Scale Models
Scale models built at a 1 ft-to-1 inch ratio, from a personal recreation of my own bedroom, to a mixed-media set built for a student film.
Built and painted a scale model set from given measurements and reference images for the student film Most Likely To, depicting a trashed house party scene. The challenge was working in mixed media at a small scale while still reading clearly as chaotic and lived-in. The key was finding the right materials and details to sell the mess without it looking cluttered or unclear.
I photographed the finished model under a range of lighting setups to test how the colors and details would translate to screen.
The Process
1 girl, 1 week, and 1 freezing church — I planned, designed, sketched, and painted a new theatrical backdrop for a local production of The Nutcracker. Working in near-freezing temperatures with a space heater for support, I reworked the design with deeper perspective and richer tones to evoke the warmth of a classic Christmas living room.
The Results
I leaned into contrast to manage the many shades of green throughout the piece, using warm and cool tones to accentuate the depth of the room. Getting the perspective's contrast right was key to making the piece read correctly both live on stage and on screen. It appears in the official taped recording of the performance, and was also featured in Umbrella Bloc's 2020 documentary on the production process.
An offical trailor for “The Story of the Nutcracker” documentary by Umbrella Bloc. The finished backdrop can be seen at timestamp 3:04.