We like to cross-train each of our people to become masters of as many different jobs as possible. Jay is deep into this process, which requires both time and patience. He’s been our head painter for some time, and he is awesome at this craft. With lots of coaching from Matt, his sculpting is gaining speed rapidly. Jay is also learning to weld and operate our CNC plasma. Today I gave him a quick lesson on carving the wood grain into the edges of our routed/laminated signs with an air-powered die grinder. It is a tool that can remove a lot of material quickly but with a light touch is great to create fine detail. As always, Jay was a quick study and did very well. Tomorrow, Matt & Jay will weld up the armature for the tree and hopefully get a handle on attaching the lath. By week’s end, we’ll be sculpting the concrete.
Unused visual story concepts
One of my favourite things when I am creating concept designs is to tell a clever visual story. The ultimate goal is to create a series of visual concepts. Typically, such a challenge starts with a little research, most often online these days. I assemble a collection of images which will serve as inspiration. I came across an old file as I was transposing my stack of old CDs to my computer. This project (which sadly never came to be) was for a large T-shirt store in Alaska. They had expressed a desire to create a tourist magnet which would help them sell their quality merchandise. I proposed a visual story of the history of transportation in the area. A good-sized, stylized float plane would be suspended in the tall ceiling space above the displays. Above the main T-shirt display was a steam engine pulling two railcars loaded with extra stock. In one corner, two sculpted huskies would provide a photo op for guests. And the cashier tills were identified with snowshoes. There were more gems proposed as well, but sadly the ideas were rejected and relegated to my ‘unused’ file - perhaps to surface again when opportunity knocks. What story do you need telling?
Hickory Dickory start
The third feature we are creating this fall for Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Nebraska is a clock to illustrate the nursery rhyme ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’. It will go in their storybook land which we have been working to refresh in the last few years. Vala’s requested that we work with their in-house animation team and allow room inside and access from the back to add the mechanics to make the hands and pendulum of the clock and move, as did their old one for many years. We will sculpt the clock of steel and concrete to ensure guests will be able to enjoy it for decades to come. The starting pieces have been cut on the FastCut CNC plasma and this coming week we’ll begin welding up the armature. Stay tuned…
