TABLETOP GAMING - "Lots o' Lava"

Here are a few more images from 2006...my "Year of Terrain Building". I made these for my buddy, Jaye. This was at the same time I built my "Ming Spaceship" as the photo below shows.


I carved the "rocks" out of pink insulation styrofoam from the hardware store. I cut out a rough shape from masonite board, then stuck the layers of foam onto it with spray adhesive, and a hot glue gun. I then made up a mixture of white Gesso and sand/tiny rocks and covered the whole thing. I kept the mix pretty wet, and tilted the structures before the sandy mix dried all the way. It looked like hot lava had flowed multiple times over the surface. Finally, I painted it with black acrylic, and built up drybrushed grays to give it the burnt, ashen look.


The liquid lava was made from clear plastic glue from a hot glue gun, then painted with acrylics.

Below is a sketch I made for a larger set of lava rocks...but it never got built. (Maybe someday, Jaye.)


Til next time...
-W

SKETCHBOOK - "Thresher"

Here are two sketches I made while visiting a nearby "petting zoo" for kids. They have a wonderful collection of antique farm equipment and tractors scattered throughout the park. The "threshing machine" caught my eye, and I had to draw it. The image above was a quick study. I went back about a month later and drew the one below, because I wanted to spend more time on the details. Just love these rusty old contraptions!

AUTOMATA - "Piano Playin' Ken"

Here is a "going away present" I made a few years back for my good friend Ken, who was making a career change at the time. For the most part, everything is made from wood, except for the head, which is "sculpey" modeling clay.


When you turn the crank, the cams rotate and push wires up and down to make the arms "play" the piano. Another peg makes the right tap to keep time.