From Ideas to Finished Pieces

Custom Commission

Custom Fish Model for Resin Casting

A South Coast client approached me with an idea for a realistic fish model that he could use as the master for creating a mould and producing his own hand-painted resin pieces.

Working from the fish species, reference photographs and the client's required size, I developed the model from the ground up, researching the shape and proportions from multiple angles and refining it until it translated successfully into a physical print.

After the first sample was printed, a few final adjustments were made for the client before the completed version was produced.

The 3D model was commissioned specifically for this project and belongs to the client. It is not available for resale, sharing or reuse.

Product Development

Translucent Lamp — Product Development

This project started as an experiment with light, form and how different materials would affect the finished result. I printed a number of lamps in different sizes, beginning with black PLA, and tested them with different light sources to see how the shape, scale and lighting worked together.

Once I had a better understanding of what worked, I moved on to a larger version using translucent filament. This changed the character of the lamp completely, allowing the light to diffuse through the printed structure rather than simply illuminating it from within.

The testing process has included looking at scale, finish, durability and how the lamp performs in an actual home environment. What I have learned through this project has also fed into the development of two smaller lamp designs of my own, which I am currently refining and testing.

Original lamp model sourced from MakerWorld.

Product Range

Layered Little Living — Product Range Development

Layered Little Living grew out of the way I test some of my own designs. When I am developing a new product, I often print a smaller version first so that I can see the shape, proportions and overall feel of the piece before committing to a full-size print. Working with these smaller test pieces got me thinking about dollhouses and miniature furniture, and whether there might be an opportunity to develop something specifically for that market.

From there, I started exploring existing miniature designs on MakerWorld and printed a selection of pieces to see how they worked at that scale. I then began combining different items into complete room concepts, creating a lounge, a bathroom and a collection of kitchen essentials for 29 cm fashion dolls.

That process has now moved into the next stage, where I have started designing my own miniature furniture specifically for Layered Little Living and refining those pieces through the printing process.

Layered Little Living is still developing, but it has become a space where I can combine room design, miniature product development and increasingly, my own original furniture designs.

Some of the models used during the initial development of Layered Little Living were sourced from MakerWorld.

Print & Finish

Sea Urchin Tea Light Holders — Print & Finish

This project was about taking a 3D printed decorative form and developing it into a finished set of three tea light holders.

I printed the three sea-urchin-inspired holders in olive green PLA, then added dry-brushed detail to bring out the texture and give the surface a more natural, realistic look.

Because they were designed for tea lights, I also tested them with real candles rather than LED candles to see whether the heat would affect the print. The holders performed well during testing, with no visible heat-related issues.

Once I was happy with the finish, I added a clear protective coat to help preserve the surface and keep the set looking good over time. They have now been in regular use in my home for around six months and have held up extremely well.

Original model sourced from MakerWorld.