greenhouse finished

my greenhouse is finally done, and man was it a pain. the result is indecently fragile, but pretty. anyway, its a greenhouse, with some plants bearing red fruit, possibly tomatoes. i had original intended to do a series of buildings composing a Myst like complex but while doing this project i realized that that to do that i would be forced to recreate certain elements of the original which i now think of as mistakes, like the all too flat tan ground. that being said, i now plan on going in a slightly different direction with my next Myst building. im thinking something more...traditional.

camera prop

so, i had some parts lying around, including a few lenses, so i decided to do a prop camera. i wanted it to appear old, but not unsophisticated, in this regard im quite happy with the design. i started out with a general idea of how it was going to be put together. i knew i wanted it to be more than a simple camera, but also have image viewing, like you find on all digital cameras. im not sure if it could actually be done, but i image a camera that, when taking a photo, produces a slide, which can then be projected onto the piece of glass suspended behind the camera. points if you can guess what video game inspired my design. anyway, i started with a block of wood and a large pvc connector, which together gave the camera its basic shape. the aperture on the front is made using the top of one of those prescription medication bottles (which would allow me to also screw something onto the front, like a telescope....) i used some sheet plastic for the sides, and other odds and ends for everything else. i even had some rubber feet to put on the base of the thing.

myst greenhouse begining

so, i am going to do a series of myst buildings, each being a piece of the whole complex, the next is the least of the remaining buildings, a greenhouse. wont have much time to work for awhile, but here is what i have so far.

myst building finished

so, its finally done, i will be tinkering around with it some more of course, and taking some scenic photographs when i get a chance, but it is finished nonetheless. so lets take a look, shall we. click on the images to enlarge.

fallout 3 plasma pistol

it is a plasma pistol very much like the one in fallout 3. this is by no means screen accurate, rather it was what i could put together using things i had around the house (yay, first project i didnt spend anything on). i also worked off the concept art as well as the in game model. every thing i have said above are actually excuses to cover up my laziness and lack of skill. still, i had fun making it, and im fairly happy with the result, though its rather fragile (mostly made of hot glue).

this piece consists of bits of nerf guns i cut up and glued together, some sculpting putty for the handle, sheet plastic, brass tubing, an old paint bottle some pvc parts, and an old computer power cable. in case it was not clear, i would love comments, thanks.

the rattlesnake

this simple ray gun, which i am calling the rattlesnake, is among my favorite creations to date, and we are counting everything, not just the items that are thematically appropriate to post here. its fairly simple, im using the handle of a flint lock i made many years ago, on which i have mounted the "barrel" which is made of many plastic domed disks. the trigger is brass tubing and the side panels are sheet plastic. overall i love the look, though i need to put proper grips on the handle. but more than its appearance i like the fact that unlike so many of my creations, its pretty solidly built, its not going to break if i drop it. these things really matter, a prop isnt just about how it looks, its also about how it feels in your hand, and the rattlesnake doesnt feel like its going to fall apart. this is a step in the right direction.

the inn

so, this was a major project. the medieval inn was built to about 1:20th scale. the blocks are hirst arts plaster blocks. the wood floors were made with popsicle sticks (so much work) as was the tables and stairs. the upper floor is mostly foam core. all that i have done on the upper floor was the interior walls. for a learning project like this i may have gone a bit too ambitious.

the path

this is another cd build, a simple pleasant path, i did a much better job with the grass, and the painting. while this was another experiment, i think it would be fun to expand it.

the wall

so, i have started using hirst arts castle molds. this piece is an experiment with them, a little ruin built on a cd. i picture this sitting on some field, as the only indication of the building that was once there. this is what i like about things, and places, the history of them, the thing has a story, what has happened to it, who has owned it, known it. my goal in making these things, and working on developing the needed skills, is to make things that feel like they have a history.

the ferrofluid machine

a simple device that raises or lowers a magnet to bring it into proximity with the ferrofluid in the jar. i imagine finding this device on a shelf in the back of some Victorian inventors workshop. the device is made of some scrap wood, and brass, and an old vinegar bottle, and other random stuff. the device's only purpose is to contain the ferrofluid, since the stuff is a nightmare to clean up from (stains everything).

ninja helmet

this is the first step in a project to make ninja's helmet from MGS. the sculpt is mostly done, the next step, which i will likely not get around to for a long time, is to cover the outside with silicone rubber, which will then be used to cast a plastic helmet. these steps have to wait until i can afford the supplies, and until i have time.
this is my first project of this type, the sculpt took forever, most of that time was spent smoothing the clay as much as possible, very boring, and very time consuming, but im pretty happy with the result, and i think it will look pretty good if i ever finish it.