#i draw a lot of maloof

[psicadetterra]

What is going on with Maloof's head? No, really. Look at it.

(Turnaround made by mechmolar. I owe you my life.)

It's a goddamn optical illusion. Sometimes there's baby face, sometimes there isn't. It's a GEOMETRIC baby face at that. His head is also FUCKHUGE. It's the same size as his body. His poor face was smashed in with a frying pan, so he has a nose only sometimes from certain angles. It's honestly fascinating. I want to set him on one of those rotating platforms and just rotate him slowly and observe closely.

[ottosbigtop]

I can’t fucking. Draw. To save my life lately so instead I’m gonna write down some aac fun facts

-Reinterpreted Mikhail as Grulovian bc I feel like it fits rather than them just being Real World Russian.

-Benny will get any face piercing but will not touch his ears. (Trying to draw attention away from them.)

-Vernon gets true psychic tales tshirts for free as an employee (they’re all from old releases but aren’t cool enough to be considered vintage) and they make up half his wardrobe

-Due to overusing clairvoyance as a kid, Nils had some sort of psychic malfunction that made him incapable of snapping out of clairvoyance vision, so he wears glasses designed with psitanium. Theyre the only thing that will let him see normally.

-Nils is only still in contact with the Psychonauts because his sister is in the intern program and he has custody over her, so he has to come in for any sort of guardian responsibilities.

-Maloof tried smoking cool cigars to go with his mob boss persona and almost died coughing. He’s got a handful of toothpicks and lollipops instead now that absolutely do not convey the same energy.

-Raz wants JT to be his friend soooo bad. All of their work interactions are painfully polite and nonspecific. It drives Raz insane. JT just thinks Raz is a good coworker, Raz feels like they should be forming a psychonauts warriors bond by now. (This desire for a friendship is incredibly superficial on Raz’s end, he has problems.)

-Franke’s day job is working at an arcade :) she does a lot of the upkeep of the machines.

[tumbleinthenet]

i'm really strapped for options on who i Actually want to do next. it's getting down to a lot of designs i am Not confident about.

note: i may have drawn some of them before as part of something else but not like. on their own/at their current age (i definitely havent drawn lili or raz in their pn1 outfits) so im going to point that out in the options.

hopefully when i do them all i can post them all together! (or in a few chunks idk the limit)

[mirchloe]

i know it's easy to say "oh, x is like the team dad!" or "y is z's mom," but those interpretations in general never really stuck with me, especially when the characters are close in age like "vector is espio's dad" when he's only four years older.

for pn, i never really saw hollis as the mom of the interns - she's their teacher! their boss, too. she cares for them as a mentor and does everything she can to keep them safe. i think she draws a good line in the sand for them, and based on how she views family, she doesn't want to perceive them as her kids.

it's a similar, but different vein for morris and milla, where she's another treasured mentor figure, not really a mom. those cut lines serve as him wanting to impress her because he's thrilled to have her as his teacher (which is just another part i wish wasn't cut because those clips were very sweet for his character and smooth the "cool guy" edge that he has). milla definitely views the campers as younger than they are, just look at how she sees raz. based on her own trauma, she views any psi cadet or intern under her wing as a kid she has to nurture, but she doesn't perceive or present herself as their mother. same for sasha and raz, in which he sees himself in raz and wants to help bring out raz's potential and see him grow up because raz will, and always, have his real parents in augustus and donatella, in general, for all the interns, they can always be trusted adults in their life, people to rely on, without explicitly slapping on a label like "sasha's is raz's other dad."

and obviously, there are definitely dynamics that can be read as familial and earn those labels like, in a different example, the bond between sonic and tails is very clearly meant to be interpreted as brotherly. adam can be seen as a more positive big brother figure to raz, compared to the complexity that raz shares with dion, who harbors a lot of mixed feelings and anger for raz running away and their father suddenly dropping his long-running anti-psychic sentiments (that, you know, dion has been forced to hear all his life and internalized because of his father). it's definitely a nicer relationship because raz doesn't have any issues with adam, while he has a life-long history with dion. as such, both dynamics are equally unique when reading into raz.

