These Animal Sculptures Are Pure Magic

Yoshimasa Tsuchiya makes life-size animal sculptures using wood. Though the process evolves carving giant, bulky, blocks of wood, the finished product is delicate, almost ethereal; his wooden creatures are a thing of beauty.

To complete each of his sculptures, Tsuchiya goes through a rigorous process. A template is first created and then fitted on a block of wood. Afterward, he uses a saw to remove the excess wood. After more carvings and sculpting, the piece of wood is then sanded to smooth out the surface. Plaster and paint are then used to finish his pieces.

In an interview with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Tsuchiya said he envisions his sculptures, “as if something is borrowing the posture of the animals and it’s suddenly appearing” in front of him. “Nobody has ever seen unicorns but I imagine the shape of them by knowing the characteristics of their horns as medicine and that they don’t get attached to, or domesticated by, humans.”

Scroll down to look at some of his creations and follow his Instagram page for more magic.

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麒麟 Qilin 2016

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