Inspired by the rhinoceros beetle Dynastinae, this Rhino Swarm Fighter Machine took many twists and turns before completion.
I have learned to scrap any avenue of design and change direction without a single worry if I don't like that direction.
This often means that I make things that are discarded and remade in a different form.
I wanted to make a war machine using a Rhinoceros Beetle Dynastinae as my source design.
I made a body out of 3 mm brass stock material.
Then I attached the legs and added a 1 mm base onto the body. The brass plate is covered with paper at the moment.
I decided to do some repoussé on copper of a beetle on the platform.
Here I'm turning the cannon barrel.
Several iterations of the barrel trough followed until I remade it into a twisted bar chassis for the swarm module. This looked much more elegant to me.
The Queen spider is a mobile entity that would control the swarm module.
I start with some silver stock.
I wanted the body to be made out of lapis lazuli, because I like the colour.
The head was made out of laminated onyx, red jasper and sugilite.
I made a bunch of decorative gem nuts that will have zircons set into them.
To complete the spider, I added a spiked reflector tail.
I decided to make a Beetle Beast that would help the battle computer in times of engagement with the enemy.
I started with a piece of 20 mm brass stock.
I carve it out with tungsten carbide burrs.
To complete it, I added horns, steel teeth and eyes set with Sandawana emeralds.
The swarm machine has a rear gunner as well.
I start with two brass domes that are soldered to a copper ring.
As before, I carve directly into the metal.
Fitting him to the rear gun platform. From his platform he is protecting the Swarm War Machine from rear and side enemy attack during battle.
Now, now I do battle the eyes. I added bigger 30 mm diameter circles made out of silver, that will contain the eyes. I think they look better, more bug like. I like the piercing look of those blue eyes.
Now I take everything apart and polish and rouge it.
I like polished things, and if I decide to make it mat, it is easier to go from polish to mat than from mat to polish.
I built an electronic computer interface out of copper scrolls connected to the controls for battle information.
The Queen in control. This is one of the more complex sculptures I have made.
It was built over four months and about three hundred hours of work.
After 300 hours the Rhino Swarm Fighting Machine is complete.