of course, this isn't me saying, "you can never interpret them as familial." otto can definitely be seen as gisu's cool grandpa mostly because of how each character acts individually. maloof might be mikhail's boss, but there is a brotherly aspect to their mafia boss/henchman dynamic. i'm sure lili has come to see sasha and milla as extended relatives with how long they've been in her life, like uncle and aunt figures. raz still idolizes sasha and milla in the post-game, like a kid who made his "parents" proud, even though he doesn't see them that way. the psychic seven are quite literally the found family trope but without any labels attached - no one is the "mom" of the group, etc. fanon wise, the "you guys wanna split a cab?" group has a variety of interpretations. it's just nice that there are a multitude of dynamics presented in the series that can't just be boiled down to "oh, hollis acts like such a mom to the interns."

[snurgle07]

What's some of your favorite rarepairs from some of your favorite fandoms?

Ooh that’s a fun one! I'm definitely a big multishipper, and it doesn't take much for me to enjoy a rarepair. Sooo I'm gonna stick to the two major fandoms that have given me brainrot and only name a few because I can ramble for sure haha. I can elaborate more if prompted tho :>

For Mob Psycho 100

QPR Ritshou: Ritshou is by no means a rare pair within the fandom (there is a lot of content!) but I have a very specific vision of them in a queer platonic bond specifically. I like viewing them as more alterous than romantic, mainly because I am attached to the aroace Ritsu headcanon and I love to project. I’d absolutely love to explore this concept in art or fic one of these days because it's very complex in my head! I’d say that brand of Ritshou content might be too self-indulgent for others to care, but I've surprisingly seen some QPR content for these two already!

Tokugawa/Kamuro, Takenaka/Inukawa, and Matsumine (looking at you theo!) also appeal to me (separate from each other ofc)! I like the opposites vibe of the last two and I wish there were more content for all of them. (Though I completely understand why these are rarepairs at the same time haha). In my head, their dynamics all involve quiet/serious guys who secretly enjoy the company of the other a lot, and I think that's cute.

For Psychonauts

Frazie/Sam: I know people tend to hop on the Frazie/Norma train, which is definitely a fun pairing, but I’ve fallen for the idea of Frazie with Sam instead. The comedy potential of Raz finding out his big sister is dating Dogen’s big sister is golden to me. I think they'd get along well! They're both weird woodsy girls who shift between nice and intimidating. I want to draw these two together eventually!

QPR Clem/Crystal: I have an aged-up Psychonauts 'AU' of sorts in my head. These two would live together, and generally be very touchy-feely in terms of affection, but not romantically be a thing. It's a very sweet concept to me! They'd be inspired by Cassie and Compton's relationship while interning at the Motherlobe, and they mostly act as feeble supports to each other's severely low self-esteem! Fun. On a similar note, I think Crystal and Phoebe would be cute romantically.

Maloof and Elka for that matter! I think Nils and Elka would be on and off for a long time, and she'd eventually fall for Maloof's cutesy mafia boss schtick. They'd have a sorta opposites dynamic that'd be cute I think!

And yea! Those are what came to mind! Thanks for the ask! :D

[32bitterra]

(February 5 - February 29, 2024)

There's lots of goodies in here. Look under the cut to see more.

I had "Material Girl" stuck in my head that morning the day I drew that. It was a sign ...

Original sketch by Mew. I was given permission to redraw it.

Knighting Misha.

It is CRIMINAL it took me this long to draw Mr. Pokeylope.

Clem and Crystal in super Salem style. Nothing but respect.

Alright, you know what? (Megaman-ifies your Psychonauts character and Psychonauts-ifies your Megaman character) TAKE THAT.

Are there any Nils fans out there? This one goes out to you.

I took suggestions from friends on what to draw Crystal & Clem doing. Special thanks to them.

Maybe I am starting to come around to Elka.

I love the way he says stupid. STUUUUUUPID

Misha is my favorite and I've never even drawn him with his normal palette. I had to do something about it.

Dad's wisdom. Requested by my sister, based on an inside joke.

Chuck Jones-ish Maloof. It's my second time trying this style.

