Bit by Bit…7-27-2023

Feeling a bit better today but I’m finding in no way will this be fast. Day by day, bit by bit. I’m fine, I can walk, sleep and get around but my body just feels trashed. 

I know the path is to put one foot in front of the other and march on carefully. The best thing for me is to get involved in my making. 

I’m studying new software that will allow me to create sculptures virtually on a PC.  I’m still the artist, not the machine. It doesn’t make decisions for me. It’s a tool and to sculpt a human face or anything else you need to be a skilled artist. 

I’m sure one can cheat with AI software but it’s not my way. These AI users may call themselves an artist, but actual artists will never recognize them as one. 

In the end I can sculpt and produce a product without heavy tiring work to sculpt in clay and make heavy plaster molds that later have to be filled with more heavy materials and poured out. As much as I work out and take care of myself it’s getting harder to do these things. I have been doing this since the early 70’s for film and TV. 

My printers are large enough to print pretty large pieces. No molds, no pouring, lifting and mess. There will be little clean up with the resin printer of the piece. I can quickly start the painting process to a finished mounted piece. Combined with the laser cutter I can make a plaque, base or anything else to give any piece of work a nice finish.

I’m also learning an autocad program to assistallow me in making just about anything I can dream up and print it on the PLA printer.

So all this keeps me sitting while I heal. They don’t want me on my feet all day as I usually am.

Also sitting down I’m back to my beloved hobbies. Currently I’m finishing off the construction of this Guillows F4U Corsair. I have both outer wing panels dry fit before I glue them and attach them to the center wing panel.

Building these old pre-laser cut kits is a real challenge but such a joy to do. Because in the end all your hard work gets put to the test when it leaves the deck of the runway and flies in the sky. It’s a beautiful moment that few people today will ever experience. 

Most planes today are pre-made and ready to fly. Although they are amazing too it’s just not the same experience being the making-builder of the masterpiece of engineering and artistry. Everything has to be just right. And when it is, it’s one hell of a good feeling as your wheels touch to the runway and you roll to a stop.

What’s next, Ridley? If you don’t know the expression, do a Google search. I once spent time with the man that said that. And that was amazing too. Very amazing.