Long-termer

The main project of the semester is a biggy! I am building a 1/20th scale racing seaplane - the Supermarine S6-B. Only a couple of weeks into the project and all I can offer you at the moment is a picture of the rough design maquette and the portions that I have 3D modelled for printing. More will follow as I progress...

Making up for lost time

Been a while hasn't it?
Don't worry, I have been busy.Starting the second year at uni has been eventful if not somewhat argumentative. I have been in an uphill struggle trying to get my projects off the ground as apparently I'm too advanced and I will be able to do that type of thing in my third year!!!
Beggars belief, when you get told to up your game - apparently that does not actually mean it.

But rants of victimisation aside, here are the latest bits!

First off the bat was a "Turbo" project, in 2 stages we had to re-create a tool in alternative materials in the first week and the turn it into an organic form in the second week. I did have a bit of fun with this one.

original safety knife and the scaled up wood and acrylic version I made

and now, it's a parrot! Well, a scarlet macaw to be precise

Installed and on display

Well, the beast is now on display at Triton Square on the Euston Road outside the bank HQ, for one week only - I go back at the weekend to take her down again.

Vrooooooomm!

It was great to be able to take the family down to see it in the flesh rather than just listen to my ramblings and the odd photo from my phone....

On air!

Here we go! I'm in it a few times - I will put an album up with some freeze frames to prove it!

The time is nigh!

Oh yes, the car goes on display to celebrate the release of the advert which airs on Monday.... keep your eyes peeled for my ugly mug on a TV screen near you!

Time to dust the old girl off

Well, back at Asylum this week, pulled the lego formula 1 monster out of storage for a little TLC before we install her in the bank's HQ for public display.
Anyone remember putting anything back together and standing there with an apparently spare part wondering "where the **** does this go then?".
She will be in the Euston Road Plaza for one week only! Get there if you can...

Now in 3-D!!

After much screen battering, coffee devouring and depraved self-teaching... a basic render of a 3D prototype. Now to go and congratulate myself more thoroughly, with sleep.

Variety is the spice

Had some great suggestions of ideas and names from friends and have tried a few variations already.

Guess I'm going to have to build it really...

Give it a name

Just come up with a fun design,  it is a bit fish, a bit insect, a bit US fighter plane.... could be an attack sub or spacecraft. But I can't decide on a name for it. This is the organic version, I will be doing a slightly more military (slab) version and toying around with the wings etc. but it doesn't seem right without a name.

Take a good look, what does it remind you of?

Some names I have been rolling around are mostly fish related... Orca, Cichlid, Grouper - it does remind me a little of the Titan Terror fish from Stingray jumping out of the water, but I also like Myrmidon....

Go on, make me a suggestion, what's the worst that can happen? (I steal your idea and take all the credit, denying any input from you whatsoever - but I'm not like that...)

Bite me!

Well, the terminator continues to develop - it has been mounted on a studio armature which will also provide the backbone for the erm... backbone, and it is the proud owner of a new set of dentures.
Big thanks to Simon for providing a cast of his teeth, but I hold him entirely responsible for my tinkering because of the phrase "oh, you know what you could do...".

Head and hand

Well, this is turning out to be a bit bigger a project than first anticipated. Mainly because I can't help myself (apparently) and have to keep tinkering.

Hollowed out jawline

I have now ground out the nasal cavity and orbits, and started to re-construct a jawbone and palette internal. Oh and there is a good chance I will be pulling the teeth to put in the real thing (cast  - not removed!), and the cervical region of the spine is under construction...





Old spine vs. new

As for the hand project, it has had all the necessary tidying up done and is now in paint.

Shiny, shiny!

Spring cleaning

I was having a bit of a sort out under the stairs the other day and came across an old, unfinished project.
I could finish that off quite easily, I'm thinking to myself, so off I trot to play about with it.
Problem is, when you have a look at something you did a while back - and you were really happy with it back then - now it looks terrible.... so I pretty much started it again...
I pulled off most of my previous re-working -it was a really bad cast that was in need of serious help which was the challenge that made me take it on in the first place, and added new casts (rather than sculpts) and gave it a heavy re-work.
Then I removed the original neck - it was totally incorrect and ugly.... so a quick paint to finish has turned into a mammoth undertaking, but much more fun.

