The lead sculptor on the BBC’s Walking with Dinosaurs turned to the “pioneering techniques” of a modelmaking company when he wanted to create a detailed animal head.
Jeremy Hunt, of Jeremy Hunt Designs, approached Ogle Models and Prototypes while he was working on a series of models for the National Museum of Qatar.
The team at Ogle had to do a deep dive into the world of marine mammals before taking on the task of crafting the head of a dugong for Jeremy, an outstanding sculptor and model maker who started his career at the Natural History Museum, before creating the fabulous Hollywood pig Babe.
To ensure Ogle could deliver to Jeremy’s exacting requirements, they began by scoping the finer details of the project, such as wall thicknesses, how the part was going to be used and the level of surface detail required to recommend the right process and material.
It was the first time Jeremy had worked with Ogle, but he was full of praise for the quality of the work. He said: “They print at very high quality, which is what I need – I really need a good finish for things like skin texture.
“The materials they use are really interesting to me, like the translucent white material. When I’m doing marine things, you need some translucency which is ideal for adding artwork to.
“They’re a brilliant company to work with. They always deliver solutions if you’ve got specific requirements and try new techniques and are happy to be experimental. The colour room with all the finishes is incredible, but it’s not just the materials, it’s their pioneering techniques.”
Over the past few years, Ogle has invested more than £2m in the best equipment available, enabling the company to achieve the quality required on projects like the dugong. While the process was straightforward using the supplied CAD files, having state-of-the-art stereolithography (SLA) equipment meant that the high level of intricate detail was retained.
The experience of the Ogle team ensured there was no support structure printed on crucial A surface features, along with care taken during post-processing when removing the supports and washing. It is a part of the build that cannot be rushed and requires patience and detailed knowledge to achieve the best outcome. None of the fine details of the dugong’s head were lost.
Jeremy added the final hand-finishing touches and painted the complete model before the 2m dugong was shipped to Qatar where it is now on display in the natural environment gallery.
Matt White, Senior Sales Engineer at Ogle, said: “It was great seeing the whole sculpture come to life and be fully finished. From a clear SLA print and machined part to a fully finished, life-like model…it was quite a transformation.
“For us, it was amazing to see the processes used in a different way.”
For more information about Ogle, visit www.oglemodels.com
