Chase H.Q. was a very popular title for the Amstrad.

Amstrad CPC 464 Papercraft 2.0

November 30, 2018

I am happy to present an new updated edition of the Amstrad CPC 464 papercraft I created a few months back. As this was my first attempt at a papercraft, I was still figuring out things. This update includes improved rendering of the computer and monitor, more accurate monitor proportions, and a series of ten interchangeable screenplates to further customize you CPC experience. The download link is located at the end of this post.

The monitor now has some added dimensionality in the back.

Growing up in Canada, I never had an opportunity to mess around with one of these systems. Through the magic of emulation, I have recently begun to explore this system and continue to be impressed by its colourful selection of amazing ports and original games.

You can download this Amstrad CPC papercraft pattern HERE.

Oregon Trail was my first exposure to the Apple II on our classroom computer back in the 80s.

Apple II - Papercraft Design

November 27, 2018

I am happy to present my latest papercraft project, the Apple II. This pattern is free for you to download from the link at the bottom of this post.

I have often spoken fondly of my time with the Commodore 64, but I also grew up with the Apple II in my school. I always thought of these systems as school computers and while fun to play with, I always saw these as serious machines.

Karateka - Great graphics, difficult to master

As a young Commodore 64 user, I was shocked to discover that school’s Apple II did not have BASIC in memory.

Growing up, the only game I ever played on the Apple II is Oregon Trail because that was the only game our school had. I was already pretty obsessed with computers and always hungry for more exposure. Thankfully the Internet happened and now I can experience this machine in a multitude of ways, which happens to include creating and sharing this papercraft pattern (link at end of post).

The Apple’s wedge shape, makes it ideal for a papercraft interpretation.

Handsome profile.

Please click HERE to download the Apple II papercaft pattern. I think this is the perfect project to occupy the family over the holiday season.

If the Commodore 64 is more you jam, you can download that pattern HERE!

If you would like to see more retro papercraft consider leaving a like below, it helps me gauge what I might want to do next!

Simple Vintage-inspired Watch

November 21, 2018

Here are the completed renders of my latest watch design. I am planning on continuing my exploration of this and other watch projects that I have on the go. Currently there is no plans to produce anything but I can always dream and watches are a great template to practice the of the power of design.

It’s the Lunchtime Diver because I designed it over lunch!

New Watch Designs

November 3, 2018

I have heard stories of famous watch designer, Gérald Genta being given crazy deadlines to design many of his iconic watches. The AP Royal Oak being designed in two days, the Patek Nautilus in a half a day. So wanting to follow in his footsteps, I am attempting to design watches as quickly as possible a) for practice and understanding b) and maybe I stumble upon a hit like Genta.

The Lunchtime Diver is a function forward design with a generous oversized bezel ideal for larger or gloved hands. Simplicity and legibility is the mission. The contoured sunburst dial adds a pop of flair to this tool watch.

The Tall Boy is a weekend warrior’s watch.

The Tall Boy was designed to be as different as possible from the dive watch. Experimenting with extreme proportions and distortions. The face’s ridged pattern matches the minute tics of the chapter ring.

What would a Genesis/Megadrive port of Gateway to Apshai look like? Here’s my first attempt.

Gateway to Apshai - Sega Genesis Upscale

November 3, 2018

Epyx’s Gateway to Apshai is a game I grew up playing on my Commodore 64 back in the 80’s. It was the first dungeon crawler I ever played and is still fun to play today.

These are my initial thoughts as to what I would like to see in a 16-bit port. Palettes need to be resolved, graphics need further refinement, and additional detail will be added as I get a better sense of what is possible.

This is not the first time I have done a rescale of this game, last year I mocked up a 1-bit Arduboy port.

Gateway to Apshai hero - Lot’s of opportunity to infuse character into this sprite.

This project is in it’s infancy so I don’t want to advertise the potentials just yet, but as always, there is a chance that this project could continue to grow. Here’s to hoping!

This is Faux’s trailer interior V1 complete. Items may be added but I am satisfied with this first pass.

GameMaker Development - Bedroom added

September 26, 2018

I really had a feeling that if I rendered Faux’s place in pixels, it would be perfect stage for a game that focuses on our relationship and our ongoing efforts to grow a life together.

The next step in this project will be to start mapping out the exterior garden. Plenty of photos were taken at peak season to ensure a grand interpretation. With fall fast upon us, the colder weather should provide plenty of incentive to want to revisit that warmth. I am excited to start growing our pixel garden in the warmth of the studio.

I promise I will also have more papercraft projects coming soon!