Standalone palette drawing unrelated to the Spray Paint Palette series. Don't worry about Elton, he's just fine. This is only a dream he is having. Special thanks to Dire Dire Docks for helping me complete this.

Crystal going through it.

Mouse Mirtala (don't ask how it's possible when Raz is a squirrel.)

Dr. Loboto, that is not proper doctor-patient conduct.

After a long day of running a protection racket, let's go play.

[britishsass]

Valvonauts Campers

So, since no one is asking about this au, I suppose it’s up to me to talk about the campers at Whispering Rock anyways.

Yet again, as always, this au is shared with @legallymean so. Gear and I have the same amount of veto power/knowledge. I just happen to be the one who’s usually writing/drawing this stuff.

So! Campers! Let’s get to it! I’ll include all the ones we’ve mentioned to each other already.

Jeremy “Scout” De Marco:

Jeremy is known as the Raz of this au. A boy from Boston with a lot to prove, he’s out here looking for his dad. He’s a psychic with a love of baseball and no filter. He’s managed to infiltrate the camp with a surprising amount of soda, a knapsack, and a lot of luck. His plans? Not the best. His intelligence? Worse than most. His willingness to do what has to be done? That’s where he excels- That, of course, and parkour. He’s spent most of his life running into danger, and that isn’t stopping now!

Specialty: Psi-blast (He tends to form it as a baseball and hit it with his bat.)

Source: TF2

Francis “Miss Pauling” Pauling:

And every moderately tolerable excitable young boy has a much more intelligent girl behind him. Pauling, as she’s usually referred to, is the daughter of the “Coach” here, who is also known as Admin. She’s relatively normal compared to some of the campers here, and she’s actually trying to get an education, though she is a bit tired of some of the other kids’ antics...

Specialty: Unknown.

Source: TF2

Marcel “Facty” Wheatley:

Marcel, like Dogen, is a small boy. He’s a little bit weak compared to the other campers, but he’s bright, trying his best, and is always willing to try his best. His idol? His older brother, one of the interns at the Motherlobe. Even so, he’s not just waiting to join him there- He’s started doing things on his own. A few years back, he found a book on this weird science laboratory nearby, and he’s been researching the area as much as he can ever since. He and his boyfriend/best friend (They’re like ten, it’s... Not as official as they want to think it is) are doing their best to find the answers!

Specialty: Blastokinesis/Ferrokinesis (Metal manipulation)

Source: Portal (Fact Core)

Richard “Rick” Harris:

Want a hand with anything? Rick will likely do it, for a price. He’s a hard worker, and is known for doing as much work as he can to get plenty of stuff at the store. Including a pass he shouldn’t actually have-- Jane looks the other way when he blows stuff up. He says it’s for the action of it all. Marcel isn’t so convinced. Even so, he’s happy to help Marcel with the searching the woods for answers, and he’s never seen without the cowboy hat his mom gave him a few years back. He does tend to give newbies a bit of a scare, but he really isn’t that bad... usually.

Specialty: Pyrokinesis

Source: Portal

Olivia Gray:

Olivia is someone that most people underestimate. She’s known as a bit of a crybaby, and a major weirdo. However, she’s later known to be extremely dangerous to wrong. She tends to take charge easily, and is the brains of the operation that starts between her and Katie. You know Maloof? Think Maloof, but mixed with a very, very dangerous little girl.

Specialty: Unknown.

Source: TF2 comics (Olivia Mann)

Katerina “Katie” Doe:

The daughter of the leader of the Psychonauts (Zhanna Doe) and Mr. Jane Doe. She’s on the hunt for a bear to wrestle to show her uncle Misha that she can handle herself, and to bring home some nice bear meat for Mama Zhanna. Katie is very much protective of her friends, and she’s just as patriotic as her father. She loves America, eagles, and explosions. And a nice sandvich, but that’s not the point.

Specialty: Telekinesis

Source: TF2/OC

Nigel Wilner:

The dorky younger brother of the duo. He’s got a heavy sweatshirt and heelies that he won’t take off. His hair is dyed bright orange. Unlike his older brother, he’s adopted into the family. He’s usually found in the lodge, listening to his older brother playing the guitar. Later on, he joins them on stage, singing along as they rock out.

