Nick Douillard brings blob art to life with vacuum forming

Nick Douillard is an imaginative American artist whose work spans a wide range of materials and techniques. He is known for his signature “blobs”: whimsical, abstract figures in playful, blobby shapes. Nick regularly delights his followers with inventive and often humorous creations that blur the line between sculpture and character design.

In this video, Nick demonstrates how he brings a “blob ghost” to life using clay and a desktop vacuum former. The process begins with a clay model of the blob ghost, sculpted by hand. Once the figure is ready, Nick uses a sheet of white plastic and vacuum forming to mould the material over the clay figure, creating a smooth outer shell that captures all the quirky details of the original sculpture.

After the plastic has cooled and retained the shape, Nick carefully removes the clay form from inside. He then refines the piece by cutting out eye and mouth holes, bringing personality to the ghostly figure. To complete the sculpture, he adds a final detail: a fancy little hat. Because all blobs love a fancy hat!

Nick’s creative use of vacuum forming in his artistic process highlights how this technique can be used beyond traditional manufacturing. Vacuum formers can offer artists, makers, and hobbyists a way to produce custom sculptures and characters with a unique aesthetic.

If you're interested in art, sculptures, or simply want to see more blobs, make sure to follow Nick Douillard on YouTube and Instagram. His content is full of fun, imagination, and crafty inspiration of all kinds.

Machines

• MY YARD FORMART S vacuum former

Materials

• Clay
• HIPS sheet