Project Review: Rutger Hauer Traveling Gym 1992.

 Here is a 8 x 10 photo of the final artwork 22 x 17 blue-line on velum.

(Note that in the lower right corner they covered my signature on the artwork)

Project Review

Rutger Hauer Traveling Gym 1992.

Client: Rutger Hauer via Charles T. Cohen and Associates.
Art Direction: Charles T Cohen.
Project Date: January 1992.

This was my second job out of Art Center back in 1991, and I got the work by the connection to my first job, at Design Setters on the Mazda MX-6 Project for Rhythm and Hues.

I delivered what was tasked, a single sketch as posted, but the story behind it is what has shaped my carear for 20 years now. I was asked to sketch out a 18 wheeler with a gym in back so Arnold Schwarzenegger, or any other 'Action Star' could take it with them to the set, and I did. 

A major partner in the venture was actor Rutger Hauer, and it was the only time in my carear I was a bit star struck to meet him, since I am a SUPERFAN of bladerunner, and I did not expect to walk into him at the project meeting back then.

This is the ONLY job I have ever bid a full delivry price on, or a flat rate. I estimated 6 Hrs, [4 to sketch it at 22 x 17 and 2 for changes]. Well, I learned the hard way early on with a new client, that you never know how many changes they will want to make, and the job ended up taking me near 30 hours for 6 hours of pay. A tough lesson, thankfully only needed this one time to learn from.

Consequentlay I realized that art is always an open ended contract since I cannot guess when a client will finally stop changing the art, so I have charged hourly since then and only been stiffed by one client[ in 2010 no less!]. I also have never missed any deadline, as I will not agree from the front end if it is unreasonable,and some clients do not quite get that this benefits them, that I will not even take it if I know it cannot be done.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Traffic Agency- Art Table Construction Plans 2008

 A 3D render showing the White Melamine build out for the art table.

 A closer shot showing the virtually constructed parts[ Dado's and all in 3D]

 A 3D 'toon' render of the table: Simply copy the object rotate and render a front view and you are done!

 Exploded parts drawings like this take alot of time by hand, but in 3D the set up is about 15 minutes and you get another render, and that is a SMART 3D asset.

 The piece was built in sections and assembled onsite[ typical] so here is a "flat-file-ish' section exploded-view in 3D.

 The top is built from 3 4'x8' sheets of 3/4" thick Plywood covered in a cutting laminate in drafting green.

 Another parts drawing with all the sub-builds going together for the on-site set-up team.

A 3/4 view toon render line art drawing for the Custom Furniture piece.

Project Review

The Cimarron Group Architectural Work

Traffic Agency- Art Table Construction Plans 2008

Client: The Traffic Agency via The Cimarron Group.
Art Direction: n/a
Project Date: Late Summer 2008

As a full  time employee at The Cimarron Group I often helped out with 3D visualizations of the various construction projects that the owner Bob Farina had at the company. I had worked on a restaurant and been an Imagineer so I was very familiar with these type of projects.

Also, I have professional training in space design as I worked with Steelcase out of MI, when I was going to CCS in Detriot back in 1985, so space planning was in my design blood early on.

A simple project, they gave me dimensions, and needs for the furniture piece, and as an ex-cabinet builder myself, I did a 3D visualization to create the line art parts drawing for the construction plan document. 

I even created a parts list from the 3D, as I simply counted up the parts I built virtually.

To achieve the line art there are a few ways in 3D to do this, the easiest way I use is Final-Toon which is a ink and paint renderer that ships with Final Render, my go to renderer.

This is the first in a series of architectural work I do along side the higher concept design work as well, look for future posts, and enjoy.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Cafe Morpheus Asylum-PART III

The big "Blade Runner" ceiling fan for the upstairs area.

The Custom made Bar Stools for the dining counter in the large dining hall.

These Lamps had 12 separate lights with a ceiling fan and were near 16 feet tall.