Specialty: Pyrokinesis

Source: Portal 2 mod: Aperture Tag

Grant Wilner:

This is the coolest guy at camp-- Quite literally. Grant’s always a bit cold, and never takes off his hat and scarf. He’s always working with some new music, but if anyone’s mean to his little bro, he’ll step out to go help Nigel. He’s also known for being the most openly gay person in Whispering Rock, and he’s the person you go to if you need help with finding a fitting label.

Specialty: Cryokinesis (Ice manipulation)

Source: Portal 2 mod: Portal Stories: Mel (Rainbow Core)

Opeth ???

Also known as “Heavy Metal”, Opeth doesn’t do things by halves. They do things in extremes, and they play the drums in the little lodge band. They love hanging out with Nigel and Grant, though they’d like to get some new blood in the band to get something else in the music. Nigel’s starting to warm up to the idea of being in the band, though!

Specialty: Precognition

Source: Portal 2 mod: Aperture Tag (Heavy Metal Core)

Carmen ???

As Carmen is @legallymean’s oc, I’d like to leave describing him to gear. However, we have discussed a little. Carmen is a loner, usually writing letters or hiding in high places.

Specialty: Invisibility

Source: Portal OC

Elizabeth “Liz” Copperfield

Liz is my personal oc. She’s a bit of an airhead, and is usually found trying to help Mr. Doe with cooking. She likes to make food or draw, but she’s sensative to noise, so she has to use earplugs when Opeth and Grant are playing. Even so, she does her best to be polite to everyone!

Specialty: Clairvoyance

Source: Portal OC

Graham Palmer

A bit of an ego, a lot of false confidence, and a determination to be on the radio-- That’s what defines Graham! Though he’s here mostly out of luck (He was the only one his family could pay to go to Whispering Rock), he does like to hang out with his single friend, Onathan. The two of them say they’re friends, but with how they talk to each other, you’d think they hate each other. Maybe they do. Graham’s always shoving a microphone in someone’s face for an interview-- Especially when he shouldn’t.

Specialty: Levitation

Source: Portal 2 machinima: The Underground (Interview Core)

Jonathan “Onathan” Smith

Though Onathan won’t ever notice it, he’s a bit of a prick. He’s also got an ego the size of the sun. Even so, Onathan has skirted around being in trouble most of his life, even though he’s usually around Graham-- Or perhaps, it’s because he’s around Graham, who is much flashier. Also, the letter j is beneath him, so don’t call him Jonathan- And especially do not call him John Smith. That’s his father’s name. Yes, he’s John Smith Jr. He hates it.

Specialty: Herbaphony (Though he thinks it’s beneath him)

Source: Portal 2 machinima: The Underground/Meet the Cores (Ego Core)

Ray ???

Oh, you would not believe how excited this kid is to be here! Ray’s extremely fixated on sharks, and will always infodump about them to anyone who listens. Think of him in the same vein as Vernon. Super talkative, but are you sure you really wanna listen to him?

Specialty: Shark facts (Or Zoolingualism.)

Source: Portal 2 machinima: Meet the Cores.

There’s still some space for a couple more campers to be added, and I keep tossing around the idea of Space Core being here as well as Ray’s best friend. However, I’ve also thought about him being an intern. Currently, I’m not sure who else to include, but hey-- Hope this was a fun read for you guys. :)

[basic-braining]

Hey, you said some stuff about Bobby earlier and i was wondering...whys he gotta be deep and complex? Can't a bully just be a bully for no reason?

I can’t tell if this is serious or not, but I’ll bite because I love to talk.

It’s because, it’s all there, if you look!

Bobby is messed up! A lot! Like hey, I’m all up for asshole characters being assholes just cause they want to be, but Bobby isn’t the case! Nils is the case of someone being an asshole because they are, Kitty is the case of someone being an asshole because they are, Maloof is the case of someone being an asshole because they are. They all live in wealthy families with caring parents that spoil them and let them do whatever they want. But Bobby… Bobby has problems.

And he has a lot of them.

