(Topic ID: 277547)

The journey to The topper by THE ART OF PINBALL

By liorillusion

3 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 35 posts
  • 29 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by Nepi23
  • Topic is favorited by 19 Pinsiders

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#1 3 years ago

About eight months ago, my friend Bill told me that I must get the Hobbit pinball machine. I pondered that idea for a bit and thought to myself I’m not sure. After watching tons of videos, I decided to buy it. Now it’s my number one go to game in my collection. I said if I love it so much why not make a one of a kind topper!

I made four attract modes and other various modes which are in synch with the game. Each lock has its own light show. Multiball has a very special light show when the player achieves this goal. When bumpers are activated the player is introduced to water splash effects displayed by the LEDS. When the player achieves a high score, you are entertained with a special light show. When you get an extra ball, the player is entertained with another special light show. But its not over yet!

I decided to take all of my skills and blend them all together. Earlier in my career during my show business work, I made a very small but powerful smoke machine. It was always a project that magicians and show directors ask me to make. With those requests, I decided to make it into a topper which you are seeing as of today. There is minor maintenance filling the smoke fluid for the machine each 500 triggers. I can control the flow of the smoke that omits from the machine. I can control the flow of air and also the timing of the smoke. I can also control dragon to omit smoke puffs and smoke rings! The smoke can be activated with almost all the features of the game when needed. I can do everything that I want with this topper. If that’s not enough I constructed the wings with big plastic brackets which has flexibility. The wings move during the game! The topper weight right now is around 12kg. The houses are fully solid cast all around its not just front. Everything is all custom made by my very own hands!

After six months of hard work, I’m very excited to share with you my awesome creation! . The topper is too complicated to create and the cost is extremely high. Please do not message me asking to make you one or about the cost. Please respect my wishes since I will not be taking any offers. I want it to be my own creation and this is not for sale. Sorry…. At the moment I’m working on a topper for another machine that will also be awesome when completed. I will be very happy to share details of the topper with you when its ready.

As you know the topper looks much better in person. Video editing is not my forte so It’s really hard for me to edit the video well enough to get all the lighting effects in the video.

English is not my first language so I’m very sorry for some spelling mistakes

Thanks to all of the people who support me and have helped me during this project

AGAIN, THIS TOPPER IS NOT FOR SALE!

More photos of the topper
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156867125@N07/albums/72157716002875562

video (watch in HD)

click on the photos to get better resolution

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here is the movie poster

You are welcome to check my new mods for hobbit
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jjp-the-hobbit-sculpted-pinball-mods-by-the-art-of-pinball

My Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lior_theartofpinball/

#2 3 years ago

I saw Lior progress with this. It is a masterpiece for sure. Sooo much work was put into it. Nice work!

#3 3 years ago

Lior, you’re passionate and extremely talented. Thanks for sharing your story.

#4 3 years ago

Wow... That truly is a work of art!
Very impressive Lior!

#5 3 years ago

Looks amazing, great work

#6 3 years ago

Wow most impressive!

#7 3 years ago

Impressive indeed! I hope some of this inspiration makes its way to the other topper you’re making for sale (please be POTC).

#8 3 years ago

I love the smoke!!!

#9 3 years ago
Quoted from Boatshoe:

I love the smoke!!!

Wow, wow, wow! I 100% agree that I would buy The Hobbit just so I could install that masterpiece of a topper.

#10 3 years ago

Absolutely beautiful Lior. Adds to the atmosphere of the game.

#11 3 years ago

Smaug needs to be above the houses / village like in the movie. The way you have him depicted looks like he's swimming in the lake which would be impossible with wings extended. Major kudos for the artwork, special effects, and content.

#12 3 years ago

Is it for sale?

/ducks

Great work! I see why it's not!

#13 3 years ago

That looks fantastic Lior

#14 3 years ago
Quoted from GravitaR:

Smaug needs to be above the houses / village like in the movie. The way you have him depicted looks like he's swimming in the lake which would be impossible with wings extended. Major kudos for the artwork, special effects, and content.

Smaug above the houses is maybe too tall for Lior’s place.

#15 3 years ago

Great work, Lior!

#16 3 years ago

Incredible That's really Art.

#17 3 years ago
Quoted from liorillusion:

