Wabbit/New Looney Tunes - Buddha Bugs - Toonstalgia

Buddha Bugs - New Looney Tunes

Season 1, Episode 1a

The series now known as New Looney Tunes started life as Wabbit or Bugs depending on the region. Rebranding as New Looney Tunes was a good decision because it's simpler and it's really accurate. The series is new shorts continuing the legacy of earlier Looney Tunes shorts.

I was aware of Wabbit from the premiere and have watched it but my interest grew when I learned Kevin Fleming worked on the show. Kevin Fleming is the man behind Toony the Tuna and a number of other characters on Tune in with Me and the spin off Sventoonie.

The Short

Each episode features a couple shorts. This short sees Bugs getting revenge on Yosemite for his felonious ways and his robbery of a Buddhist temple. It's a really fun short. Bugs barely lifts a finger while taking Yosemite down.

Yosemite the Sculpture

I chose to sculpt Yosemite because I didn't choose Yosemite. My nephew suggested it. 

I created the rough body shape with foil then I smushed some clay on him until the foil was covered and the shape looked like his torso, butt, head and the start of his hat. I used a mix of brown and another color I had sitting on my desk (I have a lot sitting on my desk). I didn't use any wire. For his beard, hat and arms, I used smaller bits of aluminum foil because without an internal structure polymer clay can break. I opted against wire for this because I wanted some rounder features and a big hat.

Initially,  my plan was to aim for the look of the show. That instantly went out the window. 

I wanted to make sure he could stand on his own because I don't like it when I make a sculpture that falls over all the time. I baked in between adding clay details to avoid mashing the bits I already sculpting.

The concept that you can bake polymer multiple times is the most revolutionary thing I ever learned about it. It made working in the medium so much more fun.

I planned to paint him so I didn't worry about matching the clay color. The painting only mostly worked. I put some extra clay on him in appropriate colors to accentuate certain details. I added orange clay to his beard, a little peach to his nose and hands and white clay to his eyes.

I had fun because the joy I find in art is the thing coming to life in my hands. He's an expression of my work. Yosemite is the result of everything up until that point and a bridge to the next idea. Lofty idea for a silly little scuplture? No. No, no, no. Not really. What I'm trying to say is I like him but I'm not going to repeat him. Even if I make Yosemite again, it will be different and new.