For Christmas 2019, my girlfriend got me this replica icthyosaur fossil, which has been hanging on its own on a wall.
After visiting the London Natural History Museum, where many Jurassic-era marine fossils are displayed in frames, we had the idea of doing something similar. When I moved to a larger apartment, the timing seemed right.
My friend Jeff and I designed a frame that would support the icthyosaur and have a place for an LED light channel. Pictured is Jeff, cutting red oak to size.
Testing the fit and layout.
Clamping and gluing the frame in place.
These two pieces of plywood served as the main support for the icthyosaur.
I tried three different ways to replicate the plaster of Paris look of the museum specimens, with a combination of plaster and foam.
Pictured is the plaster of Paris version. This turned out extremely fragile, so I took a rubber mold and cast foam into it. Unfortunately, none of these versions turned out well.
I cut some new foam to fit the icthyosaur, then upholstered it with linen.
Testing different wood finishes against the upholstered piece.
Testing the LEDs :)
Decided on 3 coats of boiled linseed oil, plus two coats of wipe-on polycrylic.
Unlit finished product!
Lights on!
Final product, mounted on the wall.