The Guardian of Temasek, Merlion

pinshape

Back Story of the creature: A fishing village named 'Temasek' was discovered by Prince Sang Nila Utama of Palembang many centuries ago. He spotted a majestic creature while hunting on Bintan island, which had the body of a lion and the tail of a fish. The prince gave chase but the red-breasted creature vanished up a hill. As he stood on the peak, he noticed a fishing village across the water. His chief minister informed him that the village was called 'Temasek'. The prince prepared to hunt on the neighboring island, sailing across the sea. A fierce storm hit them hard and the ship was tossed about in the angry waves. Water leaked into the ship, but everyone worked together to prevent it from sinking by throwing their belongings overboard. The prince was advised to throw his crown away as a gift to the sea, just then the odd creature leaped out of the water and rescued Sang Nila Utama and his crew. They arrived safely on the sandy beach of Temasek. The prince asked some locals about the creature and they shared that this creature was known as the guardian of Temasek, Merlion. The creature has a lion head and a fish tail, hence its Chinese name 'Yu Wei Shi', which translates to 'Fish-tailed Lion'. The head of the Merlion resembles the mythical creature in Chinese culture, also known as 'Nian Shou'. The scales on the lion's body introduce a nice blend of the two animals: fish and lion; it is also derived from the amphibious nature of the merlion. The inclusion of a fish tail completes the look of a creature that resembles a lion and a fish. The Model: The model has three sections: the lion, its fish tail, and the base as a foundation. Printing the model in three sections allows for simplicity in design as well as a reduction in necessary support, thereby saving resources. Software: I modeled the shape of the merlion using Luxology's modo and sculpted it with Pixologic's sculptris. Print Setting Software: * Simplifly 3D printer: Flashforge Dreamer * Temperature: 200°C * Layer height: 0.2mm * Shells: 4 * Print speed: 2400 mm/min * Infill percentage: 20% * With raft and support It was painted by Sean Suchanya. Follow me here: * Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/73ck * Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/73ckng * Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/73ck