Kitbash, Part I

So this last week, I decided to do a little design experiment. Well, it was an experiment for me, as I'd never done it before and was not quite sure how it would work out. For those of you unfamiliar with the term "kitbashing", it refers to the activity of taking parts from various model kits and combining them into something new and original.

So I got an Apache helicopter kit, a jetfighter kit, and a couple of Gundam kits, and put 'em together. Then I painted the whole thing with matte gray primer to unify the whole thing, as many of the different pieces from different model kits were a wide range of colors.

Below are photos of the finished model, and I'm pretty pleased with it. Next, I'm going to take photos of the model in specific lighting scenarios and do some digital paintovers to experiment with paint schemes, weathering, environment, etc...

It's nice to work on some personal stuff amidst the professional work, but often hard to find the time. I really want to finish this project, though, so stay tuned for Part II, coming soon...

Walker Concept Indoors

Our assignment this week was to practice rendering an object with an indoor studio lighting setup. For consistency's sake I decided to use the same vehicle as last week's.

Walker Concept

This is another rendering exercise. I tried to get more into it and really develop something I'd really want to work on.

A couple of new things

It's been a while since I've posted some stuff, so I figured I'd put up some work in progress.

This first one is a concept for a gun that I'm doing for my Gears of War 3 project in my Props and Vehicles class. It still needs some tweaking, but I like where it's headed.


This is an exercise in rendering chrome and different reflective surfaces. I extended a photo that my wife and I took in Moab, Utah, and painted in the rocket ship. It was a time-consuming but kind of fun exercise.

Armored Transport Concept

It's been forever since I've posted on here, so I figured I'd throw up a piece I did this week. Hmm... I could probably phrase that better... I figured I'd post a piece I did this week. Yeah, that's a little better.

I don't often do wheeled vehicles, so I decided to make myself do one to satisfy an open-ended assignment in my Vehicle and Prop Design class (the assignment was to design a vehicle of any kind). There are still some ideas I'd like to see on this, so I'll probably do little bits here and there as I find the time.

VisComm 3 Homeworks

I haven't posted for a while, so I figured I'd show some of my recent homework assignments. These are all for my VisComm 3 class. The first is a painting done over a photograph of a foamcore model (which I just realized is probably still taking up space in the shared laundry room... oops, I'll have to take care of that tomorrow...). None of the model shows, but it was the starting point for perspective and shadow reference.


These are thumbnails done for the image that follows. Some weren't too great, and I really liked a few of them. I might come back and revisit some of my favorites.



This was based on the winning thumbnail. I tried to go for the iridescence of a beetle, and I think it turned out pretty well for my first attempt to do so. It was an interesting process.

You've got a mis-shaped head

Just a quick doodle to flush the homework out of my system. Midterms are gathering like buzzards, so I've gotta do something short-term and fun once in a while.

Quick Portrait Fun

This is just a quick little portrait I sketched tonight to relieve the pressure of homework. It's nice to have super short-term projects like this to remind myself that drawing can be fun. I did this one in about 15 minutes, and it is in no way related to any of my school or work projects.

Israel Hands: Pirate, at your service

This is a character design for my Visual Development class right now. We are developing Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Israel Hands is one of the nastier conspirators and mutineers who take over once they land on Treasure Island.

Derelict Spacecraft: Exterior

So, here's an exterior view of the derelict spacecraft for which I've recently been designing the interiors. To be more accurate, this is the spacecraft before it has been left derelict and is portrayed in full working order. I've got to weather and damage it a bit before it reads as derelict, but it's a start.

Derelict Spacecraft Interior- Sleeping Berth

This is another room in the derelict craft whose interior I started exploring this week. Classes begin next week, so I've been trying to cram in all the personal pieces I can before homework takes over.

Space Craft Interior

This is an interior environment I did for an Epic Tuesday Studios project.

Lava Monster

Our speedpainting in Working Title this week was "Lava Monster." I did most of it within the 1 hour limit, though I took an extra 15 minutes afterwards for finishing touches.

Spacemen and Monsters

I haven't posted for a while, so I thought I'd put up some sketches I've done recently for a couple of unrelated personal projects. I've still got to paint the monsters, but other jobs have taken up a lot of my time recently. Hopefully I'll be able to put up some of that stuff soon, too.

Colorado Bridge

Here are a couple of sketches I did a little over a month ago at the Colorado Street Bridge with Aaron. I've just gotten around to scanning a big stack of images, so I figured I'd post these up.

Creature Design

I'm working on a collaborative project with some friends, developing a science fiction short story as if it were to be a live action film. This is one of my sketches for a creature that sucks the flesh off of its living victims. I gave it a venom sac behind the jaws. When it attacks, it sprays the flesh-melting venom on its victim, enabling it to suck off its liquified flesh. Yum!

Serious Play Conference

I had the opportunity over the last couple days to attend Art Center's bi-annual design conference, this year entitled "Serious Play." Sometimes it's nice to benefit from where my tuition money goes, but that's a discussion for another post... Anyway, I was helping out with the documentation efforts, and decided to do a couple of sketches of my own. The first one was from my point of view on the far left side of the conference hall, the stage to my left.



The sketch below is from Michael Curry's presentation. He is the one who developed the puppetry for the Broadway production of The Lion King and other shows. He talked about how puppeteers auditioning for his shows must be able to convey personality and emotion through a simple mask held in the hand. I liked the imagery of that, and here is my representation of it.

Welcome to the Gun Show

Sorry, ladies, not those guns...

Here are some sketches I've done over the break, practicing the sketching techniques I learned in Dynamic Sketching. It's pretty fun.

More Dynamic Sketching- Planes

These are some compiled pages from my final Dynamic Sketching sketchbook. If you hadn't guessed, we did planes that week.

Beowulf and Grendel Finals

Our second project for Character Design 1 was to redesign key characters from the story of Beowulf. We were supposed to base the designs on a particular historical culture, while modifying the motifs a little bit. I chose to base mine on the ancient Celts and worked that culture's ornamentation and design motifs into Beowulf's costume. I'm not sure if the resolution will be high enough to see, but the band across Beowulf's chest depicts various creatures and monsters he has defeated, among which is a Teletubby...