Medallion
I am a huge fan of the show The Mysterious Cities of Gold. You would be too if you watched it when you were 8 years old. Unlike many children's shows, it's still good when you watch it as an adult - it's for kids, no doubt, but the quality remains. It's an animated show which follows a Spanish boy Estaban and an Inca girl Zia as they travel around South America in the early-mid 1500s, arriving with the cruel and terrible Governor Pizarro. The show takes a few artistic and cartographic liberties as they travel all over South America, but it's very much set in the real place and history.
Each of the 39 episodes even begins with a 3-minute documentary about the places, peoples, cultures, and historical events in the episode which is about to happen! Added into the mix is the fact that not all the characters are clearly good or bad - they have their own motivations and some are morally ambiguous all the way through. It's quality drama.A major plot point are the two keys to the cities of gold - the two-part medallions. You can see one as the 'O' in "GOLD" on the DVD cover. Zia has one, but Esteban has only the outside part of the his for most of the show. Until he gets it back, they can't enter the first city.
A while ago, I went to Peru on a (fantastic) holiday, and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't thinking of the show a lot before I went and even when I was there! I wanted to make a little medallion to stick to my suitcase, and I eventually did by scratching the pattern into a large metallic sequin from a children's art store.
My appetite was whetted.
There was an official toy released for the show, but to be perfectly frank, it was a little crappy as far as being a replica went (a great and limited-number collectable, but not a good replica). I thought that I could do better when I learned of Shapeways. I got researching. After researching, I got designing.
After designing, I had it printed up in two different materials, to see the results. It was good! It even clicked apart! So I learned how to apply gold leaf, and how to seal it up when I was done. It didn't all go perfectly, but I am thrilled with the result.
Next time I go to Peru, I will be prepared. You can click for bigger photos, or go direct to the album if you like, and if you really like the model then you can even buy your own 3D print of it! I've made it available for purchase by others.