What's next?

Right, that is the APC done and dusted and the pistol commission is off to its new home tomorrow.
All the pictures taken that I need for my portfolio... time to draft that CV and see where it takes me.

 

There are more tasty pictures in the gallery - go have a look!

Done, done and...well almost done

This week I have mostly been finishing off those tiny niggling little bits that stand between me and completion.
I am happy to say that the Na na na pistol is completed (all apart from the varnish layer), the APC display base is finished and successfully photographed and now..... (insert drum roll here)... I have finally got around to doing something about my hand sculpt that I started in January...

Rather than watch paint dry

To avoid fiddling with the pistol and allow the paint plenty of time to dry - I hit the display base in earnest. Needless to say, it is now complete and I have taken a couple of test pictures. It seems to work just the way it was planned to...  now to play around and get some really atmospheric pictures.

Just can't help but fiddle...

While photoshopping the paint prototype, I also started to tweak....

I liked the more streamlined look, so hit the workshop....

  

Modifications made, off to paint it goes...

It's so very close to completion....



Nearly there

Ok, almost finished the last couple of bits I need to finish off my portfolio/cv for circulation....

Painting is the forecast for the next week or so... here is one of the concepts for the final paint of the Na NaNa pistol....

Normal Service Resumes

Now that term is over, and we have managed to sort out a garage workshop for the summer....
Back on it, finishing the commission pistol and the scenery base for the APC. Will also be helping out on a build of a life-size Master Chief Armour - fibre-glassing on card..... who knows what will happen?

3 Weeks to air....

Just heard that the editing on the advert is nearly done and should be on our screens in a few weeks!
I can't wait any longer, so I will share a couple of tantalising pictures of the massive creation....

 Large, isn't she!

The UHSFX work experience crew

And that's a wrap!

Wow! What a fortnight!
Working with Asylum was utterly amazing, I recommend checking out their website, see how much you recognise... that's how big they are!
http://www.asylumsfx.com/Asylum_Models_%26_Effects_Ltd.html

Well the project is over, we did it! Filming was yet another in a series of amazing experiences I have gained from this placement, reaffirming that my choice to get into this industry was perfect, no doubt in my mind regardless of the hardships I will have to go through to get there.

I can't wait till the advert airs, then I can put up my pictures (which I am dying to do!) and also see if my ugly mug gets some air time....

Check me into the Asylum

News Flash!
I have just landed an inspirational work experience opportunity. Next week, I am off to Asylum Models for 2 whole weeks.
What will I be doing?
Brace yourselves....
Me and my compadres, will be assisting in building a.....

9000 piece....

42 foot long....

Formula 1 car....

from giant Lego!!!!!

For the latest Santander advert.

To say that we are excited could possibly be the understatement of the century!!!!
To work with such an industry leader is kudos enough, but to play with giant Lego as well..... I need to change my trousers!
I hope to get some progress shots for my portfolio (and bragging rights) so wish me luck, if you can you jealous people!

Commission update

Internal supports done and the main shapes are fleshed out, now to refine and cast up the detail pieces. And a fair bit of filling and smoothing to hide the original screw holes etc.
Really coming together and looking (if I say so myself) better than the original (in my own humble opinion).

Paint scheme will be jaw-dropping on this, let there be no doubt!

Flash Mop Project

Well, spring cleaning came up trumps...
After a number of machine autopsies for parts, I came across this little gem which is screaming out for a gun conversion, if only I could decide what kind of gun to make from these endless possibilities...

Watch this space.... it is generating quite a bit of frenzied interest at Uni already! (but really must finish my commission first!)

Time's Up

Well, the time machine project is over - hand-in and presentation all done!

Now the inexorable wait for marking....

Weapon of Choice

Now my main projects are complete, I can really get on with my commission piece.

The NES Zapper is in the process of being remodelled, and progress is quite rapid...

Here is the design....

I'm just putting a progress folder on, so as usual - check the gallery!

Every cloud....

