Before we begin, let's review the tools and materials we will need for this project. All these items are available at any convenient CITY MILL location!
- Power Tools: Jigsaw, Drill, Palm Sander
- Hand Tools: Screwdriver, Utility Knife, Scissors, Wire Cutter/Crimping Tool
- Drill Bits, Disc Sanding Attachment
- Masking Tape
- Sandpaper
- Enamel Spray Primer, Paint and Clear Finish
- Casting Resin and Pigment
- Auto Body Filler
- All-Purpose High-Tack Adhesive
- High Performance L.E.D. Safety Light
- Electrical: Wire, Soldering Iron, Solder & Connectors, Tape
- Hardware: Screws, Hinge, Wing Nut, Washers, Weatherstrip Tape, Velcro®
- Safety: Gloves, Chemical Mask, Glasses, Coveralls
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Gecko fiberglass blank, with eyes already cut out and held temporarily in place for this photo. |
Gecko fiberglass blank, rear view. |
Here, the eyes have been removed, revealing the thickness of fiberglass throughout the workpiece. |
The eyes will be fabricated using these materials: Casting Resin, Yellow Resin Pigment, Catalyst, mixing container and paddle. The chemical mask here serves double duty - the mask for protection against the resin's harmful fumes AND.. the vacuum-form packaging its sold in. The shape of the packaging will serve as a PERFECT MOLD for the eyes.. aha! |
One section of the chemical mask plastic vacuum form packaging is placed over a shop rag to hold it in place as a mold for the resin. The proper amount of catalyst and yellow pigment is mixed into the resin, then poured into the mold. Gotta' work quick.. this stuff sets up really fast! |
Here we have the finished translucent yellow resin eyes, shown next to the cut-out originals. Two iNova L.E.D. lights (shown) will provide alternating yellow and red lighting effects in the eyes. |
Low voltage L.E.D. light set soldered with modified wiring to allow external battery and switch. System has been test rated at 24 hours of continuous use for over 7 days on each battery set. |
"Rough-in" of hatch door for the eye's L.E.D. battery access. |
Cast resin eyes are glued on and roughed-in with auto body filler. This will eventually get disc-sanded smooth. The red patchwork is Glazing Putty, used extensively to smooth out the Gecko blank's rough surfaces. |
Battery hatch door underside. Note, the two switches have since been removed for cosmetic and functional reasons. The eyes and entire piece has been patched, sanded, primed and painted a white base coat. Graphic treatment is next! |
Arnold Lanting, Advertising Print Supervisor, devised this clever approach: Using an Overhead Projector, a gridline transparency is cast on a wall at approximately 45 degrees, where the Gecko is propped on its side. This overhead guide provides a proper tape line reference which will be used for the graphical layout of our design. |
A perfect overhead grid pattern, all taped and ready for paint. |
Here we have the colored graphic base, already showing significant progress. |
Each color square is individually masked along the taped gridline and spray painted its color. |
Done.. now on to the next square. |
Another view of the colored base, almost completed. |
All colors cells are complete! Next, the fun part... to remove the tape. |
The color base with all tape removed. |
The eyes will be finished with black accent trim, mocked-up here with electrical tape. |
Top view reveals our targeted grid design in color. |
CITYMILLEON's "chin area" receives a graphic treatment, which serves well to camouflage the battery access hatch. |
The very first "saw" icon graphic has been applied, and our Gecko has finally become "City-Mill-i-fied". |
A closer look at the first icon graphic. Steps on this procedure to follow. |
Here we have our color key reference (top left) and graphical design reference (top right in grayscale). Below are the actual size icons, printed from our layout program, then spray-mounted to a scrap piece of banner cloth. This was then hand cut with an X-Acto Knife to create a stencil. For consistency, this stencil will be used repeatedly to trace the outline of each icon onto the masked areas of the Gecko. |
Standard 1-1/2" width masking tape is layered over square color base. Note: The entire Gecko color base has been sprayed with a light coat of clear finish to protect the underlying colors from peeling off when the tape is removed. |
The stencil is held in place and traced with a pencil. |
The pencil line is then "cleaned-up" with a pen. |
Mask is cut out with X-Acto Knife on trace line. |
Image area of mask is peeled away for spray painting. |
Several coats of paint are applied in light, even layers to prevent mask bleed. |
The finished "Hammer" icon. Only 100 or so more icons to go. Whoah! |
More progress adding icons to the head... |
...and body. |
The skewed squares receive a "custom-stretched" icon design, as seen here with the "Laua'e" icon around the eye. |
More icons being added by bulk. |
Wrapping it up. |
All pau! |
Approximately 6 coats of clear high gloss finish protect the graphical surface. |
As a final design note, the trim around the eyes have been changed to a "guncoat metallic black" color for accent. |
"CITYMILLEON" gets its first chance to perch on a wall like its real-life counterpart. |
Ready for shipping |
Frank Suster (back) and Francis Ballesteros (front) assemble a custom-made "Gecko Crate". |
CITYMILLEON's "Geck-O-Kennel". |
CITYMILLEON's temporary "vacation home" at a posh downtown harbor-view tower. A happy group of friends mingle in the back. |
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