I got to make a plush version of the hamster, Nimsesku from Meow Wolf's The House of Eternal Return art experience in Santa Fe, NM. On one side it looks like a regular hamster but on the other side it's revealed to be a cyborg! Plus there are extra flaps that reveal more robotic details along with a light up feature when you push the front right paw.
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| Final production version |
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| Final production version |
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| Final production version |
This was the first time I was tasked with adding a light feature to a plush. I tested out several different fabrics to see which would still let the light come through using a tri-color LED showing the whole rainbow. Plus it was new to to me to incorporate a battery pack while making sure the stuffing didn't interfere with the electronics.
Version 1 has two small flaps on the side based on the original sketch. After making this prototype we decided to add bigger flaps and more visuals of the cyborg bits.
Version 2 has bigger and more curved flaps that reveal the lights and gears. Also the plain black plastic eyes were replaced with gold lamé fabric giving them some shine.
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We also played around with different eyes, version two had a golden eye while we moved on to version three with a solid embroidered black eyes.
Keep an eye out throughout The House of Eternal Return for Nimsesku the hamster. It starts in the kid's bedroom, where there is a diagram and an empty hamster cage. If you through further through the portals you may find some version of Nimsesku.
You can buy it here: Meow Wolf Shop
