Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Sophie O'Connor 

BA [Hons] 3D Design Modelmaking + Digital Art

Hi I’m Sophie. My love for art was nurtured from a young age by my parents and my secondary school art teacher, Miss Stafford. My love for model-making began when I discovered Moulage at the age of 14. Creating prosthetics and mock injuries for first aid training ignited my passion for physical modelmaking. I have always had a creative streak and enjoy designing creatures. The aliens and monsters I create are influenced by my environment. Some of my most creative moments happen when I’m in coffee shops, imagining the types of creatures and aliens that could inhabit them.

An Ghrian

My Alien: An Ghrian - ɒ∩ ϱHꭋɒi∩

I aimed to create a small alien from another world. The inspiration for the design of my movie prop character came from my time here at IADT. My four years here have been:
strange, friendly, at times trying but overall full of light. I used these key concepts to influence my design, thus creating a friendly alien that glows with life despite the injury. My college experience differed from most students before me due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The damages An Ghrian sustained are impactful, yet his light is not affected. His name means sunshine and light in Irish, qualities I feel reflect my experience in IADT.



Thesis - Moulage

My thesis is focused on researching and investigating the emotional effects of Moulage as an addition to medical simulation training. Sharing similar techniques and materials as Special effects (SFX) makeup, Moulage is the creation of mock wounds or injuries for medical education. The simulated environment in tandem with moulage mimics real-world injuries and illnesses medics are reasonably expected to respond to. The unique benefit of not being able to harm a real patient allows risk-free hands-on learning. Studies have shown multiple benefits of adding moulage to training first aid responders and other medical specialities. My thesis investigates how the design of moulage, whether hyper-realistic or simplistic, impacts the emotional responses of medical personnel. I examined literature, scientific studies and gained uniquely qualified insights through interviewing an EMT with experience in learning and teaching in moulage simulation training. Moulage is an art form that goes beyond creating a just visual; the implored response from the viewer creates a learning tool for lifesaving measures.