Meet NanoScapes
Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
I grew up in St. Joseph, MO, studied video production at Savannah College of Art and Design, and moved to Burbank in 1998 to pursue a career in editing. I’ve always enjoyed taking existing material to create something new, whether it is film footage or the earth itself.
Who/what are your biggest artistic influences?
I bought a 3D printer soon after they became accessible to hobbyists and was excited by the idea of turning things I had created digitally into real objects. At the same time photogrammetry was becoming available, which is the process of matching identical points on multiple photographs of an object from many angles and using the data to create a 3D model of it. The two technologies together make it possible to turn physical objects into digital ones, and back again.
Very cool. How do you define success as an artist?
Success for me equals pride in what I create. Is this something I like? Does it keep interesting me? Is my family supportive of my work? Sure, money is indeed a factor, but I’ve spent years of my life trying to please others with my work. Now, I get to do it for me.
Amazing. Does your art help you in other areas of your life?
I’m a lot less stressed over my work. Where else can you work at your own pace, take care of your family, and wake up without a case of “Sunday dread”? Since my wife retired from medicine to join me, it’s created a whole new dynamic. She helps with the books, the packaging, and even painting custom pieces.
How have you developed your skill at your craft?
I’m learning how to take what I know and push it further. I’m always improving the quality of my work, learning new ways to redesign and reinforce thin structures, including manufacturing my own special inserts to protect my larger prints from breakage during shipping. There’s always something new to add to my wheelhouse, be it designing new products, like video game locations, football stadiums, college campuses and more!
What is the hardest part of your creation process?
Photogrammetry and other capture methods make it possible to create 3D models of places. Miniatures and dioramas are always fascinating, especially of places you know and love. They are even more compelling when they have the authenticity of having been created directly from captured data rather than hand modeling. It's kind of like a sculptural photograph. The most difficult part of the process at the moment is figuring out how to add color to the 3d models using aerial photography as the source.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
Doing what I love. Plain and simple. It sounds cliché but being able to take my technical skills and produce something cool, unique and creative.
What’s your favorite item that you’re created, and why?
One of my favorite projects was one of my first: a coffee scoop I made by twisting passionflower vines to create the handle and shaping leaves into the bowl. I created a digital model of it using photogrammetry, made some adjustments, then 3D printed it. It was fascinating to create an object that was largely designed by nature and formed through a combination of hand craft and computer craft.
What do you love most about Pasadena?
Pasadena has always been special to us. Before marriage and kids, we frequented the restaurants and shops of Old Town and admiring the Greene and Green architecture. My wife spent a year working at a clinic on Lake and spent several years working on the City of Burbank float for the Rose Parade.
Anything special you’d like to share?
We’re always open to new suggestions and custom orders. We still have a lot of theme park attraction suggestions but we’re playing with golf course designs, football stadiums, and coming up with alternatives to expensive color printing.
Catch Nanoscapes at Jackalope Pasadena on April 29th & 30th.
See more:
Web: www.nano-scapes.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NanoScapes
Instagram: @nano.cities