The awe and wonder young minds get while watching a TV show or movie full of magical special effects can fuel imaginations with excitement and possibilities. That feeling made a huge impact on a young Ron Richards and inspired him to take that fascination and develop it into a lifelong obsession.
“My passion for making things began at an early age with a fascination for special effects and animation, I loved movies and shows featuring these things and wanted to know how it was all done, ” Richards said.
Richards founded Midnight Magic Works, his custom casting and mold-making service in the Brighton Park neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest side. They fabricate anything you can think of. No, really.
“My career in model making started with architectural models, of which the McDonalds model was an early example,” he said. “Since then I have worked on toys, prototype items of new products, food models, models for magazine ads and TV commercials, museums, inventions, medical and dental models, all kinds of mold making and casting, even some prosthetics and make-up work.”
Midnight Magic Works has developed a reputation as the “go-to” company in the industry.
The handiwork of Midnight Magic Works can be seen on a variety of things, from exhibits in museums, television shows like Chicago Med, medical education tools, and even commercials for your favorite products.
Richards comprised his shop with passionate artists and artisans who thrive in an environment where are and industry meet. They pride themselves on their client and customer-first focus on their day-to-day operations. They specialize in the custom development of a brand of mash-up fabricating, painting, sculpting, and carpentry that gives their products a very distinctive finishing touch.
“I have worked at many local model shops and have been working on my own for the past dozen years or so. I have tried to keep up with new developments, learning 3D Cad modeling and 3D printing,” Richards said. “I really enjoy the fact that after all this time there are still plenty of challenging things to figure out and a chance to make things I haven’t made before.”
To see the work of Richard’s imagination come to life, click here.
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