Case Study:
Pentagon Pile-Up
a sculpture project with
Todd James
The Challenge:
Artist Todd James needed to create a complex, large-scale physical sculpture based on these sketches. We looked at his existing work and previous sculptures so that I knew exactly how to interpret Todd’s sketches as a life-size sculpture with his unique style.
Through a series of shared turntable renders and virtual reviews, we refined the pose and balance to ensure Todd's vision was met at every stage. I sculpted the piece digitally with the industry standard Zbrush software.
In addition to the artistic challenge of nailing Todd’s stylized shape-language, there were many technical hurdles involved with making sure that the piece would be balanced, supported, and strong enough for fabrication and finishing.
The Solution:
Once Todd was thrilled with the digital piece, I prepared it for CNC milling. Great care was taken to ensure that the file was perfectly set up for fabrication.
What Todd James had to say about working with me on this:
“I reached out to Ryan while working with Nanzuka Gallery on Pentagon Pile-Up, my first large-scale sculpture—a six-foot painted bronze accompanied by a smaller vinyl edition. I’d collaborated with him before and knew he was the right artist to help translate my sketches and drawings into the three-dimensional world the way I envisioned them. Ryan delivered exactly what I imagined, and I believe it shows in the final piece.”