Starting with a rough sketch, I laid it out flat to mark the lengths of its neck, belly, tail and legs. Using this sketch, I made a wire skeleton – including the whiskers – which I wrapped in layers of newspaper, securely taped down to make it look more fleshy.

Then I added three claws to each leg, as well as its deer-like antlers.

Next, using papier-mâché, I covered the entire body and modelled its head, using two large marbles for the eyes.

I then covered its whiskers with masking tape. Still using papier-mâché, I modelled a few dozen dorsal and ventral scales nearby, as well as several pointed protrusions of varying sizes. After a few days to dry, I positioned it in its final pose and filled in the areas where the layer of papier-mâché had cracked, mainly around the joints. I then cut out a few rows of cardboard scales, which I hot-glued all over its body from neck to tail. At the tip of the tail, I formed a ball onto which I glued some of these pointed protrusions, and the remaining ones onto its shoulders, chin and forehead. Then I glued on its ventral and dorsal scales.

I then painted it entirely black before dry-brushing it with green, finishing with a touch of white on the tips.

Then I painted the eyes yellow and, finally, I stuck on two pieces of confetti painted black to make the pupils.