2008
My first painting; Acrylic on canvas board, May 1972
Colored pencil sketch, 1985
3D cutaway illustration of a telescope, 1988
"Tea" 3D computer rendering (Commodore Amiga), 1990
3-foot miniature of the U.S.S. Enterprise from Star Trek, completed in 1993
Life-size hand phaser prop replica with working laser, 1998
Ringtail Lemur, 2005

About Rob J. Watson

The short story

I've been around since 1961 and live in Ben Lomond, California with my wife Nona, our three cats, Baxter, Brodie, and Moralee, and our two chickens, Gabby and Isis.

My education and career has been in the graphic and industrial arts. I enjoy 2d and 3d computer graphics, photography, publication and product design, technical illustration.

I currently work for Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola, California, as a Graphic Artist Production Specialist.

Nona and I also operate Rof, Inc.; a home-based retail business that sells eclectic and unique products that reflect popular culture and personal expression. We have our own online retail web store (www.rof.com) and we sell products on Amazon.com as well.

The longer story

When I was very young, probably about 5 or 6, one Easter, my parents gave me a choice; Easter basket full of goodies, or a felt-marker set. I chose the felt-marker set. I was always drawing, buidling models (mostly cars), and making things.

Models and pictures
As a kid, I became fascinated with Science Fiction (mostly Star Trek), and began making things like stage prop replicas out of paper, or what ever I could find, a replica of the original Star Trek show stage set out or cardboard and hung it on my wall. When I was a teenager, I made a poster-board model of my family's house, to-scale, (1/8" = 1-foot) based on the blueprints we had drawn-up for a remodel. The roof of the miniature was even removable so you could see all the rooms. I dabbled in paper, masking tape, wood, plastics, and electronics and acquired an interest in photography.

In college in the 80s, I studied Industrial Design. I spent a lot of time in the school plastics and wood shops working on school projects in addition to my own personal endeavors. I picked up a bunch more drawing skills and discovered technical illustration.

In 1986, I worked for Orion Telescope Center and learned about mail-order catalog production, retail sales, product photography and more technical illustration techniques.

Then I discoverd computer 3D graphics
I was really hooked. Suddenly, I could create photo-realistic images and video animations of my ideas. In the early 90s, I landed a few gigs as a free-lance graphic artist. I created computer/video graphics and animations for industrial and instructional videos and documentaries. Designed and created business cards, brochures, ads, catalogs, technical illustrations.

I also had some time to design and build several sci-fi scale models from scratch, one of which was featured in FineScale Modeler Magazine (2.3 MB PDF file) in 1989. The other one was 3-foot acrylic model of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original Star Trek TV series. This one had a complete electronics system with illuminated windows and flashing lights, completely constructed from raw material (plastics, fiberglas, metals and wood).

Then I discovered eBay
After noticing there seemed to be a lot of people looking to buy "authentic" prop replicas of devices from sci-fi shows and movies, I decided to try it myself. After gathering research material, and looking at different materials and electronic components, I designed and manufactured a series of stage prop replicas from the original Star Trek television series. My "hand phaser" replicas contained a miniature battery-powered laser which could be turned on by "firing" the phaser. Several of the parts used in the phaser prop replicas were designed using 3D computer graphics programs. At least one part I had made at a local machine shop based on my own computer-generated mechanical drawings.

I sold a number of these on eBay. One went for $500. After that, I made some other replicas and sold them, but eventually, the interest on eBay seemed to dwindle.

Back to photography
Around 2000, I begun to rekindle my interest in photography and spent a lot of time taking pictures. I wanted to improve my skills enough to be able to make some money with it. I experimented with product photography, pet photography, landscapes, portraits and image manipulation.

Life goes on
These days, I work full time as Graphics Artist Production Specialist for a local Credit Union, and help Nona run our home-based mail-order business.