Saturday, December 20, 2008

Designing in a vacuum

My upgrade and refurbishing project of the Craig Lovik figure has introduced me to yet another method of making ventriloquist figures. The head was created using a vacuum-form machine. The mouth was also created that way. The jaw was formed in two pieces that fit together, the outside and the inside portions of the jaw, one on top of the other. I think the whole design is very clever.

My understanding is that one must design the vacuum-form mold with no undercuts. That really limits the facial features one can design. But Craig Lovik has come up with a very pleasing character and there are no undercuts in the entire design. Very cool.

Another example is on Clinton Detweiler's blog today, Newsy Vents. He's refurbished and "aged" a female Lovik figure. Clinton also mentions the vacuum-form process.

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