Recently, we finished up with a project for a group right here in town who came to us with an incredible idea to help their bar stand out. Their bar was themed in the image of the thriving heart of a volcano, overflowing with glowing, magma cracked rocks. The job they came to us with was to help make a set of volcanic rocks, which were actually going to be lamps to help light up the place with the warm orange and red glow of the magma cracking through them.
We made a couple different variant models- all meant to be placed on the ceiling and walls- as if to evoke the warm roof of a volcanic cavern, brimming and dripping with flowing magma. To help build the idea, we took a look at real caves and openings into volcanos, like what’s pictured below to try and build that feeling!
It was really interesting to layer so many different materials and blend so many mediums on this project. Within the sculptures, we inlaid metal frames to serve as a solid anchor point for the sculptures to be attached to the ceiling from. Within the cracks, we poured dyed resin to create those criss-crossing ravines of molten lava. For the melting drips that threaten to fall off the sculpture, we 3D Printed the designs, layering them with resin to create a smooth finish. On the sculpture itself, we layered small stones and pebbles under the primer and paint, to create that rough, rocky texture- like pumice. Finally, to ensure that firey glow, we installed a set of self contained lights within the sculpture, looping them up and inside the drips to bring the light throughout the entirety of the structure. With all that, we sealed off the back with corkboard, to keep everything contained.
A lot of that was much easier said than done. One major point of our troubles during the process was finding the right resin to pour into the gaps and ravines. It was a unique challenge, as we needed it to flow and dry in certain ways. Many of our early attempts cured too hot, melting through the foam below and creating puddles of resin inside the foam we needed to hollow out for the other elements of the sculpture. Some resins weren’t transparent enough, some were too transparent. Finding the right shade and mix of dye was a challenge too, requiring some experimentation.
Through trial and error, we were able to find our way through these troubles to make a set of sculptures we’re proud of. This whole process of finding what works is echoed throughout many of our projects, as many involve unique challenges that require some creative thinking. But it’s an interesting process that I feel makes us better at what we do. We may not know the way at first, but we always find a way to bring that dream to life.
I definitely believe we’ll be bringing this mix of different mediums into many of our projects going forward as well. 3D Foam Milling, 3D Printing, resin casting, electrical work. The combination brings an elevation to the sculptures we work with, creating a truly unique design in our sculptures.
