KPD Blaster - "L's" gun from Netflix's live action version of Death Note

Not vacuum metalizing and not Veektohr's metalizing suggestion either. I have that system actually. Not by that company but that process. I use it for areas on a prop not typically handled. It is a fragile system in some respects and if you use a top coat, it dulls out. I also have and use a 20 amp plating system where I embed copper rods into the parts and then use a heavy copper etching solution which becomes part of the plastic. From there I go to a nickel tank and then chrome electro brush plate. From there I can go to real gold electro brush. If I want a brushed aluminum look, I stop at the nickel and then use scotchbrite to work it before adding a clear coat. I usually make my clear coats milky in color if I'm going for the aluminum look. Ive had my ST phasers, both aluminum and plastic, side by side and people couldn't tell which was which. However, none of the above I used for the Death Note guns. ;)

Some techniques need to be kept a secret. ;)
 
renegadecow

Yes, that gold finish is basically a "painted on" finish.... and years of trial, error, loss of hair, and a ton of wasted money to reach that point which you see in those two pics.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great thread. Big fan of this gun as stated everywhere else, and I still adore the work you did on Almost Human!
 
That's the same system I have here. However, clear coating dulls it. It's not as durable. Cosplay where costumers are conscious about their props and armor etc is fine. But actors and stunt guys that don't give a ****.... that's another story.

Also, he said that you want that gloss black underneath.... not exactly true. ;) Yes, gloss black is the "standard". But, not the only and not the best.
 
Okay... so I've been doing some beta testing for Formlabs on some new equipment they're getting ready to release. So I figured what better project but to do some test prints on of this gun on some new tech. Man, hard to believe I've been printing since the mid 90s. Anyway, I want to see what costs would be like to do a run. There is NO way most of these parts can be molded and cast. So don't ask. :) Most of my CAD gets pretty compmex to include cavities and wire channels in walls. Some parts could be molded but to be honest... it's not worth it since these are smaller parts and with one hit of the "print" button, I can knock out quite a few. It's the larger parts which are what I'm testing tonight. I'm using a pretty durable material. It's looking like three batches of parts per gun with two different materials. The largest and first batch is looking like 25 hours to print. My other printers are in use on this Dwayne Johnson flick so I can only spare the one machine right now.
 
RAYGUNMFG said:
Hi

Thank you for the positive response.... this is one of my most satisfying design attempts and I am really happy for Kenney's brilliant artistry in bringing it to reality.

So if you'd indulge me I'd like to lead you through my part of the process and the journey (abridged of course) that lead to the approved final design of "L"'s Blaster in Death Note.

First a little about my background... I work in the film industry, having started on set in various positions from PA to Assistant Director.... and then in the production office and then the in the most round about way possible I arrived in the art department.... though not as an illustrator yet but that's another story.

I've made a ton of models growing up (and still do when I have a chance) and I am mostly self taught in the ways of 3D modeling.

Designing stuff is fun, hard work, aggravating and fun. One has to have a knowledge of industrial design, artistry and story telling. There is more to consider but the primary thing is to serve the script and to be part of the world it inhabits.

When starting any design, I usually get some sort of brief and/or direction or references from either one or from all of the following: the Production Designer, Art Director, Prop Master and sometimes from the Director. Then I find and research my own references and start sketching ideas to develop the character of the design and the function as the script dictates and beyond.

In this case the brief was kinda like this.... The character known as "L" has a gun and we're going to make it a little different. Adam, the director of Death Note is a big fan of Blade Runner and suggested that we base our aesthetic to Deckards Blaster as a homage ....or something like that.

OK. No reference required as I also have "studied" this prop since the first time I saw it.
Being so iconic the challenge was to design a Blade Runner Blaster without actually designing the Blade Runner Blaster. OK.

The first thing I did was to draw up anything like it that wasn't like it.... here is a few attempts:

View attachment 755895


Then to draw it but not to draw it......

View attachment 755896

It kinda went on like that for a few days.....

I even tried a few like this just to be different.
View attachment 755898


One of the most distinctive things of the BR Blaster is that its sorta has the silhouette of a revolver but no visible cylinder suggesting a technology that is outside our perceived norms like something in the future might be.....like in Blade Runner. The thing is that our world of Death Note was not in the future but now.... todayish. So with this in mind I started incorporating the cylinder into the design which eventually lead to these two:

View attachment 755899

Which was ultimately combined to this one....
View attachment 755919

At this point it was decided by the prop master and the production designer to create a full render to show the director.... But before I did that Dan, the prop master, showed me something brilliant that I could incorporate into the design
View attachment 755922

Believe it or not this is an actual thing.... it's a camera mounted to a revolver that shoots six shots... one picture per shot of the gun. Brilliant!
For me, the design has some meaning and reason for being the way it is instead of just looking cool.

With that in hand and in mind I proceeded to model the Blaster around a Smith and Wesson revolver that was going to be the donor gun for this prop.

I will go into that in a following post.... Cheers.
Click to expand...

I love seeing these designs. Thank you Ray, from one artist to another, for sharing them!! You have anything else you can show us?
 
Kevin, Ray...wow!:cool What can I say...so much valuable infos here on this thread. Hopefully, it'll be archived by the Mods:)
 
Loved the gun when I saw it. I told my wife that it was (at least) a homage to Blade Runner... her having never seen BR, she didn't care but I'm digging it.
 
Oooops Ken!:$ Kevin is my next door neighbor but his real name is Ken:confused...thus the confusion. O.k...time for coffee.
 
This thread is more than 5 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.

Similar threads

Skywalker1973
Death Star interior door
2
Replies
20
Views
1,027
Skywalker1973
Skywalker1973
D
Need help IDing part of the Taxi Driver gun gauntlet
Replies
1
Views
156
ZeroSum
ZeroSum
Buissonland
My Matrix Lightning Gun
Replies
6
Views
474
Buissonland
Buissonland
DMO
Martian eye from War of the Worlds
Replies
0
Views
124
DMO
DMO
ssdesigner
My version of Adam Savage's helping hands
Replies
3
Views
787
ssdesigner
ssdesigner
Back
Top