https://paolopuck.com/shop/messenger-witch-helmet

And some brand new FaunNymph pins are available too

https://paolopuck.com/shop/faunpins

I made a tutorial on making this mushroom shaped lip balm holder. I think it goes through quite a few of the processes I use in a fairly simple way. Before learning to sculpt digitally a few years ago, I would make most of my hard sculptures with foam and epoxy clay. I’ve already shared some process videos of that, but I can go into more detail if peopl…

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As the Fliffmellington project starts to unfold, I wanted to give you a rundown of where I currently am with it all.

Essentially, the goal of this project is to describe the world of Fliffmellington: its peoples, beings, culture, spiritual practices, history, natural world, physical laws, etc. I’ll be describing Fliffmellington using only th…

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Firstly, thank you as always for being on here, you are incredible and I would have really struggled these past few months without your support. Secondly, my apologies for not posting much on here lately. I’ve had to be out of the country sorting out visas so my partner and I can continue living together, but we finally got it all figured o…

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Here’s the tutorial:

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I decided to work on a cat character for this first tutorial. It’s very simple, but still allows me to go through and giv…

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They are now all ready to go and looking beautiful in their shiny green glory. Unfortunately, I can’t ship most of them because Italy (like a lot of countries) has paused shipments to the US because of the new tariffs.

Most o…

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I started making props for a short film and wanted to share some of the process with you all. People are always saying they need to see my work in a movie (and I want that too!), so I thought it’s about time I made one. I think I’m the only one who will make it happen, so as inexperienced as …

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How to Make a Big Bread

• Tools: Saw, rasp, files of various sizes, knife or scissors, brushes (for painting and stippling), spray bot…

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Lately, I’ve been really drawn to the figure of the fool. Outwardly ridiculous, the fool often hides a kind of subversive wisdom. Traditionally, they straddled the line between entertainer and truth-teller, and often spoke truths others couldn’t get away with saying out loud.

I imagine this helmet as part of a ceremonial costume, not for the fool but for whatever is the second rung on the climb towards enlightenment. It’s just one step past pure foolishness, but maybe the most important: the point when the fool, having looked out at both the beauty and brutality of the world, turns inward for the first time.

Where the stone of folly once sat as a hindrance on the forehead (as shown in An Allegory of Folly below), there’s now an egg, transformed through the brooding of self-reflection. What was once a lifeless stone becomes a vessel of possibility. The cracked shell hints at awakening as the third eye begins to open.

An Allegory of Folly (early 16th century) by Quentin Matsys (left) The Bird of Self-Knowledge (mid-18th century) artist unknown (right)

I like the chicken as a symbol for this stage. It’s humble, even a little absurd, rarely revered, but it’s also the first to see the coming light of dawn. In this piece, it represents the quiet, sometimes awkward, labor of inner work. Not grand, not glorious, but vital. It marks the beginning.

Anyways, that's just the helmet. I have some exciting ideas for the color scheme and the rest of the outfit. More to come!

Packaging for Elisir Di Mimir, (a tonic found in Fliffmellington) showing the third eye open.

Big Bread Shield

In other news, I just finished sculpting a big bread shield for my upcoming Duck Knight costume. I’m finishing up editing the process video for the sculpt, so it will be up for paid subscribers in the next few days.

These fish take me about 1 full day to print/produce, so they will ship out one by one. There aren’t many of you wonderful people, so the wait shouldn’t be long. I’ll e…

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An example of a Cornichon Jon mask and helmet

The Cult of Cornichon Jon

To give a brief overview, the worshippers of the Cult of Cornichon Jon practice rituals that blend Bacchic ecstasy, pagan fertility rites, and theatrical play into something entirely their own. If I had to sum it up I’d say, imagine the cult of Dionysus meets guerrilla cabaret meets eco-warrior priestesshood.

A lone worshipper photographed on her way through the woods

The Unknowable Goddess

While it may seem like Cornichon Jon is the figurehead of this religion (by name and by popular imagery), he is only a servant of the group’s supreme deity. In reality, this all-female spiritual collective focuses on honoring a...well, honestly, I have very few details on that.

No one I spoke with could give a clear answer about the deity at the top of the pyramid, so to speak. Questions were met with a vague response at best, and, more often than not, those responses were spoken in whispered tones. Many believe she is a Sun Goddess, but her presence feels far more enigmatic. Everyone agrees, however, that she is a powerful and mysterious force.

What little is known about the Goddess has been pieced together from rumors and the rare glimpses of ritual that outsiders chance upon. The deity is often represented in small motifs on costumes, and is usually depicted as a combination of the sun, the yellow flower of the cucumber plant, or a stylized vulva (a red center or empty space is common).

Examples of the sun goddess motif

The group's Goddess rites are highly secretive and take place after dark. Worshippers are fiercely protective of these ceremonies, and I am not reckless enough to think about setting foot in the woodland after dusk. However, one of the few nighttime rituals that happens outside of the protective foliage of the woodland occurs along the riverbank. I was able to view this spectacle from afar. A procession of robed figures lines up along the riverbank and each worshipper takes turns to plunge a flaming torch into the water and raise it again, the torch still aflame.