The movies on Bobby’s profile aren’t just “lol, he’s edgy” garbage, you can very easily draw lines from Bobby to the characters in those movies. Take Texas Chainsaw for example. The hitchhiker they pick up in the beginning is carrying around roadkill and pictures of dead animals. Guess who has pictures of roadkill and dead animals on his Campster profile? Guess who could be found, in-game, torturing animals? Bobby. There is a connection you’re supposed to draw here. This character is someone who Bobby identifies with.

And assuming that Bobby identifies with this character, you could see that he is troubled. This character is horribly abused by his father, he is absolutely messed beyond repair due to the trauma he was put through. However, this character is not sympathetic, none of the characters Bobby identifies with are sympathetic, not in the slightest.

Especially, especially Tony Montana from Scarface. There are a lot of parallels to draw from him. You just have to look and put 2 and 2 together:

They both have a lackey they treat like shit.They are both criminals that have gotten time.Most importantly, they both love a girl they really, really shouldn’t be around.And they both drive every man away who gets a little too close to her.

And seeing as how they have this much in common, what else is there? Tony has parental issues, again, like the hitchhiker in Texas Chainsaw. He visits his mom and she chases him out of the house, saying “Why do you destroy everything you touch?” and I bet this is really upsetting for Bobby to hear in the movie. It gets him right in the heart, he’s heard things like that uttered from his own mother.

Again, Tony is not sympathetic, at all. He is someone with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He’s not someone you want to be, he’s not someone you want to identify with or look up to. But there is not a doubt in my mind that Bobby sees himself in him.

And while I don’t think Bobby identifies with anyone in Hellraiser a lot, he does recognize the disordered family, the father who didn’t help his daughter when she needed him, the mother who allowed her uncle, who molested her, to come and snatch her father’s skin and threaten her again.

Even if you want to ignore the movie parallels, there are STILL a ton of things in-game and on Campster that show that he has major problems. You just need to look a little beyond the surface. 

Bobby is messed up. He bullies ruthlessly, treats his one friend like shit, tortures animals. He has 1, single redeeming quality, and it’s that he wants to change. He’s willing to, he tries. And the only person who can help him is Chloe. He just has to be good, he has to learn to behave. To not hurt people anymore.

The fact that he wants to be better, to change, says a lot. Someone who’s an asshole just because they want to be wouldn’t want to change. A spoiled, ungrateful brat wouldn’t want to change. Only someone who is troubled, who was raised with a certain mindset governed by unkempt trauma, who never thought there was another way to be would want to change.

“But, Morry! He just wants to change so his crush will like him, any normal person would!”

But here’s the thing, if his parents loved him unconditionally, spoiled him rotten, then why on Earth would he change for one stupid crush? If people are going to love him no matter what, he could get any random chick he wants! Why change for space case over here? Spoiled brats are more likely to want others to change for them.

At the end of the game, when Augustus shows up, Bobby is shown crying. Why would they show a shot of Bobby crying if it wasn’t relevant? Why not Dogen, or Lili, or even Sasha? They’re all main characters with father issues too, so why Bobby of all characters? Why have it at all?

Just a random shot of Bobby crying at Raz’s loving father, who came to help him. Think what you will about Augustus, I won’t go into detail about him, but this is what Bobby knows about him at this time, and it makes him sad that he didn’t have that sort of figure in his life.

Look, I know characters could be interesting without having to be super complex or have any sad, tragic backstory. Heck, my favorite camp kid is Franke! There’s nothing complex about her! There’s nothing really sad or angsty about her! She’s just a dumb gay valley girl and I absolutely love it! But Bobby’s case is not simple, at all. He’s traumatized, and messed up in more ways than one. And that’s the canon. Me saying “he’s traumatized as hell” isn’t “uwufying” him or making you sympathize with him, not unless you’re projecting, which is something I strongly, strongly discourage.

The fact is, Bobby has a story, and people need to utilize it better, because it really, truly is something interesting.

[yo-nemu]

Could you draw Maloof crying (got hurt maybe?) and Elka comforting him? (it’s a psychonauts crackship I like a lot hahaha!)

Cute request!

