www.3ders.org

Nov.27, 2014 | By Alec

It's a question as old as commercial 3D printing itself. Can 3D printed objects be considered artistic, or are they simply clumps of computer-enhanced plastic? Most people tend to steer towards the latter interpretation, and that isn't surprising. While the most common 3D printing technology (FDM) is fun and serves a variety of purposes that don't need to be endlessly repeated, the results can be a bit grainy or unclear and don't come across as very artistic.

Fortunately there are plenty of other 3D printed achievements that are far more capable of claiming an artistic label, like these beautiful bowls we reported on this week. And now we can happily report on another gorgeous 3D printed statue that can only be considered as art. For the London-based designer David Rencsenyi has just successfully 3D printed a highly-detailed and gorgeous replica of Frederic Leighton's stunning 'An Athlete Wrestling with a Python' sculpture.

The 1877 original can be seen at the Tate Britain art gallery in London, but perhaps David's replica should be on display as well. As the photos illustrate, David's sculpture is superbly detailed and awe-inspiring. Really the only thing that distinguishes it from the 1877 original is the fact that it's only 22 cm tall, whereas the original is life-sized.

David works as a 3D modeller at a studio in London, where he usually works on movie props like guns and vehicles. He's been interested in 3D modeling for about a decade (which is how he got into that business in the first place) and his job gave him the opportunity to get to grips with modelling and printing:

"3D printing was something that interested me for the past few years, but always seemed so distant. As a 3d modeller I day-dreamed about getting some of my models printed one day and quite honestly that dream was realized last November. I started working at a modelmaking company near London. […] we use 3d printers to speed up the modelmaking process. These prints are then painted and prepped for the shooting. And to be able to 3d print, you need digital files. That's how I got there and experienced such a feeling that I never had before: "I got to touch, feel and see my models. Not just on the screen, but in real life."

Purchasing a Form 1+ SLA 3D printer (Formlabs) this summer, he decided on ambitious inaugural project: Frederic Leighton's stunning sculpture. While the results speak for themselves, they do hide the tremendous and problematic phases that preceded it. While 3D modelling proved easy, at David had gained plenty of experience through his job, the whole 3D printing process wasn't as straightforward. As David explained, the whole project was beset by difficulties and failed prints throughout, though that could have had something to do with the statue itself.

Firstly, there was the problem of choosing the right printing technology. While most of us are happy to play with FDM desktop printers, this just didn't quite cut it for David. 'When I was considering the FDM printers the most appealing parts were the cheap material and the relatively cheap printer. But all the above make it really hard to print something and after that you're left with something that feels like cheap plastic, because it is just a cheap plastic. Don't get me wrong, this might be perfect for most users. Architects or researchers need to test their ideas and the final product will be molded anyway. But not me. I'm a 3d modeler, I already made my model on the screen and just want to have a nice model that I can simply peel off my printer and have it ready to go as a final product.'

While also considering SLS technology for its high-quality, the industrial scale and protective environment put him off it entirely. The problem with this is that you can't really use it at home. You can only buy industrial big machines and this powder is not good for your health. Wearing masks and gloves in a professional environment is really required. Not the best thing.' He therefore settling on SLA technology, and one of Formlab's printers. 'You have to be a serious hobbyist to accept [those prices]. But on the bright side, prints are totally different. It's not a cheap plastic: it feels like a final product.'

Settling on his Form 1+ SLA 3D printer, David was forced to print the model in eight different sections, as the print bed of the Form 1 is much smaller than his intended statue. Overall, printing alone took about 45 hours (using a 50 micron resolution and 25 microns for the head), as various problems occurred during the whole process. As he explained, 'I really got frustrated with the whole thing. In a nutshell, I tried to print the legs of the statue, but all my prints failed and now I have 5 different legs, all pretty much useless. How this happened? I think I rushed things and wasn't careful enough.'

Leaving his 3D printer working overnight, David woke up to find most of the resin gone and the legs he wanted to print in shambles. However, he quickly learned some valuable lessons for all of us: 'This whole 3d printing has to be a really conscious thing on my side. First of all: always fill the resin tank properly. More is better. And always shake the bottle before you print. I forgot to shake it before all this, so the resin was like honey and accumulated in one side of the tank. Then after a fail clean the tank. Properly.'

Moreover, some initial prints were done without support structures, and needed be redone. 'Supports supports and supports. I blindly trusted the Preform software and didn't add any extra supports. I should've done.' And finally, he advises everyone to print parts as small as possible, so you're not throwing a lot of money away when something doesn't go as planned.

It was thus a frustrating but educational printing project. The legs proved to be especially difficult for David, and in the end the original eight pieces grew to a total of eleven (several failed leg pieces were glued together for the final results). Fortunately, none of this is visible after several phases of post printing and painting. 'The model had nicely prepared pegs, so my original plan was to click and glue all the parts together, fill it with clay and then spray paint it with a black paint. Since I had some failed prints I had to cut the prints, glue and sand them as well to hide the seams.'

But the stunning and inspiring results must be worth all the trouble. Who would've guessed 3D printing could replicate Victorian statues? David, meanwhile, was not as impressed as us, calling it 'certainly nice for a first attempt.' He is, however, impressed by the potential of 3D printing. '3D printing is an incredible tool for the digital artist, but I think it is still in its infancy. I'm really excited to see what's there to come. I wonder when we'll reach the point when it's as simple as hitting print and waiting for the perfect result.'

We're just glad he's pursuing another project already (a 25 cm tall macaw skeleton) that will doubtlessly be another triumph. David is also working on setting up an online boutique where people can purchase his artwork and order bespoke models. And its all powered by 3D printing: 'my goal is to push the machine and the technology creating intricate and complex sculptures, capturing as much detail as I can with the printer and printing big.'

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Technology

 

Maybe you also like:

• 3D printed self-learning, self-repairing robots can adapt to extreme environments
• Daniel Norée launches OpenRailway project for 3D printed miniature trains
• OPM receives $150K to improve treatment of infections related to implanted devices
• Japanese artist collaboration XSENSE develop gorgeous and artistic 3D printed artificial limbs
• Photographers design a cheap 3D printed filter holder for a Nikon 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens
• Fan 3D prints very cool table top terrain for Warhammer 40k battles
• Go back to the basics with the 3D printable Sundial Watch Collection
• Organovo announces commercial release of exVive3D 3D printed human liver tissue
• Aachen University uses 3D printer to build a fully functional electric car in just 12 months

   

Leave a comment:

Your Name: