The final prototype to display at the end of the week was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever built yet also probably the most satisfying. I wanted to use the existing violin pieces I had and some driftwood from Tentsmuir to create a sort of Frankenstein’s instrument and I couldn’t wait.

I began by measuring pieces to be cut from scrap wood, which would make up the body of the instrument before proceeding to cut them out with a bandsaw and gluing them together, making sure to cut the acoustic holes out in advance. I added a block of wood inside, at the top and bottom of the instrument for support and to allow me to screw the neck and tailpiece of the violin on.

I then used side pieces from the old violin to round the space inside the body to hopefully create a warmer sound, mimicking the curved shape of a real violin. I then sealed the body shut by cutting the back from the old violin to size and gluing it to the back after signing my name inside. In order to get the curved back and he flat sides to adhere, I created very thin strips of plywood which had the same contours as the violin back and fixed them on the sides to create a seamless join.

I then added the neck using wood glue and a long screw running through into the body of the instrument to create a very strong bond that wouldn’t break under the tension of the strings. By cutting and sanding a scrap piece of driftwood, I created a shaped fingerboard to mount on top of the neck and extend down, hovering over the body.

neck and fingerboard

All that was left to do was screw the tail piece in from the bottom, screw some holes in broken pencils to use as tuning pegs then wire the strings over a bridge. Once done, the instrument was complete and I was ready to move onto the final stages of the project.

To make the instruction manual, I created an illustration for each stage of the process in pencil before adding watercolour and using fineliner to touch up the lines. I then used watercolour to add a sort of vignette around each panel of the manual, softening the edges, making them feel more natural. To finish, I used the remaining driftwood to create a front and back cover which matched the fingerboard of the instrument and could be held shut with scrap wire and copper loops.

Finally all i had to do was set up for the display. I selected some of my best prototypes and placed them on the table in order of development leading to the final model. I then placed a short description of the product and how it functions alongside my sketchbook, the finished instruction manual and then mounted my mood boards from the last project behind it all. As a last touch, I added a small pick-up connected to a guitar amp with headphones, so people could play the instrument and hear it regardless of the volume in the room. I also had some time during the construction process to make a stand for the instrument, to fix it in place as it would be outdoors.

I felt that the exhibition was a really enjoyable experience and I thought it was great to explore the designs that everyone else had created and shared.

Finally, I made a sketchbook tour flicking through the book in which I documented most of my thoughts, ideas and developments.