Oct 5, 2015 | By Kira
There are action figures, and then there are Hauke Scheer’s fully customizable, high-quality, hand-painted 3D printed action figures, with over 25 points of articulation and multiple faces to create different gestures and emotions. These aren’t your average playthings, and Scheer is not your average 3D designer.
The German character designer has been working in computer games, animation, and advertising for over 10 years, is the creative force behind the animated series Mechawhales (robo-whales fighting aliens to save Earth), and produces his own line of completely original collector’s figures through his company, Deep Fried Figures. For those with their own character ideas, or who want to turn themselves into action figures, he also provides a full range of service, from designing and modeling the character to 3D printing, assembling and painting it. Having experience with modeling for animation, he easily transitioned to modeling articulated figures for 3D printing two years ago, and based on his portfolio, neither his imagination nor his talent know any bounds.
To showcase the sturdiness and articulation of his latest Caveman 3D printed figure, Scheer has just released a short stop-motion film, “Caveman and Robots,” which, as the titled implies, depicts an epic battle between a heroic Neanderthal and an authoritarian robot regime. Though Scheer says that the animation was just a rough test and required post-processing in Photoshop, it goes a long way in showing just how well-designed the action figures are.
The Caveman is his first figure with ball joints only, making it extra easy to assemble (no glue required) and swap parts. All of his figures are 3D printed in durable ABS plastic and come with 25 to 30 or more points of articulation, meaning they can be placed in a wide variety of positions for smooth and realistic stop-motion animation or simply for display. They also include great details and textures, made possible by the combination of high resolution 3D printing and skillful painting. “The figures appear rougher in the animation than they are when you hold them in your hand,” said Scheer. “Taking close ups of 5.5 inch figures makes every surface scratch really stand out. However I think it works for the animation giving the figures more of a handmade/clay look.”
Given his experience with modeling and animation, Scheer uses The Foundry’s Modo software, designed for specifically for artistic workflows, game content creation, and character designs. He then prints his models on a Stratasys Mojo 3D printer, which he says is idea for making initial prototype models. His custom figurines are made to order, and come fully assembled and hand-painted with bright acrylic paint. He also provides the 3D model in STL format, so that you can make future prints at home—imagine ‘Part Two’ of his film with a whole army of Cavemen and Robots!
The Caveman, along with Mechawhale and his other creations are available for sale via his website. He also accepts commissions for original characters, offers character design advice, and for just €230, will put a detailed replica of your head on a fully articulated body. With the level of customization, durability accuracy and originality imbued in each figure, Hauke Scheer’s 3D printed action figures are an upgrade from your average store-bought collectibles, and a showcase of his sheer inventiveness (pardon the pun) and the many fun and creative uses of 3D printing technology.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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