MAKING A SMALL SCALE HOUSE AND CAR

Tutor: Dave Robert

MAKING & CREATINGANIMATION AND VFX PIPELINES

Drew Campbell

11/17/20244 min read

Making a small-scale wooden car

For my Animation and Visual Effects course, I embarked on a project to design and construct a small-scale vehicle. This blog post documents my design process, from initial concepts to the final model, highlighting how I incorporated personality and storytelling into the car's design. Throughout this post, you'll find images that showcase each step of the process.

Design Process

  1. Initial Concept and Inspiration I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making this car. As someone who loves creating things, especially with wood, this project was particularly satisfying. Initially, I envisioned crafting a sporty-looking car. However, my creative direction was influenced by the Oscar-nominated stop-motion animation short "Negative Space" by Tiny Inventions (Ru Kuwahata & Max Porter).

    The film features a distinct yellow taxi and other vehicles with exaggerated shapes, which captivated my imagination. Inspired by these unique designs, I felt compelled to produce something similar out of wood. This influence pushed me to explore new techniques and styles, making the project both challenging and rewarding.

  2. Sketching and Preparation I started with the idea of a sporty car but shifted my focus as described above. I proceeded to sketch the full size of the model car. Once satisfied with the design, I glued two pieces of wood together. After the glue dried, I cut the shape out with a band saw in the University workshop.

  3. Shaping and Smoothing I shaped and smoothed the wood on the flat bed sanding machine. For the finer details near the windscreen, I used an Oscillating Bobbin Sander. To create the wheel arches, I used a pillar drill with a Forstner Drill Bit. I then drilled two holes through the body for the wooden wheel axles, provided by our tutor Dave Roberts. This required precise drilling from both sides to meet in the middle due to the wood's thickness.

  4. Finishing Touches After shaping, I used fine sandpaper to smooth the surface. I decided on a yellow finish for the body and black for the windows, applying about three layers of acrylic paint. To add character, I gave the car a slight aging effect. For the windows, I used plastic from old laminate flooring, cutting it down for the windscreen wipers (front and back) and the antenna on the roof. I am so pleased with the finish of the car and that it is the same scale as the house that I built.

Documenting Your Process

  • Portfolio of Sketches and Iterations: Throughout the project, I documented my sketches, design iterations, and development work. These images, already included in this post, showcase the evolution of my ideas from initial concepts to the final model.

  • Photographs of Final Model: High-quality photographs of the final model are also included, highlighting how the design principles of character and appeal were realized.

Conclusion

Reflecting on this project, I learned a great deal about incorporating personality and storytelling into vehicle design. This experience has deepened my understanding of design principles and will undoubtedly influence my future projects. Crafting this car allowed me to combine my passion for woodworking with my admiration for artistic animation, resulting in a creation that I’m really proud of.

Visuals and Formatting

  • Use Images: The blog post features images of sketches, design iterations, and the final model to make it visually engaging.

  • Clear Headings: Clear headings and subheadings are used to organize the content and ensure it is easy to follow.

Overall, I am pleased with the finished result.

The final result

Making a small-scale house

The process

For my Animation and Visual Effects course, I embarked on a project to design and construct a small-scale building. This blog post documents my design process, from initial concepts to the final model, highlighting how I incorporated personality and storytelling into the structure. Throughout this post, you'll find images that showcase each step of the process.

Design Process

  1. Initial Concept and Inspiration Initially, I envisioned a cartoon house design. However, after researching and creating a mood board of various houses, I was particularly drawn to thatched cottages due to their character. Realizing the complexity and time constraints of creating a thatched roof, I opted for a traditional roof while retaining some cottage features.

  2. Architectural Elements

    • Windows and Roof: I used foam board for the construction and diamond-patterned acrylic for the windows. For the roof, I found scraps of embossed wallpaper that provided a tiled effect.

    • Base and Landscaping: The base board, previously used for a chessboard, was painted and filled to create a foundation for trees and bushes. I added a sandpaper path to the front door, enhancing it with acrylic paint.

    • Exterior Finish: Instead of a flat white wash, I chose to give the exterior an old and weathered look to add character.

    • Details: I used a plastic straw and a pencil for drain pipes, painted black. For the guttering, I molded aluminum foil plates using a metal tube and a routed groove in laminate flooring. After smoothing and shaping the foil, I painted it black, sprayed it with clear acrylic lacquer, and attached it to the roof with double-sided tape.

    • Interior Lighting and Curtains: I installed micro LED string lights inside to add a warm, inviting glow. For curtains, I used patterned paper napkins, attaching them with double-sided tape to give the windows a cozy, lived-in feel.

  3. Medium and Construction Foam board was chosen for its ease of use and versatility. The construction process involved several creative solutions, such as using embossed wallpaper for the roof and sandpaper for the path. Challenges included finding suitable materials and achieving the desired weathered look, which I overcame through experimentation and adjustments.

Documenting Your Process

  • Portfolio of Sketches and Iterations: Throughout the project, I documented my sketches, design iterations, and development work. These images, included in this post, showcase the evolution of my ideas from initial concepts to the final model.

  • Photographs of the Final Model: High-quality photographs of the final model are also included, highlighting how the design principles of character and appeal were realized.

Conclusion

Reflecting on this project, I learned a great deal about incorporating personality and storytelling into architectural design. This experience has deepened my understanding of design principles and will undoubtedly influence my future projects. I am considering thatching the roof for my final portfolio to further enhance the model's character.

Visuals and Formatting

  • Use Images: This blog post features images of sketches, design iterations, and the final model to make it visually engaging.

  • Clear Headings: Clear headings and subheadings are used to organize the content and ensure it is easy to follow.

Overall, I am pleased with the final result.

The final result