You may recall that a year ago I dressed up my Japanese metal pencil box as a
Mac iBox. But it started to get cruddy looking. It was time for a facelift.
So I asked my friends Tony Swatton and Jacques Louis David of
Sword and Stone Armoury to help out. They make swords, weapons, and armour for movies like Blade, Zorro, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
We decided to give it an ancient Dinotopian vibe. In a makeshift workshop in the catacombs of the Mission Inn in Riverside, California, (above, right) they cut out a dinosaur footprint shape from brass. They hammered it into shape and riveted it to the lid. A little bleach helped oxidize the brass and some sandpaper and patina paint did the rest of the job.
Now I can take my sketch kit into the Rainy Basin and not have to worry about a Carnotaurus biting through it.
Here's a video to show what it's like in Tony's shop.
Sizzle reel for a reality show that Tony proposed a while back, though the show might take another form.
Sword and Stone Armoury website
Previously:
The new Mac iBox
that would definatly be a show i would watch!
ReplyDeleteif they can have 8 programs about making really aweful looking cake sculptures they can definatly make a cool show like this!
My God yes! I love these shows about real people doing real things. Hope they are able to sell the idea.
ReplyDeleteI would watch it!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work! Don't lose THAT pencil box!
ReplyDelete(Certainly beats the Curious George one I use that I took from my kids.)
Yea!!! Man, it looks amazing, Jim. I am glad we were part of that!!!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. Now you need to get your friends at Henson's creature shop to make you a dinosaur-hide bag to carry it in ... er ... I guess that'd be a little awkward to explain away at the Sauropolis Council...maybe dinosaurs shed their skin...?
ReplyDeleteHow was the paint patina done? What kind of paint?
I thought it had a very steampunk feel to it too. I am including an awesome link that showcases steampunked inventions people have done. I especially like the X-Box cont., thumb drive, Gameboy, mouse, and laptop. anyway cool stuff check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://thechive.com/2010/09/15/steampunk-products-are-comin-back-in-a-big-way-28-photos/
Daroo, I used bronze and copper patina paints with the brand "Sophisticated Finishes" made by Modern Options. It's basically bronze powder in an acrylic medium.
ReplyDeleteWe've often debated whether to use dinosaur hide finishes on the Dinotopia books.
Super Villain, Bill, and One More: They're working on a new reality show proposal, but I agree, it would be awesome.
William, thanks for that great link.
Absolutely gorgeous. I always love this kind of work and greatly revere those who do it.
ReplyDelete