Harry Courtney
My project centres on the creation of a 1:1 scale cyborg soldier made to fit in an early 20th century battlefield. This project piece combines organic human features with mechanical parts and armour to create an unnerving cyborg character; dressed in a costume that combines early 20th century British police uniforms, industrial & mining protective equipment and military equipment from the First World War. It is shown in a state of battle damage (after being blown in half): exposing many organic & mechanical components that would otherwise be hidden from a viewer.
This project piece features several components that add life and movement to the piece, including an electronic eye mechanism and a working headlamp attached to the helmet.
My primary aim with this project was to combine multiple different forms and techniques of making that I had previously learned in order to make separate components of different materials and textures. These components would all be combined to create a unified, cohesive character build.
Working on this project gave me the opportunity to experiment with and practice a wide variety of materials and techniques to create the final project pieces. This includes: chroming 3D printed parts with spray lacquer and buffing with graphite powder to achieve a metallic effect on armour pieces, chavant sculpting, plaster moulding and silicone casting & painting to make lifelike skin pieces, painting, dying & cutting pre-existing clothes (made from both fabric and leather) to match my costume design and warping PVC piping, making 3D printed joint pieces & padding with foam & wadding to create an internal structure sturdy enough to house all these different components, while also being generally flexible.
I am a 4th year student studying modelmaking in the Design for Film course in IADT.
During my time in this course I have learned a large variety of skills for use in the modelmaking discipline, and have applied those skills in a diverse range of projects in both large and small scale. I have a passion for using skills such as sculpting, sewing, painting and 3D printing to bring unique characters and engaging worlds to life. I have a particular fondness for mediums such as stop-motion animation and puppetry, especially the creative process involved with making for both mediums.
