Feathers McGraw

The completed penguin before being placed on my garage roof

What

A 60cm high model of the evil criminal mastermind penguin, Feathers McGraw from Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (1993).

Why

Since I first saw the film, I thought it was brilliant and the penguin disguised as a chicken stole the show. Around 2003 I modelled Feathers in clay and made a fibreglass mold from it. I never got any further than that though. I’d have put that on my abandoned projects page if I had any photos of it but unfortunately I neither have the mold or any evidence for it.

When

June 2024.

Feathers McGraw in “The Wrong Trousers”

Development & Progress

I modelled Feathers in Blender and had to cut it into parts so it would be suitable for 3D printing. The model didn’t need to have colour assigned to it at this stage but it was nice to look at.
I use “Cura” to prepare the 3D modrels for actual printing.
My 3D prints started to go badly wrong all the time…

…so I bought a new similar but better printer for £150.
(Creality Ender 3 V3 SE)

The two body sections glued together and the printed legs.
Even though the print was made with black filament, it needed to be primed before being painted black again.
Masking the beak for painting

Masking the belly for painting
3D printed flexible thermo polyurethane (TPU) fittings for the plumbing pipes that go inside the 3d printed legs
Assembly

Feathers on the garage roof surveying the park and fields beyond.
Another view of Feathers.

Later / Current Status

In January 2026, there were some very strong winds that damaged my fences and blew over Feathers on my garage roof. He survived, but his hat/glove was destroyed, so I made a replacement.
For my mum’s 75th birthday, I made her a Feathers, and one her friends wanted one too.

Storm damaged disguise.

A section of tree I luckily found, to use as bases for new models.
Amazing ornithological photo from my garden.
A penguin, chicken and cassowary.

One comment

  1. Hi there!! I am obsesssseeedddd with your feathers project!! I was wondering if you had the stl file available? I would like to try and print him myself but have no knowledge of modeling for my printer at all.

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