Video: Using Haptic Tech for 3D Design

Artist Farah Bandookwala describes her experience using a haptic input device to design wonderful 3D sculptures. Haptic technology is the ability to "touch" a model using physical feedback mechanisms. This changes the design process significantly from conventional 3D design methods to something perhaps more akin to traditional art approaches. She's been using the Cloud9 software/hardware input combination to create some very unusual artwork. 

 

In the video, Bandookwala says: 

 

Using your hands as an artist and craftsperson, and using a haptic interface allow for being able to understand the form of an object through touch. I didn't really get immersed in using 3D software until I used Cloud 9 because it let me think in a way I was used to thinking about materials in a physical sense. 

 

We think this is a very important point. Some (well, perhaps many) popular 3D modelling software packages are designed for engineers, not artists. Even those that have an artistic bent are hampered by the differences in the interface as Bandookwala describes. This could be a factor in limiting the future use of 3D printers to produce artistic works. 

 

Today few have haptic interface hardware and software ready for use on their machines. But you can have both if you visit A1 Technologies and check out their Chameleon 3D package, which includes both the required hardware and software for £495.00 (USD$810). 

 

Via Vimeo and A1 Technologies (Hat tip to Rachel)

Tangles From Joshua

He may not be the first, and certainly won't be the last, but Josh Harker is another artist leveraging 3D printing as a way to get his art to the world. He's created an online store to market his works, which are created thru 3D print service Sculpteo. Admirers may purchase the works from his site. 

 

But here's the interesting part: he's marketing the works in a manner very similar to traditional approaches. Whereas many print services simply sell 3D printed items in infinite quantities, Harker sells at least some of his works in limited quantities. The item above, the Delicated Ingress, will only be printed 25 times. The item also includes signed certificates, mounting, etc. But it also comes in colors of your choice, an unusual combination of art and personal customization.

 

Via Sculpteo and Josh Harker

Capture That Onion!

Last year artist David Bowen produced a fantastic kinetic artwork entitled "growth modeling device" in which a live onion plant is 3D scanned once every 24 hours, and then that scan is 3D printed. Amazingly, the 3D prints are then shuffled along a conveyor belt so you can see (and touch) the various stages of onion growth. 

 

The RepRap-like growth modeling device uses an unusual "mirror" method for simultaneous scanning and 3D printing, as you'll see in the video. We're wondering if this simple approach might be useful for hobbyist 3D printers as an alternative to conventional 3D capture techniques?

  

Via David Bowen

3D Printed Art

There's always a stream of magnificent artwork emerging from 3D printers. Here's a round up of some interesting pieces we've seen recently:

A 3D printed ring in stainless steel by noformdesign 

Ancient Critters by smallstuffstudio 

Human skull demonstrating multicolour capability by ZCorp

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine Bunny by VirtualV

   

Making an Artist's Living by 3D Printing

There's a wonderful article by 3D printing artist Bathsheba Grossman over at Say Something, where she describes her journey from student to world-renowned 3D artist. And the best part: She's now making a living from selling 3D printed art.

But it isn't easy. She spent ten years after completing school to build up the skills in various disciplines (art, mathematics, CAD, etc.) and the experience to build up an art business that today serves as her main source of revenue. We've written of her work several times in the past. Her strategy is direct marketing: 

I haven't made much inroad into the traditional art world, but then showing in galleries is not a focus for me. I made a conscious decision about ten years ago to work directly for the viewer – you – rather than try to get the attention of cultural gatekeepers.

What has been the result of her efforts? More than just a job, apparently:

My work has appeared in the New York Times, the London Times and Der Spiegel, as well as Wired, Discover and Make magazines. One of my lamps was in TIME Magazine's 100 most influential designs of 2007. My sculptures have appeared in two hit TV shows, Second Life, and a Japanese videogame commercial. John Conway and Douglas Hofstadter used pictures of them in recent books. They've been shown in Italy, Spain, Korea, New York and Cleveland. An irony-free Wikipedia entry for me was started in 2004. And this site moved over a quarter million dollars of art in 2007, which isn't bad considering I wrote the whole thing by hand, with web skills dating from about 1996.

You can see more of Bathsheba's amazing work at her website.

Via Say Something

The Photoshaper

 

Shapeways continues to innovate, and this time it's The Photoshaper. What is it? It's a cross between 3D and 2D mediums in which you submit a standard 2D photograph and Shapeway's unique software will interpret the colors and shading to produce a semi-3D model of the photograph. The object can then be illuminated from behind to produce a rather interesting visual effect. We say "semi-3D" because the 3D model is quite thin and in no way represents the actual 3D objects in the photographic scene.

As you can see in the photo above, the 2D image has been rendered in a thin 3D form. The print media is not completely opaque and thus light can leak through from behind, with more light coming through the thinnest areas. This creates what Shapeways terms a "light sculpture" . We think it's a pretty cool way to use 3D print tech.

Don't limit yourself to photographs, either. Shapeways accepts images, which could include abstract and computer generated scenes. Text would also be straightforward to use.

Pricing, as always, depends on how big an object you'll be producing, but we believe it to be in the USD$40-60 range. And don't forget to order one of those fancy stands to hold up your light sculpture!

Via Shapeways Photoshaper

Dining Room Table Printed

It's really just a model, but the concept was developed by Swiss Designer Phillippe Cramer. Interestingly, Philippe's model is entitled, "Stalactite Table", which mirrors the 3D printing process that produced it: layer by layer. 

Maybe when the build chambers of commonly available 3D printers are a bit bigger than they are now (12 inches just isn't going to cut it) we can contemplate punching one of these out for the dining room...

Via Prototitp-Manzoni and Philippe Cramer

What To Do With A 3D Printer?

That's the question being both asked and answered by Lee Byron, who is developing a rather interesting 3D typographic model of our favorite planet, Earth (well, it's Fabbaloo's favorite planet! For now, anyway.)

Byron hopes to print out a globe with each country being composed of 3D lettering of the country's name, as you can see in the image. This is a massive work of incredible detail, as you will see in his post.

Via LeeByron.com