The Person Behind the Projects
A Little About Me
I'm Alvin, the person behind Sketch & Slice. Originally from Codroy Valley and now based in Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador, I've spent years exploring different ways to turn ideas into something real.
My Background
A Creative Journey
My interest in drawing started back in school. I filled sketchbooks with cartoons, especially Looney Tunes characters, and even had some paintings displayed as wall art in our gymnasium.
Creativity has always felt natural to me, and it runs in my family. I've been drawing for more than 20 years, and with portraits in particular, there are things I seem to do instinctively. I can't always explain how I know what to do; I just work through it until it feels right.
Over time, that creative side took me into tattooing and photography, and eventually into digital design and 3D printing. I'm mostly self-taught, and I enjoy learning by experimenting, tinkering, and figuring things out as I go.
Sketch & Slice brings those interests together: realistic graphite artwork on one side, and custom 3D printing on the other.
A Few Things About Me
Originally From
Codroy Valley, Newfoundland & Labrador
Currently Based
Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador
Creative Experience
20+ years drawing, more than 100 tattoos completed, photography, and several years exploring 3D printing.
Education
College of the North Atlantic: Computer Programmer Analyst (Networking) and Computer Support Specialist.
Approach
Self-taught, hands-on, curious, and always learning.
Creative History / 06 Chapters
How I Got Here
I never really followed one straight creative path. One thing led to another, some things stuck, some did not, and all of it taught me something I still use today.
- 01
EARLY YEARS
Cartoons, Sketchbooks & Walls
Drawing started early. I filled school sketchbooks with cartoons — especially Looney Tunes characters — and eventually had artwork painted and displayed on the gymnasium walls. I was not thinking about a creative career. I just liked making things.
- 02
HANDS-ON ART
Tattooing
That interest eventually moved from paper to skin. Over the years I completed more than 100 tattoos, sometimes working from my own designs and other times figuring out how to turn somebody else’s idea into something that would actually work as a tattoo. It is no longer a service I offer, but it taught me a lot about detail, patience, and working with people.
- 03
THROUGH THE LENS
Photography
Photography became another serious creative chapter. I shot weddings, infants, pregnancy sessions, portraits, and other paid work, starting with a Nikon D5200 and several lenses before later moving to mirrorless. I enjoyed the creative side, but eventually the amount of time and work stopped matching what the job was worth to me.
- 04
BACK TO THE PENCIL
Realism in Graphite
Drawing was always the thing I kept coming back to. Over more than 20 years, the cartoons and sketches gradually turned into more realistic work — portraits, animals, vehicles, structures, and whatever else catches my interest. Graphite is still the medium that feels the most natural to me.
- 05
DIGITAL TO PHYSICAL
3D Printing
3D printing came much later, but it clicked for a different reason. It combines design, computers, tinkering, troubleshooting, and the satisfaction of making something physical. CAD, modelling, useful parts, cosplay pieces, lithophanes, and strange one-off ideas all fit naturally into that side of what I enjoy.
- 06
TODAY
Sketch & Slice
Sketch & Slice is where those two main interests live now: realistic graphite artwork and custom 3D printing. They are different services, but both come from the same habit I have had for years — seeing an idea and wanting to figure out how to make it real.
The Artistic Side
Drawing Has Always Been There
I started with school sketchbooks and cartoon characters. Today, my main focus is realistic graphite artwork, occasionally incorporating charcoal for deeper shadows and contrast.
Drawing is one of those things that has always come naturally to me. I don't spend much time thinking about every individual mark in a portrait; I can often just see what needs to happen next and work toward it.
I enjoy building up layers, working through the small details, and watching an image gradually take shape. My experience with photography and tattoo work also gave me years of practice looking closely at detail, shape, and composition.
These days, realistic graphite is where I put that experience to work, creating portraits and artwork meant to be enjoyed, displayed, and kept for years to come.
The Maker Side
From Digital Idea to Physical Object
3D printing is a newer chapter for me, but it brings together a lot of things I enjoy: designing, tinkering, problem-solving, and making things.
I enjoy working with CAD, Blender, and the process of designing, shaping, and making something from nothing. I'm interested in functional parts, cosplay armor, personalized wall decor, and all sorts of projects that start with an idea and a bit of experimentation.
One of the best parts of 3D printing is being able to customize or create something for a specific need, rather than having to settle for an expensive off-the-shelf option that isn't quite what you wanted.
Through Sketch & Slice, I offer custom 3D printing for practical parts, personalized creations, decorative pieces, and one-off ideas. Whether you have a model ready or just an idea you're trying to figure out, I'm happy to explore what's possible.
My Setup
Bambu Lab P1S
Additional Hardware
Panda Claw, Panda Power, Panda Breath, Panda Knomi, and Panda Touch.
The Possibilities
Sometimes an Idea Deserves More Than Paper
Graphite artwork and 3D printing are two separate services I offer, but every now and then, they cross paths.
A drawing can become a lithophane, a portrait can be developed into a 3D bust, or an artistic idea can find an entirely different form through printing.
I enjoy those opportunities to approach a project from a different angle. There's something satisfying about taking an idea beyond its original medium and giving it a new way to be experienced.
A Little More of My Story
A Different Kind of Training
My education took me into computers and technical problem-solving, another interest that fits naturally alongside designing and making things.
I graduated high school in 2000 and studied Computer Programmer Analyst (Networking) at the College of the North Atlantic from 2001 to 2003.
After some travelling and working, I settled in Corner Brook and returned to CNA, where I completed another two years in Computer Support Specialist studies.
That technical background, along with my creative interests, has helped shape the way I approach projects: try things, troubleshoot, learn, and keep working at it.
Outside the Workshop
Life Beyond the Projects
I'm a dad to one daughter, and when I'm not drawing or tinkering with a printer, I enjoy playing guitar and gaming.
I wouldn't call myself a master of one particular trade. I'm more of a jack of all trades, with a lot of curiosity and a willingness to try something new.
But drawing has always been different. It's something that feels natural to me, and it's still one of the things I enjoy most.
Get In Touch
Let's Make Something
Have a drawing in mind, need something 3D printed, or just want to ask a question about a project? I'd love to hear about it.