How to Sculpt a Dragon Egg

Ever since I watched the first season of Game of Thrones I've wanted to have Daenery's dragon eggs. I have found many different versions of DIY eggs in the internet (foam, paper, cardboard, epoxy and even metal). The problem was that the easiest techniques were the least realistic ones and the most realistic ones required tools or a skill I don't have, so I finally decided to make it out of air hardening clay. Once I found the way to make it, it turned out to be pretty easy and any initiate in clay like me can do it.

- Expanded polystyrene, two 10x10cm cubes is what I found at the closest shop, but I know that there are even egg shaped pieces

- Non retractable, air drying modelling clay. I used DAS modelling clay wich has a texture between clay and papier mache

- Toothpicks

- All purpose white glue

- Filler / Concrete

- First you need a template of the shape. I traced it from an online photo of a replica sold at the hbo shop.

- Cut a piece of polystyrene of the size of the template. In my case, I had to put two pieces togethe, so I cut the second piece by the half, added a layer of white glue and then inserted some toothpicks to make the joint stronger. Make sure you put the toothpicks far from the border because you don't want them to interfere in the shaping process. Be careful with the kind of glue you use because it might destroy the polystyrene (see picture above).

- Draw the contour of the template on the polystyrene and cut the surplus out.

- Turn the polystyrene 90º and draw the contour again. In this case don't press the template down when drawing because you will get a smaller egg. You have to draw what could be the "contour of the shadow" of the template and get a deformed drawing on the polystyrene as seen above. Cut the surplus material out, turn the piece and repeat again.

- At this point you should have what looks almost like an egg. To complete the shaping process sand the surface in order to get rid of the remaining little imperfections.

- Finally add a very thin layer of concrete or filler (or just a very diluted clay layer), so that the scales could stick to the surface of the egg and not fall.

- First cover the botom with a 5mm layer of clay and leave marks of your fingers by pressing it to make it look irregular and a bit damaged.

- For the first two rows of scales I decided to use a template because at this point we have no references. So put each scale in its right place around the egg.

- First wet the previous layer.

- Make a roll of clay and press it down against the egg using some water. Make sure you partially cover the previous row of scales.

- Make a line in the middle of the previous scale and two extra lines making a triangle.

- Remove the triangle and round the tips of the scales using your finger and some water.

- Adjust the dimension of the scales depending on the diameter of the egg. In the last four rows it will be hard to reduce the size of the scales so reduce the number of scales. You can see the pattern I made in the last two pictures.

I decided not to paint it yet because I want to make a silicon mold to make the other two eggs.