All work

No. 16

Themed Sets & Sculpture

Pirate Island

A full pirate-themed environment: two timber-built ships, a giant skull gateway, sea-monster tentacles and many smaller scenic pieces.

Ship hull built in timber and dressed as a skeleton, with a carved skull at the bow, on a beach among palms.

The project

A resort-wide themed build made over about six weeks. The carpentry centres on two ship hulls built in timber, with bent ribs and plank cladding. Around them is a large body of carved, textured and painted foam sculpture: a skull gateway tall enough to walk through, tentacles rising around a beached boat, a timber-effect entrance arch, a skull-shaped rock formation, a relief panel and a treasure chest.

Craftsmanship shown

  • Ribs cut to a curve and set out on the sand

  • Planking fixed to the ribs

  • Stringers and internal framing

  • Large-scale foam carving, from rough block to finished form

  • Textured paint finishes

  • Installation on site, day and night

Category

Themed Sets & Sculpture

Year

2023

Gallery

Walk-through gateway in the form of a giant skull wearing a pirate hat, carved and painted, at the entrance of a thatched building.
Carved treasure chest filled with coins, beads and a crowned skull.
Timber-effect entrance arch lettered ‘Treasure Island’ and draped in webbing, lit at night.
The skeleton ship at night, the skull’s eyes lit red.
Carved and painted sea-monster tentacles rising from the sand around a traditional boat.
Rock formation carved in the shape of a skull and planted with grasses, on the sand.
Relief panel of skulls and bones set into a carved rock-effect column.
Scenic shipwreck with a ship’s wheel and bone-shaped spars, lit at night beside hand-painted warning signs.
Walk-through gateway in the form of a giant skull wearing a pirate hat, carved and painted, at the entrance of a thatched building.
Carved treasure chest filled with coins, beads and a crowned skull.
Timber-effect entrance arch lettered ‘Treasure Island’ and draped in webbing, lit at night.
The skeleton ship at night, the skull’s eyes lit red.
Carved and painted sea-monster tentacles rising from the sand around a traditional boat.
Rock formation carved in the shape of a skull and planted with grasses, on the sand.
Relief panel of skulls and bones set into a carved rock-effect column.
Scenic shipwreck with a ship’s wheel and bone-shaped spars, lit at night beside hand-painted warning signs.
Walk-through gateway in the form of a giant skull wearing a pirate hat, carved and painted, at the entrance of a thatched building.
Carved and painted sea-monster tentacles rising from the sand around a traditional boat.
Carved treasure chest filled with coins, beads and a crowned skull.
Rock formation carved in the shape of a skull and planted with grasses, on the sand.
Timber-effect entrance arch lettered ‘Treasure Island’ and draped in webbing, lit at night.
Relief panel of skulls and bones set into a carved rock-effect column.
The skeleton ship at night, the skull’s eyes lit red.
Scenic shipwreck with a ship’s wheel and bone-shaped spars, lit at night beside hand-painted warning signs.

Process

Curved timber ribs and the first planks set out on the sand for a ship’s hull.
A hull section standing upright, showing the ribs, stringers and plank cladding from inside.
A rib frame assembled on the sand beside the planked hull.
Small boat hull seen from above, showing its timber ribs and stringers.
Giant skull roughed out from foam blocks in the workshop.
Sea-monster tentacles carved from white foam, before painting.

Next project

Lunar New Year Dragon

Large carved dragon painted red with gold horns and tail, displayed on sand.