This is a Vacuum Formed Polyethelene Totoro, inspired by the character from Miyazaki's Japanese film "my Neighbor Totoro." The assignment for Plastics class was to design a water gun or a game controller. Needless to say I asked the teacher if I could choose else, that guns and video games just aren't my thing. My natural choice was to make something cute and friendly. Originally i was thinking of a light that plugs into the wall and this idea then evolved into a portable free standing night light buddy with a battery powered candle inserted into the bottom. This was a child could have him in bed, on the bedside, across the room or take with them to a sleep over. I hope to make at least a couple more for friends. The mold is 75% of the work, which involves carving your design out of Basswood, a soft hard wood. Once perfected, the mold is split in half and laid out on the vacuum forming machine. melting the plastic and pressing it to your mold is about a 30 second process, from which you then cut out the two halves, glue and paint. Ta Da! a Totoro Night Light Buddy!
*by the way, I, in no way own any of Totoro, he is not my creation and i am not making this for selling purposes*
