Sharp 10P-18H

It’s probably clear from a number of my previous projects that I’m quite keen on retro tech; there’s a project (aptly named Retro Tech) full of products like the JVC GR-C1 (Back to the Future) and an original Polaroid camera, amongst others.

I’d originally set my sights on interesting products within movies and TV shows to replicate in 3D. These props have then made their way into a number of other projects. More recently, I have shifted to simply wanting to acquire the actual products; to get my hands on the tangible rather than forever living in the realm of digital.

Alongside a JVC GR-C1, Polaroid camera, Sony Walkman and a few other things like radios and phones, I now own this combination TV, radio, cassette player; the Sharp 10P-18H. A great eBay purchase, in very condition for its age (probably around 30+ years).

Modelling

Having access to the real product is a blessing and a curse. It’s great being able to see the item from all angles and inspect all that it has to offer. The downside to seeing all is then feeling a compulsion to model all. I didn’t feel that I could cut out details and simplify the modelling process and reduce the amount of time to complete the model and the impact on rendering times etc.

Totally worth it (in my opinion). Being that the modelling process is the part that I get the most satisfaction from, it didn’t make sense for me to cut this short just to get it over the line. After all, I’m the client and there isn’t a deadline…so I just kept right on going. The extra detail ultimately leads to a broader scope of what I can then do with the prop in future projects too, so there’s no harm there.