The smaller Post mount and Wall Sconce versions of the lights that were made for the main hall and bath areas.

The Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Lamps that were handmade for the Mezzanine area.

Cafe Morpheus Asylum Restaurant

PART III

Client: John R. Thomas.
Art Director: John R. Thomas.
Project Date: Summer 1993.

In this third posting for Cafe Morpheus Asylum the Restaurant I illustrated for John R. Thomas in Beverly Hills CA. back in the very early 90's, I focus in this post on the blueprint Designs for the custom made ceiling fans, lighting, and bar stools that were all made entirely from scratch.

The first drawing is for the huge 8 foot ceiling fan ala "Blade Runner" with a roof lighting system so faux moonlight would stream into the smoke filled Mezzanine with the slow rotation of the giant industrial fan. The fan itself, we found it in a junkyard, a vintage fan that weighed about 600 pounds so we cast the parts from plastic and faux finished them as the weight was a liability to use the original.

The second drawing breakdown is for the custom post mount bar stools that used a VW deck-Lid sprint to give some nice "steampunk" Industrial feeling to the seats as well as function to give a bit of spring to the backs.

The bent tube lamps were all build out of solid copper and brass parts and finished with a great patina aging them to look like the originals from 100 years back.

I also designed two Frank Lloyd Wright styled lamps for the upstairs "Blade Runner" room area as well. One was a direct lift from a table lamp from his Prairie collection, and the other was a unique design with a parallelogram hinge system so the lamp could move up and down via the wall mount and remain level at all times. This one was build from Aluminum and steel and anodized with an art glass shade as well.

Cheers, THOM

You can view PART I here, and PART II here.

Project Review:Warner Bros. Studio Store Part II

Exploded View of the Motorboat and the glass wall that divides in into two halves.

Parts Drawing for the aft end.

Parts Drawing of both ends put together.

Parts Drawing of the Fore Part.

Multi-View of the ACME Outboard Motor prop.

Warner Brothers Studio Store Part II

Client: Warner Brothers Studio Store via Pan Atom.
Art Director Jim ?
Project Date Fall 1992.

In this second post on the work I did designing fixtures for the Warner Studio Stores in Shopping Malls across the US, I did this motorboat fixture. This fixture was both in and outside the storefront window so I designed it in two halves that would be assembled with the glass between.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Warner Bros. Studio Stores PART I

Exploded View of Train Construction.

Assembled Multi View Drawing.

The Train Cab Multi View Drawing.

The Train Parts Sheet.

Warner Bros. Studio Stores PART I

Client: Pan Atom
Art Director: Jim
Project Date: Summer 1992

After Art Center I bounced around in set design and fixture design for Silvestri California, and the two disciplines intersected with the fun prop designs I did for the Warner Brothers Studio Stores throughout the US.

This prop was a typical high speed train for Wile-E-Coyote[ Super Genius!] I designed the prop and all drawings were created to build the prop to scale for the install. FUN!

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: M&M's World Vegas PART II

The Elevator Crash for the 3D-Film

"Red" Working the rings in the gym window

The peanut roaster tumbler effect for the attraction.

"Yellow" running on a treadmill in the gym.

At the Finale of the 3D film the "socks" run under your seat and get a tickle!

Project Review: M&M's World Vegas PART II
Technical Drawings and Schematic Sketches

Client: Ethel M Chocolates via The Landmark Entertainment Group.
Art Director: Michael Marquez
Date: Summer 1998

As a Designer I am called upon at times to design out the inner workings of the ideas I create. Unlike an Illustrator where most of the time, the artwork itself, is the final product, my sketches help build out the final project. "You don't live in a blueprint, but a house!"

I was tasked in figuring out how the various animatronic and mechanicals would be built for the M&M's attraction. You will see above various drawing representing Red and Yellow working out, to the 3D movie theater gags of under-seat tickler, and the crashed elevator gag.

Cheers, THOM