Carving out scales

Rough markings and areas of car body filler

Filed back and filled

scalpel groves beginning to be cut at an angle

Following my photoshopped design, I have started to carve in the scales that cover the top and bottom jaws. Firstly, I roughly marked their position with marker pen before re-tracing the lines with a scalpel. This process proves rather time consuming, though I feel that a hand made approach is the most suitable method to use due to the softness of the blue foam and abstract sizing and positioning of the scales. I am aware that carving too deeply between the scales distorts the original shape of the crocodile's features. Once the lines are cut, I have began to flatten out my indentations by carving a gentle angle around the boarder of each scale. I am also working back into the ridges with car body filler to give a clean finish when filed and sanded, whereas the blue foam has a tendency to flake in delicate areas. Fine body filler provides definition to the groves and also helps to smooth the sanded foam.