Mascot Madness
Foam and felt from Hand Sewn Heads
by Marshall Piros
Oversized, plush mascot characters are a common feature at entertainment venues like theme parks and sports arenas. Ian Langohr takes this concept to a new level, bringing characters and creatures of all sorts to life through his unique hand-sewn, mascot-style heads.
Based in Montreal, Quebec, Langohr’s skill is built upon many years of sculpting education. He gained experience in stone and wood carving, bronze casting, and plasma cutting during high school and later majored in sculpture and installation at Toronto’s Ontario College of Art and Design. He then spent time working with foam, fabric, and plastics at a mascot fabrication company and now uses all his skills to help companies and artists bring their costumes to life for performances, trade shows, and advertisements.
Langohr draws inspiration for both his personal and professional pieces from many sources. When working for himself, he often turns to online references of his favorite horror films or mythological creatures. “I make crude sketches in pencil and crayon in order to play with color,” he says. “This is how I’ve been comfortable in my own process for my work.” That process is usually similar across commissions and personal pieces.
He starts with black polyethylene foam for a base, then uses retractable blades and several different types of glue — hot, spray, cement, and super — to shape his creation. After forming the foam, he covers it in fleece or fun fur fabric and sews it together; further details are added with plastic attachments, rubber bits, and airbrushing. “The design process varies in time depending on whether it is a commission or my own personal piece,” Langohr says. “For the former, I am often provided with detailed art of the product and can finish a piece in a matter of weeks. For personal pieces, I often work on them between commissions and they can be paused and picked back up for long periods. I do try and make both commissions and personal pieces have as much dynamic personality as I can!”
When asked if he had any advice for those interested in making their own hand-sewn creations, Langohr’s advice was simple: “Keep making things. You will learn through failure, and it’s best to fail fast. Start with small projects, buy a starter sewing machine, and look at tutorials. There is an infinite amount of resources and communities online who are more than happy to share their expertise.” You can see more of Langohr’s work by following @handsewnheads on Instagram or TikTok.
This article originally appeared in Make: Volume 95. Read more about the artist in our 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 interview with Ian Langohr.