Faux really knows how to put a room together and she also made the quilt on the bed!

Progress is being made. Faux’s trailer is proving to be the perfect stage for a video game.

GameMaker Progress - Coloring has begun

September 22, 2018

I have been having such a great time with my papercraft designs that I had taken a break on other projects such as my graphics for a possible GameMaker game. What exactly this game could be has yet to be determined but as an exercise in “pixellating” a real-life location, I am beginning to see some real success.

I am especially proud of the linoleum in the kitchen. Ezra the cat is always demanding to be fed.

Cheeseburger the cat likes to follow me around the trailer and beg to be picked up.

The final area I worked on, is the hallway, studio and bathroom areas. More clutter, erm details will be added to the studio shelves at some point.

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet King Conion!!

Conion C-100F Papercraft

August 11, 2018

My first encounter with the Conion C-100F was at my local flea markets. I went back dozens of times just to see it's majesty. I could never justify the purchase price so the best way for me to get hands-on with one of these beasts was to make a papercraft version of it.

Enjoy the free pattern at the end of the article.

There are so many dials and switches on this thing - it's begging to be used.

This is a device from another time where the design language was clearly more is more. And it is a sight to behold. From the analogue VU meters with that flashy blue and motif, the huge tuner for fine adjustments, those crazy old-school LEDs that light up to the beat, it has a freaking burglar alarm! The thing that really stuck with me was how the folks at Conion decided to use two design languages when implementing the dual-cassette system. A traditional front-loading design typical for portable stereos, and a deck that would be more at home in an automobile. I am sure this is a space-saving measure but it's pretty fun as well.

This boombox uses 8 D-Cell batteries which I imagine don't last too long in the wild.

If you like this project please consider leaving a like, this lets me know if there is interest in seeing more of these in the future. I would like to do more boomboxes and really want to do an Pioneer Urushi component stereo.

Download the pattern here.

PS. This is not the first time I have riffed off the mighty King Conion. A few months back, I designed a Conion patch.

Nintendo GameCube Papercraft

July 21, 2018

I was inspired to make my own GameCube Mini after hearing rumors about such a project being planned by Nintendo. While I remain skeptical that such a project is on Nintendo's short list, my new papercraft is free and available for download here.

As much as I like drawing computers from the 80's, the GameCube represented a welcomed departure for all that beige.

Indigo was the most common GameCube colour and the one I own.

Black and Indigo were the base-level GameCube models.

The Platinum GameCube was the system's premium configuration.

I think Nintendo knocked it out of the park with the simple and colourful design!

The Spice-coloured GameCube was exclusive to Japan.

GameCube Development Kits came in many colours including Emerald Blue.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end of the post. I make pixel art and other tech-related papercraft projects. Please check out a few posts just below for more.

If you would like to see more posts like this, consider leaving a like on this post it really encourages me to keep creating!

I remember flipping through old computer magazines and seeing ads like these.

Commodore 64 Papercraft V3

June 28, 2018

This is the third update of my Commodore 64 papercraft series. This project consists of everything you will need to recreate the iconic image pictured above:

Commodore 64 Computer - Update, original light-coloured function keys
Commodore 1541 Hard Drive - Update, "active" power light
Commodore MPS 801 Printer - New!
Commodore VIC Modem - New!
"Net Sales" Screenplate - New!

Download Link

Continuous feed paper with MPS print test

I am enjoying this series. I have received a lot of words of encouragement as well as some great feedback.

Stay tuned for more cool stuff!

The Commodore 1541 disk drive proudly joins the Commodore 64 papercraft series.

Commodore 1541 Disk Drive Papercraft

June 14, 2018

I was about 10 when I first saw Hover Bovver on my friend's C-64. He had a disk drive and fists fulls of games. I had a 64 for a while at that point but had been limited by the few cartridge games I could find in my small town and a very slow Datasette.

The iconic 1541 drive I pined for as a kid.

This drive would make my C64 a killer games machine.

I begged my mom for a disk drive for years before finally getting one towards the end of the Commodore's run. I bought a shiny new 1541-C (don't worry, the papercraft is a period correct 1541). Even though the scene in town had dwindled to about three kids, I quickly "amassed" hundreds of games. I was often more interested in the "cracktos" featured at the beginning of the games than the games themselves.

This papercraft is dedicated to the times I spent experiencing exotic greetings from overseas in a time before the internet made such worldwide shout-outs commonplace.