What words were spoken or the exact form of their attire, I was too far away to make out. It’s a striking sight all the same. I tried to explain the trick away by telling myself it was possible using some sort of sulfur and lime coating on the torch. Regardless, the symbolism is clear: a fire that persists in defiance of its opposing force, an unquenchable divine light.

Cornichon Jon: The Gherkin God

The most visible and endlessly fascinating symbol of the cult is Cornichon Jon. The Gherkin God or Pickle Prince, as he is often referred to, is a consort and servant to the Goddess. The figure, both ridiculous and reverent, is part sacred clown, part fertility icon, and part warrior. Oh, and he’s made entirely from cucumbers!

Picture a human-like figure with a bumpy green body and an exaggeratedly phallic cucumber nose. His attire evokes military garb (albeit cucumber-themed) and he’s never without ceremonial knives and clubs, affectionately known as “pickle sticks”.

As absurd as this description may sound, the imagery is deliberate and subversive. Cornichon Jon is masculinity reimagined: virility without domination, power made playful, absurdity elevated to sacred ritual. The costume is not only theatrical but functional, a clown’s mask that also serves as armor.

A sticker depicting a pickle-like standing stone surrounded by dancing flowers (left) and child’s puppet of the Gherkin God (right)

Origins
Most believe the cult’s roots lie in pagan and Christian syncretism. My personal theory is a little more out-there. I believe the group may descend from an all-female Bacchic cult — followers of Dionysus who fled persecution and found fertile ground elsewhere. The historical Bacchanalia were anarchistic, feminist spaces attended exclusively by women celebrating ecstasy, nature, and transformation.

Their rites included phallic processions and the veneration of fruit of the vine (in their case grapes, though those don’t thrive in this region of Fliffmellington). Dionysus himself was consumed and reborn, a myth echoed in this cult’s cycles. The maenads, female followers of Dionysus, were known for ecstatic dance, fierce loyalty, and violence in trance. They even tore King Pentheus limb from limb after he disrespected Dionysus and disregarded his sanctity.

Ancient Greek influence can be found throughout Fliffmellington, and I even stumbled upon satyr-like motifs on my travels! Could it make sense that due to the brutal suppression of this cult by the Roman senate, some practitioners manged to escape and keep the light of their traditions aflame? After all, the fate of Paculla Annia (the high priestess of Bacchus) was never known. It’s an intriguing idea. Though if we are to assume Cornichon Jon is an avatar of Dionysus, this theory doesn’t enlighten us on the the identity of the Goddess. Ideas? Let me know.

While some see the Green Man’s influence in Cornichon Jon’s appearance, I suspect his image was co-opted as the cult evolved. There’s also a tongue-in-cheek reference to Christianity. Cornichon Jon’s initials are a reversal of Jesus Christ. Other parallels abound: rebirth, seasonal sacrifice, sacred meals. Worshippers even partake in “the Cucharist”, consecrated pickle slices in place of Communion.

Whether satire or spiritual reclamation (or both), the symbolism resonates deeply. It may have begun as parody, but it became a serious mythos for those seeking to reclaim lost rites with reverence and irreverence in equal measure.

Dionysus’ Maenads: Émile Lévy, Death of Orpheus, 1866, Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France

A Maenad using her thyrsos (a wand or staff of fennel, similar to a pickle stick) to ward off a Satyr, Attic red-figure kylix, c. 480 BC

Seasonal Rites and Public Celebrations
The group’s calendar follows the solar cycle. Seasonal festivals are widely celebrated, even by non-members. This include:

• Spring (around the Equinox): The resurrection — or res-erection — from the soil (need I say more?)

• Summer: The main fertility festival

• Autumn: The Cucumber Slumber (CJ’s burial)

• Winter (Jan 14–16): The Restless Nights

The Restless Nights are one of my favourites of the festivals. During this time, an effigy or avatar of Cornichon Jon at his nadir, shrivelled and cold, roams from house to house seeking a warm bed to sleep in. Locals leave offerings such as candied fruit, pickled vegetables, jellies, and drinks. They also dress in grotesque costumes to put him off choosing their bed as his own.

Offerings left for Cornichon Jon on the Restless Nights

The songs and chants of these celebrations are earthy, lewd, and joyful. They celebrate cucumbers, brine, sex, death, and rebirth. I managed to slip away with this excerpt from a hymn sheet:

Excerpt from a hymn sheet

The Cult’s Attire

Though the group’s attire appears comical on the surface, the theatricality veils a deeper purpose. The military-like Green Man uniforms and phallic masks aren’t just for show. Instead, they mock patriarchal structures while serving as practical tools of self-defense. In fact, every worshipper trains in bushcraft, hand-to-hand combat, and guerrilla tactics.

A Living Mythology

While the cult’s true origins remain speculative, the threads are evident: Dionysian mystery cults, Green Man iconography, folk witchcraft, and agrarian feminism.