[psicadetterra]

Crystal's Birthday "deleted scenes" and scrapped ideas. Cut content under the cut.

It was originally going to be a "comic" where Clem, Mikhail, AND Maloof go through a store and try to find a gift for Crystal. The end result was always going to be them selecting Cheer Bear (their reasons still being mostly the same, only Maloof's reason is because it's pink and definitely not because he's a stuffed animal connoisseur.) In the end, it didn't make a lot of sense for Maloof to have a big role.

Mikhail approaching Clem to ask him to help find a gift was worded more "sweetly" when he spoke of Crystal (I don't have that draft anymore it got deleted but it was something along the lines of "Very sweet girl need nice gift for birthday.") Cut for being too sappy for Misha.

There was a scrapped drawing in which Clem and Mikhail try to pay with arrowheads.

There was originally going to be a group drawing of everyone who attended all wishing Crystal a happy birthday, but I felt it was unnecessary. Chops, J.T., and Chloe were originally going to be here, but they were cut.

There was also going to be a drawing where Chloe's gift to Crystal was candy. Due to Crystal's super energetic nature, Chloe believed that candy is Crystal's "life force."

Quentin and Phoebe were originally going to be drawn giving a present to Crystal, but I felt it was redundant when Elka was giving a card and Raz was delivering Lili's gift on her behalf (assume they gave her one anyway but we just didn't see it lol.) The final idea wound up referencing the drawings for Quentin's birthday (where Phoebe became afraid at Quentin mentioning lit candles.)

Originally, Phoebe's gift to Crystal was going to be therapy, but it felt out of place. It was too "joke-y" for something I wanted to be lighthearted and sweet.

In fact, a lot of jokes got cut because I felt they did not fit the mood. A main one being Crystal saying that she's "so happy she could die." I know that's her "gimmick" but she deserves to be happy with full sincerity just this once.

Maloof's "gift" offer was worded slightly differently (mostly just more verbose.) Crystal's reaction was also going to be different. She was going to laugh and take it as a joke, but then Mikhail arrives with a serious expression and says "is not joke." Crystal is alarmed and says "Oh-!"

There was going to be a drawing where the silhouette of Ms. Snagrash can be seen and she angrily asks Crystal what all of these people are doing (and why there are so many boys?) Someone in the crowd shouts "THERE'S THE WOMAN WHO MAKES CRYSTAL SAD! LET'S GET HER!" It was cut for obvious reasons. Funny in my head, but unfitting.

Crystal's reaction to having so many people come to her party was also going to be a bit more dramatic. She was going to start crying in front of everyone, causing them to panic. She clarifies that it's because she's happy. Cut for being too sappy.

[hnd1ckayleighwallace]

 Vivian Maier.      American street Photographer.  

died-21st April 2009.

About.

Maier was born on the 1st February 1926 in New York City, Many details of her life remain unknown. Most of her childhood she moved between France and America with her mother. she moved back to America from France in 1951(aged 25) she worked as a nanny for 40 years, doing Photography in her spare time capturing the People and Architecture of cities. 

in 1949 when she was still living in France she began taking photos with her “Kodak Brownie box camera, that only has once shutter speed, no focus control and no aperture dial”

Discovery.

her work was unpublished and unknown during her lifetime, in 2007 her work was auctioned due to not being able to keep up storage payments.

John Maloof bought most of her work for his project “history of the Chicago neighbourhood of portage park”. 

after looking at the negs they found them no use to the project and they were put away until a later day he decided to scan the negs and the images caught his attention.  

in 2005 Maier’s work went viral after Maloof linked his blog to some of her work, with thousands of people interested. Her work as since been in exhibitions in north and south America, Europe and Asia. 

scholarship fund.

the school of art Institute of Chicago created the “Vivian Maier scholarship”

“the scholarship aims to provide opportunities and resources for female students. 

I find Maier’s work interesting. As well as street photography she does a lot of self portraiture,which are always taken on a reflective surface with interesting surroundings and backgrounds. 

There is a lot happening in this image, the shallow depth of field draws my eye to the subject in the middle, which I'm guessing was Vivian's intention. 

