Product Design

Sculpting in 3-D

Over the years, I have designed dozens of products each beginning with a prototype. A prototype is a realistic version of the product that can be reviewed, further modified or, if perfect, used as a master from which final production molds and packaging can be created. Besides sculptural abilities, I am a skilled with various molding and casting techniques as you can see in these shots.

For example, in the photos on left, you can see a miniature whitetail deer's head I sculpted from clay. From this I made a mold, and from the mold, I cast plastic copies. In reviewing the plastic casting, the ears seemed too narrow and long. So the adjustments were made to the master, tweaking it until it was perfect. That unpainted plastic master was shipped to the factory for production along with a second painted copy for color reference. While this was going on a third casting of the deer was used for production of the clam shell packaging.

I also make voodoo dolls. (Just kidding). 

Wildlife products:
 
 
Here you see an original whitetail
deer I sculpted in clay. A rubber mold
was made from the original clay.
 
 
Then from the new mold several
exact copies were cast in plastic.
 
 

Using an air brush, I painted two of
the plastic copies in realistic detail. 

 
 
Next, I designed background art: the
deer's body in the wilderness.
 
Prototype & final sample deer sculpted by Steve Hall 

Here you can compare the original
hand-painted master on the bottom,
and a production sample above.

 
3-D window cling designed by Steve Hall 
This is the final product on a truck
window: a 3-D deer decal currently
for sale in Bass Pro Shop, and other
major retailers nationwide.
 
 Seasonal products:
 Product Design by Steve Hall
 

The task here was a series of
of seasonal products.

 Steve Hall sculpting a new Halloween product
 From the original clay masters,
a mold was created.
 
 

From the mold, a series of plastic
copies were be produced.

 
 The plastic copy is then painted
and made into a prototype. In this
case, a 3-D decal for Halloween.
 
 The bat's head was cast as two
pieces and then joined together.
 
 The final plastic casting is a perfect
copy of the original master.
 
 

The plastic is then painted and
mounted to make a prototype for
review and mass production.

    Sport ball products:

In this sequence, I created a series of products involving a soccer ball, basketball and football.

Steve Hall sculpting a new soccer product

In this sequence, the original sculpture was created in plaster...

Mold setting up

then a mold is created using silicon rubber. 

Removing prototype from new mold

The casting is freed from the mold.

New resin casting made from mold

It is a perfect copy of the original. 

 Steve Hall air brushing prototype

The prototype is painted using an air brush. 

Steve Hall painting a new basketball prototype

Final details are added with a paint brush.