Delica sketch

 

One vehicle I’m particularly a fan of is the Mitsubishi Delica. The first time I’ve seen one of these was in Austin. I was very drawn to its stubby proportions. With its knobby tires, brush guards and vinyl graphics, it looked like a very adventurous looking vehicle from a different era. This was sketched on an iPad using Sketchbook Pro.

 

Some initial progress before the final version.

 

GX470 sketch

 

Around Torrance, I see a lot of interesting different types of vehicles. I’ve seen R32 GTRs, Mclarens, Ferraris, and even some stanced Lexus LS430s. One vehicle I’m a fan of is the modified GX470. When I was in college, these were primarily used as grocery getters driven by soccer moms. Lately, people are learning that these vehicles are great for off-roading. Around town I’ve seen examples of GX470s with lift kits, roof racks and extra fuel canisters. I think its a very cool, repurposed look.

I wanted to create a sketch thats aggressive, yet fun. I thought pearl paint with bronze trim would look classy. The design features useful off roading accessories like a roof rack, extra gas tank, a modernized brush guard and plenty of LED lighting. This was sketched on an iPad with Sketchbook Pro.

 
 

Some initial progress before the final line drawing and color.

 

A mural for Rajiv and Harsha Satyal

 

Around March 2022, my friends Rajiv and Harsha asked me if I could paint a mural to add some color to their backyard. I was a little hesitant at first, but then decided that it would be a great opportunity to re-live some of my mural days back in Austin. They wanted something that is vibrant, and reminds them of Los Angeles. Before painting can start, I created proofs with Sketchbook Pro and Photoshop.

 

My initial idea was to create a Los Angeles skyline. I was imagining the Hollywood Hills against an evening sunset. The sunset would feature a gradient with a warm yellow, into orange and then a deep purple. It was interesting, but they wanted to see ideas that incorporated more green and orange.

 

The next ideas incorporated elements of Los Angeles. I was thinking about incorporating the Santa Monica Pier ferris wheel, the Chinese Theater, Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store. The ideas represented Los Angeles, but looked too busy.

 

The winning proof was an evolution of the sunset idea. This proof featured more orange and emphasized the sky. The Los Angeles elements were toned down, and became details within the painting. The Hollywood sign became more prominent.

 

With the proof approved, I bought the appropriate supplies and started working directly on the wall.

 

Within the first day of painting, I was able to put down all the elements. There was still a lot of work to be done brightening the sky, honing down the details and tightening the lines.

 

Putting down a few tape lines was very effective in defining the sunset, ocean and skyline.

 

After a few more hours painting by brush, I considered this mural done!

 

I was very satisfied with how this turned out. Painting against a porous surface was a little difficult, considering that the lines wanted to become blurry.
Taking the time to finish the details with brush was very necessary to create a clean looking painting.

 

Here’s me with some very satisfied customers!

 

Some 3D prints

 

Since the first Prusa nameplate print, I’ve been dabbling in a lot experiments. There has been a lot of headache, tweaking and failures.
Through these experiences, I’m now more comfortable using my Prusa MK3S+.

I bought and tested a variety of different filaments. I experimented with both PLA and PETG.

 

The Lucky 13 model was a bit tricky. It required more precision to print the smaller parts and make them fit to form a posable action figure.
I learned that PETG is a better material, due to its flexibility vs the brittleness of PLA.

 

After figuring out the smaller Lucky13 figure, I decided to print a larger version. The larger version was very successful, with the parts fitting together correctly and feeling robust. I think it may have taken around 4 days to print out all the parts.

 

A mosaic in Irvine

 

My parents had a rental property in Irvine, and I moved there with my cousin temporarily until I found a full time position. The condo had a nice backyard, but the grill area was unfinished. I thought it would be a nice opportunity to liven up this unfinished area with a mosaic.

 

I did some quick mockups in photoshop. One idea was to convey sky and grass, the other idea was a more basic blue.

 

I started the process by replacing the rotten plywood with fresh sheets. Then I used cement board as a mounting surface for the tiles. I did some research and found a great place in San Diego that sold broken tile in some very nice colors. Navy blue looked very sharp.

 

The installation process was fun, but a little challenging. It involved quickset cement, and being able fit tiles in appropriate places.
I did have to modify some tiles to make it the right size.

 

After the tiles were put up, grout was added. Once the grout dried, it was scrubbed away to reveal the mosaic design.

 

A few weeks after the mosaic was installed, the Irvine HOA notified me about some upcoming updates to the property. They told me that this mosaic was interfering with their updates. The HOA is difficult to deal with, so I complied and had to take the mosaic down. I was a little upset at first, but I did try something new,
and learned a new skill that I’ll apply in the future.