[sliceannarbor]

Kyle Huntoon

Woodworker/Craftsman Founder Hunt & Noyer Detroit, Michigan huntandnoyer.com

Photo by Jesse David Green

Kyle Huntoon is a fourth-generation woodworker, and the founder of Hunt & Noyer, a woodworking studio dedicated to designing and building timeless, handcrafted furniture. Situated in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood, the studio launched in early 2013, initially creating small housewares and gift items from high quality American hardwoods sourced from local mills. Since then, it has expanded to include an original line of handcrafted furniture, including benches, stools, desks, and dining tables. Hunt & Noyer has also completed a number of collaboration projects with talented makers in Detroit, such as Smith Shop and Corbe, along with commissioned works for museums, small retailers, and corporate clients. Kyle earned a civil and environmental engineering degree from the University of Michigan and was trained in furniture-making at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. He served as a civil structural engineer with Commonwealth Associates in Jackson, Michigan, and later with HDR, Inc. in Ann Arbor, before leaving engineering to focus his efforts solely on Hunt & Noyer and its growing furniture collection. When Kyle is not working, you can find him riding his bicycle around Detroit, exploring its streets and architecture. He resides in the city’s Corktown neighborhood in a home filled with his vintage furniture collection and early Hunt & Noyer prototypes.

FAVORITES

Book: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, by Michael Braungart

Destination: Gansbaai, South Africa

Film: Objectified, the documentary

Motto: The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet. -James Oppenheim

THE QUERY

Where were you born?

Northside Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia

What were some of the passions and pastimes of your earlier years?

I was a LEGO kid, and a perpetual organizer. I recently revisited my LEGO cache at my childhood home in Jackson, and found a beautiful monochromatic minimalist house with clean straight lines that I had built from LEGOs as a 10- year old.

How did you begin to realize your intrigue with woodworking?

Having grown up seeing examples of beautiful furniture that my great-grandfather had made, my curiosity was peaked early on. I was mesmerized with the notion that these pieces had been made by one person, and that creating something of such complexity and beauty was, with the right education and training, within reach.  

When did you get your start in the business of woodworking?

I began woodworking by way of an adult education class at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. In early 2010, I spent my Wednesday evenings driving the 100 miles from Jackson to Detroit for three hours of hands-on education in the wood shop. After eight weeks, and a lot of frustration and cursing, I had built a Nakashima style coffee table of walnut with hand-cut butterfly keys in the live-edge top.

Why does this form of artistic expression suit you?

Woodworking and the design and construction of custom furniture satisfies my constant craving to engage in tangible work. Though it can take several weeks to complete each piece of furniture, the feeling that comes from designing and constructing functional pieces of art is incredible. On top of that, I am happier, healthier, and have more stamina to labor away in my studio for hours at end than I ever had sitting at an office desk.

What path did your formal and/or informal training follow?

After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2007 with a B.S.E. in civil and environmental engineering, I immediately began a career designing structures and foundations for the energy industry with Commonwealth Associates in Jackson, Michigan. I moved to the Pacific Northwest with the company and eventually left in mid-2012 to pursue woodworking and furniture making. I attended a furniture intensive course at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine over the winter of 2012-13 and immediately thereafter moved to Detroit to found Hunt & Noyer. I was drawn to Detroit by its rich history of manufacturing, and the opportunity that it presented as it turned the corner from an economically disparaged city to its current state as a city filled with makers and doers that are bringing it back one small business success story at a time.

What led to your decision to launch Hunt & Noyer Woodworks?

Starting my own business presented an opportunity like no other to pursue my passion. Through Hunt & Noyer, I am afforded the rare chance to bring my ideas to life and make a living doing something that makes me truly happy. The work is hard but I wouldn’t have it any other way; waking up each morning knowing that I steer my future.

What do you consider the guiding philosophy/mission of the company?

Less talk, more make. There is no better way to master one’s craft than by simply doing the work. Put the time in and you are rewarded with the skills and knowledge that will stay with you your entire life.

Where do you source most of your materials?

Most of the lumber that I use I buy through L.L. Johnson Lumber in Charlotte, Michigan. A fourth generation family owned company, L.L. Johnson has supplied the furniture industry of Michigan with high quality lumber for over 100 years.