The download is here. The papercraft model includes:

New Commodore 1541 disk drive
Two 5.25" floppy diskettes
Swappable screen faceplates
Improved Commodore 64 pattern
Updated Commodore 1701 monitor pattern

A couple of 5.25" floppy diskettes with a few games I owned back in the day.

Thanks so much for all the recent attention. I am glad these projects are providing enjoyment for others as well. Anticipate more updates in this Commodore papercraft series on this site. There are a LOT of accessories and I am also very nostalgic for these times.

Now you can represent your favorite Demoscene with four interchangeable faceplates.

Commodore 64 Paper Craft

April 5, 2018

I love technical illustration and work as a package designer so a paper craft seemed like a good challenge. Share in the fun and download the Commodore 64 paper craft

Inspired by the recent release of the C64 Mini, I created a paper craft mini monitor to display alongside the new system.

C64 Paper Craft Mini Monitor

March 30, 2018

Download the paper craft Monitor template v1 here.

A paper craft version of the Commodore 64 computer is already underway as part of a "Draw Your Favorite Computer" contest being put on by RetroManCave celebrating 30,000 subscribers. A link to the paper craft computer will be available by next weekend.

There are 10 screen variations of the paper craft monitor template to choose from in the download (PDF).

While I never personally had one of the 1701 monitors myself, a number of my C64 friends back in the day did and they were great!

A True Story: An Animated Film

March 24, 2018

This film is about a story my grandmother told me as a child about her sister's encounter with a stranger late at night along a lonely country road. Isolation and a lack of connection to family and friends was commonplace in many parts of Manitoba a generation ago and still persists in many ways today.

Radio, a one-way communication that often served to comfort as much as it did to inform.

The outlines for these rooms were a challenge. A utility closet was initially included in the design but in order to best resolve the most interesting items across all the rooms it was removed. And yes, Faux really has a goofy skeleton hanging on he… — The outlines for these rooms were a challenge. A utility closet was initially included in the design but in order to best resolve the most interesting items across all the rooms it was removed. And yes, Faux really has a goofy skeleton hanging on her studio door.

Hallway, Studio, Bathroom Outlines Complete

March 17, 2018

Very excited to see continued progress on this project. I promise colour and details will follow but I must first outline the kitchen and the bedroom. I force myself to stay at this limited level of detail in order to remain flexible in the overall design. Also, it has been said, that you can't help but get better as you practice your pixelwork. By the time I have completed outlining, I am hoping I will have gained enough skill to fill in the gaps.

Here is a sample of the in-game door functionality. Doors allow for "privacy".

The final two rooms are smaller than the "first two" but are both full of interesting details so I will avoid the impulse to start rushing. This is a labour of love!

Represents the outline of most of the assets in Faux's living room.

Faux and Rockasoo Video Game Development Begins

March 10, 2018

I went to Faux's trailer to take photos and graph out (on paper), the game's assets.

The idea of making a game out of my personal life is a theme that has followed me for a long time. I hope to celebrate life's many hardships, struggles, triumphs and victories in our quest to reach the lofty heights of the 16-bit.

For perspective, the trailer will span several screens.

You play as Dicky the owl who squares off against an owl-sized spider.

Dicky's Diamonds - Arduboy Mockup

February 28, 2018

Making Arduboy mockups of classic Commodore games is great way to spend an evening. Dicky's Diamonds was a game published in 1983 by B. O'Shaugnessy for the Commodore 64. The game scales down handsomely to the Arduboy's scale and 1-bittyness.

Faux and Rockasoo with their two cats, Cheeseburger and Ezra.

My 8-Bit Future

February 24, 2018

The Living Room *ruffed* out. Bruce, the Blue Heeler, says hello.

Trying to distinguish feminine from masculine in 8-bits is a challenge.

Faux's trailer is the world map. The limitations of the NES will ultimately determine the level of detail I am able to give to this world.

NES 8-bit game design has always been on the bucket list. I am hoping NESmaker will be the key to giving it a go. Getting familiar with a different graphics mode is always exciting to me, and the opportunity to tell a meaningful story with an old Nintendo makes the whole prospect that much more attractive.

This is my house as I remember it from the late 80s to early 90's.

My Home Circa 1990

February 10, 2018

I grew up with a Commodore. One of my favorite things to do was draw pictures of my house using the PETSCII characters on the keyboard. Back in the day there was no way to easily save this drawings so the image above is a modern take using the very cool PLAYSCII editor.

Watch Colourways

January 25, 2018

Watch design recoloured.

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A collection of illustrations, designs, other art, and the occasional meandering. If you are interested in working with me please have a look at my portfolio and feel free to drop me a line!