I was just curious what tickles everyones creative bones. For me - books like, (anything by) Chris Foss, The Art of Special Effects, (most stuff by) H.R. Giger - and ofcourse much of the work I see here!
After building some models as a kid I came back to modeling by another hobbie: PC gaming.
I was sucked by the IL-2 sturmovick game, and then by Battlefield 1942.
There is nothing like watching A bridge too far, playing the mission in battlefield (in wich a tiger tank is featured) and then going to the workbench and building a tiger.
After that, I was doomed, modeling got to my heart.
Now I get inspiration from many places, movies, magazines, tv shows (history channel specially), pc games and sometimes the boxart will do.
Interesting topic. I’d have to say my Wife gives me a ton of inspiration whenever she pipes up with “What about this?” or “Have you tried this before?” Very cool, and she wants to start building as well, but she hasn’t found a subject to build quite yet (aside from the expensive as heck Babylon 5 Starfuries, I’ll get her one if I can find one for just under “an arm and a leg”) I may pick up a RX-78-2 Gundam for her that she saw over at Walmart the other day, she put it back down, that irritated me… [:D]
Outside of the Mrs, I would say that any interesting design gets me thinking about if I could modify it, make it better.
Aspirin bottles. 
http://lyzrdstomp.com/lyzrdforum/index.php?topic=62.0
John
LOL!!! I thought that was great also!
My wife, my cat, and Gino Dykstra, wherever he is…
As far as sci-fi models go, it’s usually television and movies that get me started. But I also model all subjects, so what makes me tick is the idea of replicating something in miniature and doing it well. There have also been some cases where I built a model for someone who had some attachment to the subject.
Military subjects interest me. Sometimes a dio idea will develop in my head, and sometimes I’m building on what I see in reference books.
-Dave
Your cat? That’s scary…
Actually, sci-fi blueprints inspire me a lot! (yeah, I was like one of those guys in Galaxy Quest when I was in high school).
I used to collect anything that looked like a blueprint and was sci-fi. For fun, I recently recreated Michael McMasters’ Klingon blueprints in Adobe Illustrator when I had a lull in my other hobbies-all 8 sheets, every table and chair. If you’ve seen these, there’s a LOT of detail to reproduce.
I’m such a geek!
Also, that scratchbuilding article by Clyde Jones and Verne Anderson in the August 1978 issue of Fantastic Films was probably the most inspiring thing in my modeling life (well, that and Star Wars).
I still have that issue (it’s sitting next to me now) and still read it from time to time. I even recently contacted one of the authors of the article to let him know what an influence those 3 pages had on me.
John
the statement: “WOW! that is cool… where did you buy that?” when someone looks at my work. Makes me feel good when I put so much time into something and someone really appreciates it. I would still build just for my own satisfaction, but when I get noticed like that, it makes the pride swell.
The wife tries to support me, but she doesnt really get why I will spend hours fiddling with electronics and blades just to get the eyes of an Episode 1 droid starfighter to light up or why I would spend half an hour staring at a cup in Walmart trying to decide if it is the right opacity/ color to make the engines glow in a Shuttle Tydirium.
I just basically get inspired from everything around me. I want to build everything I see lol
I know I’m replying to my own topic, but I was really inspired today. I’ve been carving wax all day to create a Giger-inspired creature mask in bronze - and I feel like I can’t stop working (just taking a break now). I don’t know why I was so inspired this time, but occasionally I have spurts of unexplained creativity.
I’ll post pics of my wax master when I finish (hopefully before Tuesday).
And BTW - thanks for the tip johnselvia, I went to ebay and lo-and-behold - August 1978 Fanstastic Films for a buy-it-now price of only $3.
i am in college and trying to learn as much as i can about graphics and movies and special effects so that way i can get a job in special effects industry if not working on minatures and props then in 3d at least
That’s great, Themage. I hope you pursue your dream of special effects.
I’ve been doing computer animation for 8 years, sci-fi props, models and sculpting most of my adult life, and have studied special effects and compositing on my own all just for my own pleasure and love it. I used to entertain the idea of working for Hollywood, but am quite content doing what I do for myself.
Let us know if you make it and we’ll look for your name in the movies!
John
Hey Themage, that’s what got me into art/models in the first place. I never did anything with it though, now I wish I had tried harder. Don’t give up on that dream.
Hey! I actually heard from Clyde Jones today about my tutorial! He’s one of the authors of the original article!
Very cool! It made me think of your post and that you bought the issue on ebay.
John
Thanks johnselvia and gnsnow, I am actually pretty close i think. In college now i am taking multimedia ( 3d modeling and animation). I work as intern at tv station for a year now. I have done some props and effects for some shows. At the tv station i am videographer, editor, graphics. I have done over 75 credits so far :>. After i get out of college i am going to try to go to film school in CA. Figure i cant lose , most of the movies and video games and special effects companies are out there. My web site i have some pics of models such as starwars that i try to make them look like they are from the movies. I even put alot of them in widescreen.
Nate
Just thought I’d let you know that I’m still very much alive and living in Wisconsin. Drop me a line some time.
Gino Dykstra
I inspire myself…
The FMS Forum WIP posts.
Some may be inspired by Manny’s promise of a new decoration, however.[whstl]
My wife (SheWhoMustBeObeyed) [:D[