Cartoon Child Figure — Garden Piece, County Cork

A family in County Cork wanted a piece in the garden that their children would grow up around. Not a memorial — a cheerful cartoon child in a summer dress, at roughly the height of the child it was modelled on.

What they asked for

A cartoon child figure, about 1.5 m, big rounded head, simplified body, bright colours. The brief was that it should be a piece nobody walks past without smiling.

Building it at full size

1.5 m is the floor of what we build — below that the piece starts to read as a garden ornament rather than a sculpture, and the frame stops being worth engineering. This one carries a light steel armature through the body and legs.

The finish

Gloss-painted fibreglass in bright summer colours, hand-painted details, UV clear coat for outdoor life of 15–20 years before the coat needs refreshing.

Installation

Stands on a small paving pad in the lawn, bolted down. Light enough that it can be moved by two people if the garden is ever changed.

What it cost

1.5–2.0 m fibreglass surveys at $1,500–$4,900. This piece came in at $2,600 delivered, eight weeks from 3D approval.