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Community Spotlight: Sketch065's Many Mini Models and More
This talented Tenno tells us about building their tiny arsenal of Warframe weapons and more.
Posted On 2017-06-30 01:00:00
Community Spotlight: Sketch065's Many Mini Models and More

Hello, thank you for taking part in Warframe’s Community Spotlight! To start things off, can you introduce yourself?

I'm Sketch065. Besides being a Tenno I am also an artist with many different interests, which include everything from wood-crafting, metal-crafting, leatherwork, drawing, 3d modeling, T-shirt design, etc. But in the Warframe community I am best known for making tiny models of weapons and Warframes.

What drew you to Warframe, both as a video game, and as a subject for model making?

In my years, I have come to love many things. Four of those things are: science fiction, ninjas, awesome suits of armor and third person shooters. I started playing Warframe because it seemed to have all of the above, but I quickly learned that this game was something amazing, and through the four years of being a member of this amazing community I must say that I was right.

Your models are incredibly detailed considering their size, how long have you been practicing this craft?

I started with this craft as a child, when I was making custom weapons and equipment for my action figures. Back then, those weapons were mostly made by using a utility knife and small parts of wood and basically looked like garbage. Over the years, I adapted to use a variety of different tools and materials. I also learned and invented multiple techniques which brought me to where I am today. And I’m still learning new things with every model I make.

At first one might think you use a 3d printer, but the timelapse video of your miniature Cronus tells a different story. Is there a specific reason that you like to sculpt by hand?

I do use power tools like an electric drill and on rare occasions a rotary tool, but I prefer sculpting by hand because it gives me a lot more control over what I am making. I can easily monitor how the material behaves, the textures of the surface, the angles of the cut and straightness of the lines. It also allows me to work and view the project from any side I want.

If the opportunity presented itself, would you try making models from a 3d printer? Why or why not?

I like 3d printers and think that they are an amazing piece of technology that are useful in many different areas. But I would never use one for my work, simply because, I like what I do and how I do it. I like to study what I am about to make, figuring out a plan of construction, watching how everything comes together piece by piece and eventually saying: “It’s done.” Like some guy once said: “It is not the destination, but the path you take to get there.” I think that in this age of 3d printers, it’s important to show people that they don’t need an expensive machine to make something like I do. All they need is their hands and a little patience.

Something that really makes your work stand out is your use of coloured lights, what is it like working with electronics on such tiny models? How do you do it?

Electronics in my models are just another step that i have to figure out before I can start crafting and although it can be challenging, it feels a lot more rewarding when everything falls into place and the model works perfectly. When working with electronics, that have to be installed in such a small item, I have to keep four things in mind:

-Where will the batteries be stored?

-How will the light be directed?

-How will I activate it at the end?

-How will all the elements be connected?

Your “My tiny arsenal” post in the Warframe Forums includes a box of “KubrO’s Cereal” with a blueprint for what appears to be “Spoon Prime.” Care to tell us more about this project?

You may have noticed that I made that box of KubrO’s right after I finished my Excalibur and kubrow sculpture. That means that just a few days before I made it, I was busting my fingers while gluing fur onto my little fluffy companion and putting finishing touches on my favorite Warframe.

This was a lazy Sunday morning project that was a breath of fresh air after a lot of time spent on complex work.

Your work has been featured a few different times on Prime Time streams here at the office, how does it make you feel when you see the Warframe team marvelling at your work?

It feels incredibly rewarding every time I see one of my projects being featured on Prime Time.

Before about a year ago, I was too shy to show my work for fear of what the reactions might be. Seeing that people like it really helped to boost my confidence, especially when some of those people are the ones that made my favorite game.

What has the broader community’s reaction to your work been like?

It was basically the same as in WF community. People like it, are amazed and I think that sometimes they might be a tiny bit jealous.

Apart from beautifully detailed models, you also put a lot of effort into the technical and statistical design of your fan concepts. Can you tell us a bit about your design process for “Grim” and the “Okisor” ?

These two weapons started the same, as basic sketches that I drew and forgot about in the times of damage 1.0. With the success of my tiny arsenal I decided to test my luck with making full concepts, so I dug out a few sketches from my ancient archives and started tweaking the ideas.

For the Okisor I knew I wanted a more modern looking weapon because I liked to think that it was made by the modern day Tenno and not the Orokin. If the Orokin had this weapon, the old war would have had a much different ending. So I updated the looks of the original sketch with a few inspirations from my favorite present day rifle the FN-F2000. As for the elemental damage, at first I wanted to have a pure puncture based weapon, but the more I worked on it, the more I was drawn to the current idea.

Grim was a different story. While Okisor was a modern weapon, I wanted Grim to be ancient, pre-dating even the Old War as you can read on the Forum page I made for it. At first it looked more like a mixture of bone and insect that I updated with more sentient features.

For the whispering and screaming, I wanted to give the weapon an evil feel and thought that it whispering or talking to you as you slay your enemies does just that.

Do you have a favourite piece in your tiny Warframe arsenal? If so, why is that piece so special to you?

That is a quite difficult question, because a lot of weapons that I made, have something that makes them special to me. For example, Grakata is the most detailed one that I made, Twin Wraith Vipers were the first with really delicate paint job, Lex Prime is the first prime that I made and has moving parts. But for my #1 I must say my Tekelu Tigris (Sancti) which is not only my favorite weapon in the game, but is also the first weapon that I crafted and the one that got me into making miniature weapons.

Of the items you have not yet sculpted, which are you most looking forward to making?

For that I will have to say Javlok, which is also near the top of my favorite weapons with really cool design. I am also looking forward to making Silva and Aegis, for which I plan on using flickering LEDs that imitate fire, and for two of my own concepts, of which I am not going to reveal anything yet.

Thank you so much for taking the time speak with us at Warframe. One last question, what can our community look forward to seeing next from you?

Thank you again for choosing me to be a part of the Community Spotlight and keep in mind to check up on me every once in a while. I still have a lot of things up my sleeve. Fire and fury.


For more of Sketch065’s amazing models check out their “My Tiny Arsenal” forum post and be sure to give them a follow to see all the new amazing models as they come out.