Contemplations of a Closet Curmudgeon

My body decided to wake me up stupid early this morning, so at least I got my hardware store run completed: batteries for the wall clock, a can of tool dip to finish the ends of my kite spars, and Pagano's even had a roll of kite line! (OK, well, maybe it wasn't just my body. My brain was trying to relocate my grommet thingy as I woke up. It's nice to be excited about a project again.)

I decided that taking sketches from a paused DVD would be easier than screwing around with printouts and reading glasses. So right now I am going to give full credit to Dreamworks' many, MANY talented people who created the "How To Train Your Dragon" films. (If you haven't gone to see the new one, make time. It's delightful.)

Drawing on top of tatami is a little weird - but less awful than trying to do it on the carpet!

Wingspan is dictated by the maximum length of my pre-cut bamboo kite spars, which are just under 42" in length (it's probably in centimeters if I bother to check.) I originally thought I might start in small scale and see if it was going to be flightworthy, but after a week of thinking about this, there's no reason it shouldn't be with a 40-something wingspan and a nice long, well centered tail.



I think the wing needs to be a little more sharply drawn along the flank, but I'm close to what I want. Time for some tea and a think...
That's a bit better. I've got two thicknesses of bamboo spars for the body and wings. I think the secondary wings and the tail may do with bamboo skewers.



























UPDATE: Nylon has been cut out. Two sets of wings, two sets of bodies (one slightly larger than the other to function as a wind sock), two pairs of front and rear legs, two tail pieces, one in which which will have to be painted red, because I had some in the house and I don't need enough for Toothless' prosthetic tail fin to go out and buy it.

As much of what comes next involves black thread on black nylon, it's definitely time to take a break.