I had the pleasure of a request to tutor one of our friends’ sons over the summer. Harry is 12, and has joined me in the studio for two hours each week and for his final two sessions we decided to make a statuette of his favourite video game figure – Link from Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time.

This statuette stands just shy of 50cm/19″ tall and had a wire frame, foil and polystyrene structure covered with masking tape to bind it all together before covering with Powertex bronze. The next layer was Powertex soaked fabric before piecing the tunic, cuffs and belt/bandoleer combo. We made the shield from Powertex ‘clay’ and dried it over a jam jar to set the curve. The same clay was used to form the sword and both hands, with the sword supported by a wire centre. The shield was connected by using Powertex to glue to the fist and elbow and a supporting fabric structure in the centre, supported while drying.

Harry preferred to not use the metallic pigments which would have given a more bronze-like feel, and we’re both delighted with the outcome! I’m impressed with the versatility of Powertex and the flexibility of the fabric really lends a sense of moment and dynamism in the final piece.