With today's 3D printers, designers are able to create their own line of figures and toys for proof of concept manufacturing. That's what 3D modeler and animator Michael Herm has done with his Age of Mecha 1/35th scale collectibles--with prototypes he's sent us to check out and review. We chat Michael about his prototyping and design process for creating posable mechs and how his modular approach allows for a variety of striking designs.
Latest StoriesFeatured
As more people start using VR and AR headsets, we're curious about the ways the two technologies can work together in social applications. One example is Spatial, a mixed reality shared workspace app that allows for asymmetrical interactions--users can collaborate in either VR, AR, or even through a web browser. We test Spatial using a HoloLens 2 and Quest 2 to get a glimpse of how mixed reality meetings work with today's latest hardware!
For the first season of The Mandalorian, ILM went back to their roots to make a scale miniature of the Razor Crest ship and filmed it with a custom-designed and machined motion control camera system. Adam Savage chats with his former colleagues--Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll and veteren modelmaker John Goodson--to learn how they revived this classic Star Wars filming technology and what it brought to the look of the show.
In this members-only video, Adam unboxes and sets up his brand-new Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ‑1 PLUS Walking Foot sewing machine (and table), explaining why he decided to invest in a professional grade sewing machine! (And ICYMI, watch Adam customize his new cut-and-sew station in this One Day Build.)
For this live stream, Adam is building his rickshaw LEGO form (posted by SteamPaul on reddit ), then taking questions about Star Wars (ranging from his thoughts about the films to his experience working on them to his props, as per the Patron-only poll).
In this Tested Patron exclusive, Adam sits down to watch and comment on his very first One Day Build, the Blade Runner Blaster Box. Watching it for the first time in SEVEN YEARS, Adam reveals how the ODB series originated, exclaims over the many changes he's made to his shop since 2013, and provides many other insights into this build and the techniques he was using at the time. As Adam says, it's almost like attending a reunion!
We visit the labs of Tactical Haptics, where the company has been prototyping new versions of their haptic feedback VR controller during the COVID lockdown. Their controller's use of sheer forces to simulate weight and object interaction is one of the most compelling haptics implementations we've tried. Chatting with founder and CEO Will Provancher, we learn how they've been refining the controller design, creating new demo experiences, and their plans for their awesome multi-pose magnet sockets accessory!
On Monday, Adam was going to do a live build, but he couldn't find his kit(s), so the live stream turned into a Q&A: everything from funny stories about Grant, to how to remove rust, to whether Mrs. Donttrythis liked her watering can. Also: a sneak peek of a VERY EXCITING NEW BUILD! (Full live stream video here for Tested members!)
Before the era of computer generated characters, aliens, robots, and other on-screen creatures were often practical puppets, playing against live actors via animatronics, motion controlled, or wire-pulled puppetry. We check out a few of those surviving puppets from a wide range of films, from the fully robotic Weebo from Flubber to the magnificent Alien queen from Aliens!
The pinnacle of modelmaking for film is on display at Prop Store as we check out miniatures used for the making of Star Wars, Star Trek, Back to the Future, and Alien. These models, created at all different scales, show the kitbashing, scratch building, and fine detailing techniques used by teams of talented modelmakers from studios like ILM's modelshop. And the flagship piece from the Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction is the full Nostromo ship from Alien, an incredible prop that's more of a bigature than miniature.
We love seeing original costumes used for the making of our favorite films get taken out of storage and put on mannequins for display. So we couldn't miss the opportunity to see costumes from films like Judge Dredd, V for Vendetta, and Pacific Rim at Prop Store in anticipation of their upcoming Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction. Take a look at these costume and helmet details that show how costume design and fabrication have changed over the decades.
Iconic stop-motion armatures and puppets from films like Star Wars, Robocop 2, Starship Troopers, and Jurassic Park are assembled at the Prop Store facility as part of creature master and animator Phil Tippett's collection in search of new homes. It's part of Prop Store's massive Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction taking place August 26-27, and we're on location to take a close look at the meticulous machining and design of these pieces that show a fascinating slice of special effects history.
We try our hand and making a Star Wars-inspired book nook diorama, scaled for standard 3.75" Hasbro figures! Norm brings this project to the cave to go over the details with Adam in our first socially distanced show and tell, and then walks us through the design and build process for integrating LED lighting, mirrored hallway illusions, and acrylic joinery. We're hooked on making book nooks!
While at Sideshow Collectible's headquarters for their SideshowCon event, we check out the new premium format quarter-scale statues unveiled for 2020, including a striking Superman, enchanting Dr. Strange, and stoic Silver Surfer. These statues showcase the latest improvements to Sideshow's sculpting, use of mixed media, and paint finishes.
We wrap up this week with a fun project, as Norm puts on a topical cosplay to build his new editing, gaming, and VR PC. Follow along the assembly as we talk through the component choices, order of operations, and what we liked about this configuration of parts. How would you spec out a new PC today?
Darrell's latest prop replica project allows him to combine 3d printing clear resin with LED illumination and some intricate paint masking. He models and prints the King Atlan message recorder artifact as seen in Aquaman, and then applies a series of paint applications to give it an ancient and otherworldly finish. We check in with Darrell to talk through the challenges of the build and how he approached each step of the process!
The protective glass is off for our visit to Sideshow Con's showroom to check out the newest Hot Toys figures from Avengers: Endgame, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Star Wars. It's our first chance to get a close-up look at anticipated figures like the sixth-scale battle damaged Thanos, Mandalorian and The Child, and convention exclusives like Spider-Man 2099!
We visit Sideshow Collectibles’ headquarters to get a close-up look at their prototype of The Child life-size figure from Star Wars The Mandalorian! This casting comes directly from Legacy Effects’ molds that were used for the making of the baby Yoda puppet used for production--the closest we'll get to seeing the real prop!
Architect-turned-modelmaker Larry Srinivasan designs and builds elegant scale models of famous architectural landmarks like San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and Seattle's Space Needle. We visit his workshop to learn how he captures the essence of these structures in his laser-cut model kits and experiments with joinery at miniature scale. Find his model kits here!
Our next laser cutter project is an exercise of designing with slot joints to piece together a clear acrylic display stand that houses LED lights for underlighting. Norm walks through his design process and prototyping for this action figure platform, the lessons learned in vector design, and completes the build with a collectibles photo shoot. Download the vector files for this project to make your own!