David Riley Model Making

Merry Christmas and good ‘elf to you all! Thanks to my clients, customers and everyone else who has supported me for another lovely year! Best wishes to you all!

Another shot of the diorama for featuring workers spreading concrete. I like to 3D print figures at 1:50 scale that can be adapted for the model and hand painted. Additions such as the roller are made by hand.

Tools down for Christmas? Not these guys!
Loved making this for

Welcome to Gripple World!
I’ve been very quiet on Instagram etc recently but very busy making! Here is the first of a few recent projects I’ll be sharing soon.

Early in 2025 I was contacted by Gripple, a leading manufacturer and innovator of wire joining and tensioning devices, anchoring, bracing, and suspension systems, to design and make a model for their unit at the new Skills Street facility at Gulliver’s Kingdom, Rotherham. Skills Street is a hands-on world-of-work experience that brings children, young people, and adults closer to real careers through 15 interactive sector zones designed with employers and educators.
The purpose of the model is to showcase the various industries and applications in which Gripple products are used. These include high rise buildings, fencing, vineyards, solar farms, soil erosion control, railways and sports stadiums. The challenge was to create a model that could show all these in a fun and recognisable way, whilst also tying together somewhat realistically despite mismatching scales. Added to this is a representation of the Old West Gun Works in Sheffield - Gripple HQ, the only element of the scale model to exist in reality. The model base is approximately 1.5m in diameter, which helped to establish 1:200 as the ‘foundation’ scale from which there was creative licence to incorporate other scale elements where appropriate.

This week has once again been , for which I have made a model of a for the APHA stand - I was thrilled to learn that the stand has won a Gold Medal and best in show for the Greenstem area. Not only that, but the model was pictured with and the stand had a visit from HRH The King!
Thanks again to Paul at APHA. Credit to him and to PA News Agency for the photos.

The lovely Paul and Lucy with the model I made of the Colorado Potato Beetle at this years RHS - Royal Horticultural Society

Join us as we beetle about putting the finishing touches to our #RHSChelsea Flower Show exhibit! We can’t wait to share it with you next week. This year we’re highlighting the threat of the #ColoradoBeetle: a pest of our precious #potato plants. 🌱 So, whether you #GrowYourOwn or you just love your chips, crisps and jacket potatoes, check out our exhibit to find out how you can help protect he nation's spuds! 🥔 RHS - Royal Horticultural Society BBC iPlayer #BTS #ChelseaFlowerShow #GardeningLife #PlantLife #GardeningTips #GardeningAdvice #farmlife #PlantHealth

Many thanks to for featuring my work in his exhibition at . Bahbak has taken some wonderful photos of playful pieces made by Sheffield based workers and are displayed beautifully in the exhibit.

The exhibition runs from March 20 - April 12 at Persistence Works, Sheffield

All set up for the Christmas market at today. Please come on down between 11am and 4pm!

I’m pleased to share I’ll be taking part in my first Christmas market THIS SATURDAY at my new home of Portland Works. Come down and see the wonderful work of various craftsmen and artists as well as mince pies and festive cheer!

SATURDAY 30th November - 11am-4pm
Portland Works, Sheffield