Thanks to my photoshoot mishaps last week, I had a little more time to play with other things.
Sooooo,......I have finished the APC!
Finalised the paint, put on and roughed up the decals from my friend Jim over at J-BOT Decals, and she looks bang on!
I then (feeling rather pleased with myself) managed to get on another shoot, which I got almost all to myself, and took pictures a plenty of the time machine as well as the APC for my portfolio.

I did take a seemingly large amount with a very nice set-up, downside being that I have to resize them all and change them to JPEG.

Here are a couple to wet the appetite, but do check the gallery for more over the next day or so.

APC

Project Zenith

Mental note to self:-

a decent camera will notice dust that you don't! Air blast, vacuum, wash and do it all again (maybe twice)!!

Time for a composite

Unfortunately, due to double booking, our photoshoot was cancelled - not to be too down heartened, I took a few (shabby) pictures on my own and "had a go".

Time out!

Well, after a mammoth week of intense painting (to the point where I need a physiotherapist to straighten me out of this Quasimodo painter's hunch!) Project Zenith is basically there.
Photoshoot on Wednesday, so still a little tinkering time next week, but I am really pleased with the results.
Have a look in the gallery for the full progress shots, and keep watching for the photoshop composite pictures - hopefully sometime in the next week or so.

And without further ado, here she is....

Time and Time again

Plenty more of these puns to milk mercilessly over coming updates! (Sorry)

All the major fabrication is now complete and the beast is primed... let the painting begin!

Components mocked up before paint, just to give a feel of how the model will look

Time marches on

Well, one week into construction and Project Zenith is taking shape. Boy my greeblies and bits box is getting harvested in a biiiiig way!
The paint job on this bad boy will be EPIC!

Check out the gallery for progress shots, but enjoy this one of the cockpit to date.

Time to breathe?

Well, it's all go round these parts!
Two weeks into our latest project - "Time machines", which is great fun - construction starting imminently.
I have chosen the era of "Cold War Futurism" for mine - you know the kind of thing - the 1950's view of how life would be in 2000.

Here is a partial schematic in progress to wet your appetite.

Not only that, but the APC nears completion and work has started on the display base, and I may be doing a commission piece of one of these for a My Chemical Romance fan.

Watch this space!

The point of it all....

The sting is completed, fitted and it looks the part (the sharp and generally dangerous part).
Everyone is really happy with the end result - the end of a decade's tinkering and anticipation!!
The big question has to be asked....
Is this the completion of the wasp? Or just the completion for now... until the next bit?

When we get a nice day, the bike can be polished up and some much better photos can be done, until then have these.

 Before and after pictures - changes the look and feel of the whole bike don't you think?.

I am a Deviant

Yes it is true, surely in many differing ways... but in this context, I am on Deviant ART now, where you can see some of my work. I have put a link in my links that should take you there, if I have numptied it up, you can search under my profile name, Juice-Creations.

APC Update

Finally! I have the correct adaptor for my airbrush.... game on!
a few pics have been added to the APC build album. Including the topcoat and early stages of weathering, which needs a bit of toning down as it is a bit too much in areas... but the end is in sight!!

Other goings on

I am a bit behind on my blogging updates at the moment, so this should bring me almost up to date...
hopefully there will be some fresh APC pictures next week as I hope to complete the paint job and final detailing over the next week or so.
But before then, here is a quick snippit of a turbo project I am working on - well it was supposed to be an in your own time project, but I was lacking on time. I gave myself about 5 hours to completely sculpt and cast the project.... a bit adventurous as I have never tried life sculpting in clay, but the results were ok, considering.

Once I have cast it in plaster, there is a good chance it will be tweaked... seriously thinking something along the lines of steampunk or biomechanics....

Sting in the tail

Well, now I stray into a new realm of possibilities, trying my hand at a little custom motorcycle bodywork.
Nothing too extravagant, just building on my recently learned skills...
A friend has been customising her bike for about 10 years (as we all do), and I may be able to help her finally complete the custom job.

The Monster Wasp in all her glory (but stingless)

And here is the rough former... fitting and shaping visits to follow, interesting to see how this evolves.