. Her hair was always something I wanted to tackle in the balloon world so I tried it out...
Crafting her bow and hand out of 260 balloons (balloon animal balloons), using both inflated and un-inflated latex, I was able to create the intricate details to bring these elements to life.
Merida's hair was a different story. Originally designed for another character I repurposed the structure for Merida's iconic hair and then altered the colors.
Working with a technique similar to individually placing hairs in a wig, I first created a cast of an inflated balloon with plaster strips. After it dried I popped the balloon and then measured out a distance of 0.5" to 1" apart and drilled holes into the plaster. Using a technique with monofilament line and 260s I individually made each curl of her; and then one-by-one inserted them into the "helmet" with a tool fashioned out of wire.
Behind the Scenes - Making Merida:
