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.