BSC2019 Vanvlak Spongeabobia Quadripantsia

[Vanvlak]

I don't really know what I am doing but this is the first thing which came to mind 
It's a rare sponge species (as corals are allowed, I'm assuming sponges are too), Spongeabobia Quadripantsia.

[Vanvlak]

Someone beat me to it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spongiforma_squarepantsii 

Still, it's a different species, and not a model, so....

[beefcake]

 
Looking forward to seeing it.

[Vanvlak]

Looking forward to seeing it.

I hope you will. It's a busy time of year.
Still: I have decided on the basic shape, and it will be a sponge, or a succulent, or a cactus. To make it more interesting I might include a tree-house - well, more accurately, a sponge/succulent/cactus-house - in it.

[Vanvlak]

A bit more detail - since I am working on my great march project, the land-sponge (complete with grass-like photosynthetic organs growing all over - plants call theirs 'leaves') will be growing on a tiny island and has reached a comfortable old age, so much so that someone cut a tunnel through it for little boats to pass through (they could just as easily have gone round, but what's the fun of that?). I am also making another two smaller ones, offspring of the first I guess, on their own micro-islands.
I may or may not make an observation post cut into it, so add some detail. The thingy will also be branching off sideways, in cactus fashion. It will be very cubical in shape (hence the name), and I'd like to add some flowering structure or fruit (this is no ordinary sponge...).

[Hammers]

A bit more detail - since I am working on my great march project, the land-sponge (complete with grass-like photosynthetic organs growing all over - plants call theirs 'leaves') will be growing on a tiny island and has reached a comfortable old age, so much so that someone cut a tunnel through it for little boats to pass through (they could just as easily have gone round, but what's the fun of that?). I am also making another two smaller ones, offspring of the first I guess, on their own micro-islands.
I may or may not make an observation post cut into it, so add some detail. The thingy will also be branching off sideways, in cactus fashion. It will be very cubical in shape (hence the name), and I'd like to add some flowering structure or fruit (this is no ordinary sponge...).

You're a nutter and I love you for it. 

[von Lucky]

Same - this will be interesting.

[Vanvlak]

Thanks guys. The 'tunnel' idea was inspired by this:
which has since toppled.

[Vanvlak]

And here are the first pics of work in progress.
The basic material for my build is part of a length of blue rigid foam (polystyrene?) I had lying around for years waiting to be used.
Here's the unassuming start to the project:


Having decided on the tunnel-through-the-sponge, inspired by the pic in the previous post and a rock tunnel from a tiny inland 'sea' to the exterior in Gozo, I cut open a tunnel. I helped the cut by piercing the foam through with a kebab stick several times on the tunnel profile, before removing the material with a hacksaw blade, unmounted in the hacksaw.
 
I was thinking of coating the thing with flock when it was done, but that would have made it very similar to a moss-covered rock, so I decided to experiment with some sculpting. After trying a blade and then a heated screwdriver edge I remembered my old soldering iron, and used that. If you try this, remember to do it in the open or have lots of ventilation!
Here's the result.



The boat (undercoated in black) is from The Hobbit Laketown house - nice and useful little model. I'll be showing it not as part of the model, but solely to demonstrate the tunnel idea. In any case, even with it included as part of the model I should still be well within the 25% manufactured model parts total, as I will probably have nothing else other than, possibly, 1-2 tiny accessories from the same set (lobster traps and stuff) on the island base which is to be added.

What next?
I need to:
clean up the foam from loose bits left over from cutting;
decide on whether to add the 'branching' sponges to the upper portion (in cactus fashion), and if so how many and what size;
make a small 'island' base under each leg of the sponge;
make two smaller sponges;
decide on the finish for all three;
decide what to add at the top - a construction, a 'flower', or something else. I have a sort of idea for this...more later. 

[beefcake]

Great start there. Texture is looking good.

[von Lucky]

A good start.

[ichwillauch]

A great start!

[Vanvlak]

Thanks guys.
A bit of Sunday progress.

I now have all three of the sponges (the bits sticking out of water, that is) with one side branch each on two of them and a small plasticard base for stability.



I went and added some sand to serve as gravel piling up around these sponges - the immersed section is more swollen with water and thicker, and a small platform forms around the sponge on which the gravel accumulates, or so the story goes.



I need to clean up the sand a bit...

The main structure of the thingies is now done. Some 'adornments' remain to be added - either man-made stuff stuck to the poor old sponges, or natural stuff such as flowers (on sponges!) or buds or fruit or something.
Then it's on to undercoating and paint, and maybe a little bit of flock here and there.

[Vanvlak]

Well, I'm done, here's the finished thingy:



Good eh?

OK, back to business. I'm going to trim the asparagus plants (if that's what they really are, it's what they're called here) for some dried branches, which will be put to use on one of the sponges.
Because sponges have branches, right? 

[Vanvlak]

A little later: the harvest has been completed, and here (from left to right) are a single dried twig of the asparagus fern (I checked the name!), a tin of chopped twigs and sponge number 3, the smallest, with an old nest built on top. Although I added a tiny bit of static grass this will be painted over. I'll probably be adding some other types of flock or vegetation to line the nest, as it looks pretty uncomfortable at this stage - these things are quite spiky and I managed to get one under my fingernail - oww