We're excited to announce a model-making workshop, 'Art of the Model' at Montana State University's School of Architecture.  The goal of which is for students to work alongside professional model-makers and learn a host of skills to build better models in school and beyond.

The class will be heavily focused on hands-on applications of various techniques for building structures, topography, trees, vegetation, and site details.  Particular attention will be paid to ways to cut costs on materials, saving time, and building your own custom tools.

Tuesday: March 23rd, 2010 - Evening Session
6:10 - 6:30    Intro and why models still count in the design conversation
6:30 - 7:30    Lab: Building Trees - Palm, Conifer, and Deciduous
7:30 - 7:45    Break
7:45 - 8:15    Understanding Scale and how it relates to your model
8:15 - 9:00    Lab: Creating Topography - Foam carving, adhesives, vegetation, lot lines

Thursday: March 25th, 2010 - Evening Session
6:00 - 7:00    Lab: Water Features - Airbrush techniques and using resins
7:00 - 7:30    Digital Fabrication Methods: Case Study of Dwell and SketchUp Model
7:30 - 7:45    Break
7:45 - 8:45    Lab: Representing Materials - Concrete, Steel, Brick, Lumber
8:45 - 9:00    Divide into groups and discuss model candidates for Saturday project

Saturday: March 27th, 2010 - All Day Hands-on Lab
8:30 - 12:00  Topography, vegetation, building envelope, and structure
12    - 12:30  Lunch
12:30 - 2:00  Structure details
2:00  - 2:30   Skype Call - Morphosis
2:30 - 4:00    Final touch ups
4:00 - 4:30    Group presentations of model
4:30 - 5:00    Closing remarks

Cost: $85 and includes all material supplies.

NOTE: Class size was limited to 16 students. Update: SOLD OUT. Please stay tuned for future workshops!

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What will I learn?
Ways to compliment your digital model-making skills.  We'll cover a variety of techniques to help you build better models whether you're a first year or working on finishing up your thesis. Learn how to not only model better but build models smarter.  We'll also cover how to photograph models and ways to ship or store your works of art. 

2. What is Sweet Onion Creations?
We're a Bozeman based company that builds a variety of architectural media in physical or digital format for clients around the globe.  While we started out in 3D printing scale models for architects, we've grown into doing a variety of models including large hand-built models using CNC and laser cut tools as well.  In short, if it can be seen with the naked eye, we can probably model it.
We also have a rendering and web studio that does virtual tours, Flash animations. touchscreen kiosks, and web design.

3. What do I need to know in advance?
Nothing. We'll teach all you need to do to build beautiful scale models, communicate better in the physical form, and show your portfolio in innovative ways.  We'll also show you how to do this on a student budget and ways to save time when you model.

4. What do I need to bring?
Beyond the lowly Exacto knife, scissors, and ruler (and maybe Band-Aids?), we'll cover everything else.  We'll be walking you through step by step all the tips and tricks and materials will be provided.

About the Instructors:

Ed Herman - Head of Models
Ed has built architectural and topographic models professionally for clients in virtually every sector including U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, CBS Studios, Don King Productions, government agencies in countries like Dubai, Nigeria, and the U.K., as well as countless domestic architectural and development firms.  Over the past five years, he's found that across the board the story is the same; people connect with models and nothing delivers that information as effectively as a 3D scale model. At Sweet Onion Creations, Ed heads up a sonic boom in technology that is allowing ideas to come alive in ways that were simply unheard of twenty years ago. Instead of replacing traditional hands-on methods, he integrates these timeless skills with advances in digital fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC'ing) into a cohesive model building approach - resulting in the best of both worlds.

Jake Cook - Founder
While working on his MA, Jake was exposed to 3D printing technology and Rhino.  He went on to cofound Sweet Onion Creations in 2006 with the idea of merging the web with 3D printing.  The big break came in 2007 with Sweet Onion being named by MSN.com as "Greenest Startup in the US".  Jake went on to develop methodologies for 3D printing SketchUp files, which led to projects with Google and Dwell magazine.  He has presented at Googleplex on "Cool Uses of SketchUp" and at the Materialise Innovation Forum on Additive Manufacturing in Architecture. 

On the side, Jake spends as much time outside. He also volunteers on Red Feather Development Group's Board of Directors, which works with Native American communities on sustainable housing intiatives.

Case Study:

We'll be also highlighting and explaining the methods in how this model was recently built for the 'Design Your Dwelling' contest with Google SketchUp and Dwell magazine: