3D Resin Printing & More

Holiday Creativity Switch

I hope everyone had a good, safe November. Before COVID-19, I didn’t feel the need to wish people a safe month or year. I just assumed people would do their best to be safe, I guess. But now, we all have to be so careful to protect ourselves and our families. It’s getting worse out there, so please, please stay safe.

Thanksgiving

I have a few things to share and figured I’d do that here! My son and I had a nice Thanksgiving at home. We got on Zoom with family and played Apples to Apples with everyone, so that was fun, and it almost felt like we were all sitting at the same table.

Writing & Art

Work on Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake is moving, but more slowly than I’d like. That’s because in November I started a new hobby that I’m using it to make Christmas presents this year.

Do you have a favorite type of art? While I love all sorts, I’ve always been drawn to things in 3D. That includes sculptures, 3D photography, and 3D modeling. (I do have an MFA in Animation & Visual Effects.) I also get paid every two weeks, which means that twice a year, I get an “extra” paycheck. Mine came in November, and with it, I got a resin 3D printer and various accessories.

I’ve been learning the ins and outs of it and have gotten it to print really well. I’m printing, and painting, miniatures for my family this year, which means my son, my parents, my brother and sister and their spouses, and my nieces and nephew. (I’m printing minis for other friends, too, but I can only paint so many!) This is taking up a lot of my time but is really fun.

Hero Forge also had a sale on 3D files recently, so I got a bunch for half price, including a lot based on characters from my series, The Adventures of Bodacious Creed. I figured I’d share a few here.

Yes, there are robots in my steampunk western world, though they’re accurately called “automatons” (the term “robot” wasn’t coined until 1920). In the Creedverse, they’re colloquially called “steelies,” at least in the western states. These steelies all appear within the first two books.

And here’s the murderous villain of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, Corwin Blake. (I’ll be sanding a few areas before I paint it.)

Now, I’m just getting back into painting minis. The last time I did this I was in my 20s, so I’m really rusty. I know I’ll get better, and I also know that as far as the presents go, it is the thought that counts. Here’s one of the protagonist, James “Bodacious” Creed, with his special guns and his guitar. Faces are especially tough, but this is small and looks great on the shelf.

This weekend I have some work to do for my day job, and I plan to spend most of my time painting these gifts and working on Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake. I am more than 2/3 of the way through the second draft!

Get Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Scribd, Angus & Robertson, and Vivlio. The 14-hour audiobook version is available on Audible, and you can get that for free with a new subscription. Then, you’ll be ready for Bodacious Creed and the Jade Lake when it comes out in three or four months.

I’d love to know what you’ve been up to for November, and this month. Feel free to share in the comments.

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ~ Maya Angelou.