Halflight Redux — GABRIEL JACOBS

Gabriel Jacobs is a visual engineer based in NYC. With dual backgrounds in fine
arts and technology, he solves problems through storytelling, visual design,
analytic research, systems technology, and product fabrication.

This multi-disciplinary approach applies to work across a variety of fields,
including finance, marketing, fabrication, photography and digital media,
computer programming and fashion.

PURPOSE

SELECTED PROJECTS

WHEN

DESIGN

FINANCE

GENERATIVE AI

World Building

Selected Imagery

SED_DO

Product shots of the Life Force Fetish chains and their accompanying translucent shell case.

 Halflight Studios
 Accessory Design Project
 2024-2025
 In collaboration with Andri Schatz, Kevin Xiang and Siv Knowler

Halflight Studios was a collaborative project that aimed to translate experimental sculptural designs into physical product and take them to market. Working with Swiss artist Andri Schatz, a transnational production pipeline was established in late 2024 to manufacture, position, and launch an initial accessories line built from his existing body of sculptural work.

One of the defining technical elements of the project was the use of generative parametric design. Rather than sculpting each form as a fixed object, the underlying structures are built through node-based systems in Blender that allow individual parameters to be adjusted, swapped, or recombined without rebuilding a piece from scratch. A single chain design might carry over 145,000 coordinate points, all governed by a logic tree that can be modified at any stage.

In practical terms this meant that collaborators working across different countries could iterate on a shared design system in real time. Andri could push a structural revision from Switzerland, I could adjust proportions or connection geometry from Brooklyn, and a revised file could be sent to print within hours. The parametric approach also made manufacturing exploration far less costly. When a prototype revealed a tolerance issue or a connection point that didn't survive post-processing, the fix was a node adjustment rather than a redesign. This allowed me to run dozens of test prints in-house, dialing in material behavior, cure times, and structural limits before committing to any external production run.

Prototyping and initial production were handled in-house using SLA resin printing. The additive approach preserved the geometric complexity of the parametric forms while allowing rapid validation of fit, weight, and wearability. Each piece went through multiple print cycles, testing different orientations, support structures, and resin formulations before a final production file was locked.

DMLS in action, utiliing lasers to melt metal powder.

As the line moved toward market readiness, production was transitioned to external manufacturing partners. This involved sourcing fabricators, negotiating bulk production and import logistics, and qualifying alternative materials. Select pieces were cast into metal alloys through collaboration with production engineers, where decisions were driven by surface fidelity, mechanical durability, and the goal of elevating the work from prototype to finished product.

Content produced for Instagram Reels using a blend of practical effects and AI

Conceptual story/narrative work produced internally for lore.

For the brand's first public launch I took full ownership of the creative direction. This covered the complete visual identity from initial concept through to final delivery: shoot planning, styling direction, model casting, and asset production. The visual framework positions the work at the intersection of sculptural art practice and contemporary wearable fashion, grounding forms that read as alien or biological in a body-conscious, editorial context. All imagery from the first two Halflight campaigns was produced under this direction.

Index

IG, Email