TNVC Pt. 1 : Skull & Nods

One of the biggest struggles I face is expanding my client list beyond guns. It seems to be really tough for some folks to grasp the application of a high detail PVC patch in other product spaces. Ephraim on the other hand, had been brainstorming this concept for quite some time when he finally got green-lit on the project.

With the help of my replica skull buddy, I set out to capture a handful of images to focus stack as the basis for my illustration.

Typically I go straight from photos to illustrator and jump straight into vector line art. This time around I added a step to my process, due to the intricate nature of the mount system on this helmet. I first sat down with my iPad and penciled out the major shapes that I needed to attend to, in an effort to simplify the visual overwhelm.

The time I spend hands on with products that I’m illustrating is so valuable to the overall process, because it allows my brain to almost passively construct how I’m going to communicate shapes through elevation layers within the mold process.

and Obviously… we can’t have a night vision patch without the glow..

I look forward to taking this elaborate mold, and pushing the envelope with some printing processes in the future for a new variant. Keep your eyes peeled 😉