About eight months ago, my friend Bill told me that I must get the Hobbit pinball machine. I pondered that idea for a bit and thought to myself I’m not sure. After watching tons of videos, I decided to buy it. Now it’s my number one go to game in my collection. I said if I love it so much why not make a one of a kind topper, exclusively to my favorite machine. After watching the movies and seeing the movie poster, I got my inspiration. In the game, you need to defeat Smaug. Who is the person that kills Smaug? Bowman!
I decided to make the pinball player as Bowman and to make all this creation like you are inside the movie and fighting with smaug. I made tons of sketches, sculpts and prototypes, finally achieving the design that I am happy with. I was so excited to start the long tedious process and make this happen. I watched the last Hobbit movie maybe five times and was looking for some Smaug photos and inspiration . I needed photos of Lake Town to match with my design while thinking of some more ideas. After making the sculpt I made a mold and I start to cast it (THIS IS NOT 3D PRINTED) and then painted. The painting process was really challenging with Smaug and the details of Lake Town, but in the end, I got really great results. During the process of the sculpting, designing and painting, I was able to listen to the hobbit sound track to immerse myself more into the movie. So now I got the full sculpt with all the details and paints but I decided to take it to the next level. I made my own system board. I can say that this board is 100% synced with the game. I started to add led pixels and ended with 244 pixels on the topper. Programming each led took forever, but the results are fantastic.
I made four attract modes and other various modes which are in synch with the game. Each lock has its own light show. Multiball has a very special light show when the player achieves this goal. When bumpers are activated the player is introduced to water splash effects displayed by the LEDS. When the player achieves a high score, you are entertained with a special light show. When you get an extra ball, the player is entertained with another special light show. But its not over yet!
I decided to take all of my skills and blend them all together. Earlier in my career during my show business work, I made a very small but powerful smoke machine. It was always a project that magicians and show directors ask me to make. With those requests, I decided to make it into a topper which you are seeing as of today. There is minor maintenance filling the smoke fluid for the machine each 500 triggers. I can control the flow of the smoke that omits from the machine. I can control the flow of air and also the timing of the smoke. I can also control Smaug to omit smoke puffs and smoke rings! The smoke can be activated with almost all the features of the game when needed. I can do everything that I want with this topper. If that’s not enough I constructed the wings with big plastic brackets which has flexibility. The wings move during the game! The topper weight right now is around 12kg. The houses are fully solid cast all around its not just front. Everything is all custom made by my very own hands!
After six months of hard work, I’m very excited to share with you my awesome creation! I’m sorry to say this topper is a ONE OF A KIND. After a lot of thinking, I decided that the topper IS NOT FOR SALE. The topper is too complicated to create and the cost is extremely high. Please do not message me asking to make you one or about the cost. Please respect my wishes since I will not be taking any offers. I want it to be my own creation and this is not for sale. Sorry…. At the moment I’m working on a topper for another machine that will also be awesome when completed. I will be very happy to share details of the topper with you when its ready.
As you know the topper looks much better in person. Video editing is not my forte so It’s really hard for me to edit the video well enough to get all the lighting effects in the video.
English is not my first language so I’m very sorry for some spelling mistakes
Thanks to all of the people who support me and have helped me during this project
AGAIN, THIS TOPPER IS NOT FOR SALE!
More photos of the topper
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156867125@N07/albums/72157716002875562
video (watch in HD)
click on the photos to get better resolution
[quoted image]
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[quoted image]
[quoted image]
[quoted image]
[quoted image]
[quoted image]
[quoted image]
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[quoted image]
here is the movie poster
[quoted image]
You are welcome to check my new mods for hobbit
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jjp-the-hobbit-sculpted-pinball-mods-by-the-art-of-pinball
My Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lior_theartofpinball/

I appreciate that in your spare time from making mods, you make....MORE mods, and even grander ones!

Truly impressive work, as always, and even more so than always!

I like that there is just one of these! Not just so my pockets aren't a bit lighter, but because sometimes a work of true creation needs to stand on it's own, and be inspiring as a work of one piece that is truly unique and singular!

Amazing! Truly....smoke, I mean breath taking!!!!

Super exclusive ad from the Pinside Marketplace!
#18 3 years ago

Very cool Lior!

#19 3 years ago

Lior,you are an artist, bravo!

#20 3 years ago

That smoke!!! Amazing work.

#22 3 years ago

Wow!
That is just awesome!
Amazing work Lior.
The smoke from Smaug just takes it to another level.
Thanks for sharing.
Looking forward to future Mods.

#23 3 years ago

Holy cow I love it WELL DONE!

#24 3 years ago

Fantastic job!! It looks as great as you had made it sound!!

#25 3 years ago

awesome Topper!!! what amazing quality.
would sure Like to add one to my game.

great work Lior

#26 3 years ago

Another masterpiece Lior - really top notch stuff!!!

If your playfield Smaug looks anything like this it is a must buy!

Looking forward to getting my legs and book!

#27 3 years ago

Amazing topper, The smoke is a brilliant touch.So fiting for such a great game.

#28 3 years ago


Quoted from Goronic:Another masterpiece Lior - really top notch stuff!!!
If your playfield Smaug looks anything like this it is a must buy!
Looking forward to getting my legs and book!

Lior has a playfield Smaug in the works As a replacement to the original??

#29 3 years ago
Quoted from Travahontas:

Lior has a playfield Smaug in the works As a replacement to the original??

Who knows, but it would be cool if so

1 week later
#30 3 years ago

thank you very much guys
im getting a lot of messages about this topper. again! this topper is not for sale.
yes im making customs toppers per request and yes i have hobbit mods that you can see here

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jjp-the-hobbit-sculpted-pinball-mods-by-the-art-of-pinball

but this topper is not for sale!

1 month later
#31 3 years ago

hello guys. i was working a lot on this topper and this topper must win as the best topper of 2020. please pre vote of it and write
The Hobbit topper by the art of pinball
for best mod you can write also my HMS by the art of pinball.
https://www.thisweekinpinball.com/twipy-2020-pre-voting/

Thank you

#32 3 years ago

I think it is the best topper. But I think it has to be commercially available to purchase, and probably more than just one, to qualify. I may be wrong though.

3 months later
#33 2 years ago

Kool topper but was the email that these are available for 3500$ an April Fools joke? If it’s not I apologize as I don’t mean to knock it, just amazes me that a topper cost almost half of what the machine cost.

#34 2 years ago
Quoted from meSz:

Kool topper but was the email that these are available for 3500$ an April Fools joke? If it’s not I apologize as I don’t mean to knock it, just amazes me that a topper cost almost half of what the machine cost.

I'm not gonna try to justify one way or another, but you have seen the photos and write up correct? All the work that went into just the sculpting and painting. Then add all the electronics on top of that. It isn't a piece of plexi that's been printed on and laser cut out before shoving it in a box and mailing it out.

#35 2 years ago
Quoted from meSz:

Kool topper but was the email that these are available for 3500$ an April Fools joke? If it’s not I apologize as I don’t mean to knock it, just amazes me that a topper cost almost half of what the machine cost.

Well, a GB topper I believe is still for sale on Pinside for $3000... There's atleast a lot more topper to get with Lior's topper in comparison to a GB topper, if it indeed is for sale!

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