Part 1, Part2, Part 3, Part 4, Part5 (pictures)

It’s finally done! My second display board. Three parts that connect to each other. It was a fun project to say the least but at the end I stopped seeing it. I kept asking Runt if it turned out well. He likes to tease which sometimes frustrates me. Our client seemed happy but he also was a man of few words. Oh well,  I think I did ok.

Here is Board #1: The Bridge. Compared to the concept drawing.

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Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 (pictures)

The wall frames I used are dowels that I distressed and whittled the ends to points. Bindings are done with hemp twine. I usually pre-prime components before construction but since it’s wood I have the option to just hand paint it black after assembly.

With most of the construction and work on the hut done I focus my attention to the other structures that are going to the second board. Here is my carved runic monument that will be framed by rough lumber. [Read more...]

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 (pictures)

In between the drying times for Base One I started carving away the blue foam for Base Two. More large bark chunks were also picked and adhered to their proper spots.

Same steps as Base One, I fill all gaps with light spackle. By the time I’m done Base One was ready to gravel as this one goes outside to dry. Depending on the time of day, I decide what should go in front of a fan to dry, or what gets treated to AZ sun. Either way works well, especially during summer. [Read more...]

Part 1, Part 2. Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 (pictures)

3T-studios has a lot of potential projects and commission requests come our way. Although I am the main designer and planner of most of these projects it is still only a handful that I take on personally as my own. I tend to gravitate towards projects that require tedious preparations and intricate builds. I like the gathering of supplies, organizing my materials, putting together the design and plans in my head before executing it on paper and most of all I like research. I often browse the net or consult my collection of books, grabbing my  rebel and going around and snapping pictures of shapes, colors and texture but it is going into the “Zone” is what I look forward the most. The Zone is achieved only during a certain phase and construction part of  a project that involves what seem like an endless repetitious tasks and steps. This long and drawn out ritual is what have made me notorious for not having WIP updates and pictures available to my clients specially in the early phase of my projects. This is one of the reason why patience is one of the required things we ask of our potential clients even before they contact us.

This project started in a similar  fashion as any project I have done before. Sketches.

RuntHerder is about the only artist I trust to make a visual representation of my plans. His speed and uncanny ability to interpret my vision flawlessly is why when I am short in time, I ask for his help. Sometimes I wonder if he has access to my head. I only have to describe how I see something, give him the details of perimeters and dimension and Boom I have it in hand soon after.

This has made it easier for me during construction as I would have a guide to follow and go back for reference and it has also helped for my client to visualize a concept and plan I have of his projects. My client wanted three display boards for his Ogre army. He had a specific dimension in mind because these boards are to be displayed on a glass display case he had and so it was very important to get the dimensions right. After a few back and forth of him measuring the space he has, we finally got it right.

Here is a close up of the bridge that would be the center prominent structure of the first board [Read more...]