Given the region’s reputation for bountiful harvests, some believe the cult emerged as a spiritual reclamation movement, allowing women to find agency and power through the rhythms of the earth. Others even suggest their iconic masks, bumpy green with long noses, may have influenced early depictions of witches in European folklore.

The worshippers are gardeners, jesters, mystics, satirists, and warriors—dancing barefoot under the moon, singing to the sun, and safeguarding sacred traditions others tried to erase. Their secret rites may never be fully known to outsiders. After all, they are theirs and theirs alone to know. However, I do know one thing for certain: in its humor, resilience, and joyful defiance, their way of life promises to endure.

The chicken head is a small part of another helmet I’m working on. This will be for a costume of a deity of sex, birth, and death rendered in pastel colors. It’s going to make the Cornichon Jon mask look like casual day wear.

Fish Bag Update

If you’re a paid subscriber, you’re probably wondering when the fish bag build kits will be available! Unfortunately, my printer broke just as the filaments finally arrived. I ordered replacement parts and they are on the way. The kits will be available as soon as the printer is back up and running. Thanks for being so patient!

Next Tutorial

I’ll be covering mold making in my next post for paid subscribers. I’ve been putting together a process video on how to make a glove mold and a two-part mold. These are the molds I’ll be using to make editions of the Messenger Witch helmets later this year. The full process video will be up ASAP!

Next Big Sculpt

The next larger larger sculpt I’ll be working on will be a bread shield for the Duck Knight. I have quite a few components to make for the full costume, but next up is the bread roll shield. I’ll be making it from foam, plaster, and resin. I have also finally tracked down the longest available bread knife (20-inch blade!) to make into the knight’s baguette sword. I’ll make sure to document my process so I can share it on here.

I think that’s all for now! Let me know your thoughts, questions, or requests. Thanks again for being here :)

Here’s a look at the radish bag all finished:

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How to Prepa…

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I’m in the process of preparing another fish tiffin so that I can go through the assembling, prepping, and painting stages with my paid subscribers. While I get that together, I wanted to show you all some works in progress and give my paid subscribers an idea of what tutorials they can expect to see on here in the next few months :)

I have A LOT of costumes I plan on making. For some, I’ll be making just one item, like a helmet or smaller detail, and for others, I’ll be making full costumes. The first ones I’ll be working on completing are the Duck Knight, Sea Barbarian, and Spirit Armor, though some wild cards might jump ahead of them in the line, just to keep things interesting!

For the Duck Knight, I have the helmet completed:

And a bread bag:

But I’ll be working on and showing my process for the rest of the costume, including a baguette sword and other miscellaneous bread-themed armor/weapons, like a big bun shield. Here’s a little sketch to give you an idea:

The fish tiffin I’ll be making with my paid subscribers on here is the first component of the Seaside Barbarian costume I have planned. I’ve also already made shell hand protectors and shell club weapon.

I have a lot of ideas for the other costume elements, including a fish helmet and other sea-themed weapons. I might make a few versions of the helmet because I have a lot of fun ideas, including one based on a goblin shark. I haven’t finalized any designs just yet, but here are some of my sketches:

For the Spirit Armor, the helmet might be the only element I make of the costume. I don’t mind if it stays a bit mysterious. It’s from a dream I had where a glowing spirit was wearing a kind of WW2 allies-style armor. So, I’ll be working towards a final paint effect based on historical references.

I’ll be sharing videos as I paint, add weathering effects, and finish the helmet. The helmet will also have glowing eyes, so I’ll be sharing how I install the lighting components. Here are some inspiration pics for the finish:

Another costume in the works is:

The Radish Knight, or The Turnip Templar. Parsnip Paladin maybe, we’ll see.

In addition to showing the design/making process for the helmet, I’ll also share how I make a radish bag using foam and epoxy clay. It will be similar to this pickle bag:

I also have a short film in the works, so I’ll be designing and making some costumes for that and sharing my process on here.

Finally, I’ll be selling editions of this witch helmet:

Which means making two types of molds: a two-part mold and a shell mold for slush casting in resin. Paid subscribers will get tutorials on how to make those molds, including all of the materials I use. Plus, I’ll go through my painting process for this. Paid subscribers will also get early access to pre-orders once the helmet is for sale.

I’m also planning out future tutorials for illustration and working with felt.

Let me know your thoughts! Which thing are you most interested in seeing?

• My sculpting process + the materials I use

• Painting and weathering techniques

• Felting (both wet felting an…

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I won’t be making these to sell as finished pieces, but my paid subscribers will get access to downloadable STL files for 3D printing their very own fish bag/lunchbox. I’ll also be posting videos showing how to assemble, refine, and paint the piece :) Paid subscribers without a 3D printer will be able to buy an exclusive build kit so they can still create a bag at home!

I’ll keep sharing updates here PLUS some never-before-seen Messenger Witch photos coming soon. Thanks everyone!

I’ll be posting more updates, works in progress, and unpublished photos on this substack soon. I’ll also be posting here with new works for sale, so subscribers get a first look :)