What types of wood/lumber do you prefer to work with?

My favorite type of wood is American black walnut. Each time I finish building a piece of furniture from walnut, I am amazed as I apply finish and the grain begins to come alive.

What intrigues you most about the craft of woodworking?

I am most intrigued by the material itself; the properties of wood and the fact that it begins as a living, breathing piece of our natural world. Each piece holds within it both challenges and unique beauty that is unmatched by any other material on earth.

Why is functionality so critical to the work that you produce?

I think it is important to constantly strive to find the intersection between utility and beauty in form. I believe that by doing so, the pieces that I create for my clients have the best chance to live on beyond my own life and will hopefully be passed on to future generations.

How do you typically put the finishing touches on a piece of furniture?

Though I use modern machinery and technology to complete a large portion of each piece of furniture, the most fulfilling part of the build process is using hand tools to fine-tune the designs. My signature style is a finger-jointed case with a rounded-over edge profile that is hand-shaped using chisels and files to add a “bird’s beak” mitered detail in each corner. It is a subtle detail, but combined with the joinery of the case, drawer, and hand-turned legs sets my work apart from much of what you see in the market today.

What three tools of the trade can’t you live without?

My Ashley Isles chisels, 180 grit sandpaper, and Auriou #9 handmade cabinet- maker’s rasp.

How would you describe your creative process?

I like to flood my brain with as much imagery as possible; looking at furniture from every era in order to merge elements of style and construction that allow me to bring designs to life.

Is there a project/period along the way that has presented an important learning curve?

The first big project that I took on as Hunt & Noyer was the design and construction of 10 pieces of furniture for a salon in Rochester, Michigan. Going into the project with the knowledge base of a fine furniture-maker presented challenges as I began to apply my techniques to create pieces that would see a high level of wear and tear. I was working in a studio that was tiny, and had very little heat, or flat surfaces for that matter, so being able to achieve the fit and finish that I desired was especially challenging. In the end, after many stressful days and concern over whether I could meet deadlines and fully satisfy the needs of my client, we were both happy with the finished product and remain friends to this day.

How has your aesthetic evolved over the years?

My aesthetic has evolved significantly since I began my first furniture venture Recyclica back in 2011 with a friend making pieces from reclaimed wood and up-cycled steel. We had a much more industrial look; sometimes employing rusted metal and experimenting with staining and charring wood. My designs are much cleaner now, having been properly trained in the construction methods of fine furniture.

Do you have an artistic resource that you turn to? 

I love design blogs like thisiscolossal.com, but I also love to pick up books on the masters of furniture design [Maloof, Esherick, Nakashima], visit historical Frank Lloyd Wright homes and modern urban architecture, and pour over the inventions and designs of Buckminster Fuller.

What do you consider your most important commission piece of furniture?

The most important commission to date has been the crib that I created for my first and only nephew, Declan. As a wedding gift to my sister, I created a walnut crib that will live with her family as it continues to grow.

How does it feel to be part of an important, emerging community of makers in Detroit?

I love being a part of what is going on in Detroit. The community of local makers and small business organizations is extremely supportive. It has been a great place to start my journey as a furniture-maker and budding business owner.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Do what makes you happy. It sounds simple, but it requires a hell of a lot of perseverance.

Is there a craftsman living today that you admire most?

I admire the work of Victor Dinovi. He is a furniture designer and maker whom I met at the American Craft Exposition in Chicago. His sculptural furniture is incredible, and as a fellow engineer he is an inspiration to what can be achieved when you step outside of your comfort zone.

From where do you draw inspiration?

I draw inspiration from anything and everything! I was most recently inspired by a visit to the Miniature Makers Workshop store that sells dollhouse furniture. I think it is important to look for inspiration in places you least expect it.

Is there a book or film that has changed you?

The documentary Objectified changed the way that I look at product design and the people who live and work in the field. I think that my approach to furniture- making hugs the border between craft and product design.

What drives you these days?

I am driven by growth; growth of my business, my design sensibility, and personal growth as I continue in the pursuit of turning my passion into a successful profession.