Oct 14, 2015 | By Tess
Jan Löchler, or as he is perhaps better known by his online moniker 3D Ghost, has an undeniable knack for 3D animation. His online portfolio of his work has even begun to garner attention for his extremely detailed and lifelike animations, which are often based on his own concepts for game characters. Recently, and excitingly for us, 3D Ghost has started his foray into not only the world of 3D animation, but also into the world of 3D printing!
His most recent 3D printed project is a detailed model of his Gladiator animation, a hulking, fully armored, and sword-laden figure. 3D Ghost explained his inspiration behind the design to 3Ders saying, “I’m working on some concept designs for a medieval game. The idea was to combine different armor styles, in this case a gladiator, with a classical knight armor.” He also cites some of his design influences, which include Blizzard Entertainment, who are responsible for such gaming hits as World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo, as well as From Software, whose games include Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Demon Souls.
In conceptualizing and designing his Gladiator project, 3D Ghost meticulously researched and studied the sartorial elements and armor from both the gladiator era as well as medieval era, picking and choosing which styles and details he liked from each, and oriented his own designs accordingly. The result is indeed an impressive mélange of the Roman Empire warriors’ style and that of the medieval knights.
When it came time to additively manufacture the Gladiator, 3D Ghost used his own desktop 3D printer, the Form 1+ from Formlabs. He explains, “I first saw the Form1 3D printer from Formlabs in 2014 and decided to buy one by myself 6 months ago. It’s like a different level for all my 3D stuff. It’s great if you see it on the screen but it’s much greater to have it in your hand and feel what you have done.”
In terms of its specs, 3D Ghost’s Gladiator is made up of 19 individually printed pieces, measures 23cm height-wise, and was 3D printed using Formlabs’ Grey Resin. On the Form 1+ 3D printer the whole process took about 50 hours, with the 3D printer running through six sessions (3D Ghost indicates that each session contained 3-4 pieces), at a density of 0.5mm. The post-processing for the Gladiator figurine was also relatively minimal, as 3D Ghost explains he simply removed the supports, cleaned the 3D printed model with IPA alcohol and water, and finally assembled and glued the individual parts together.
The Gladiator marks 3D Ghost’s fourth 3D printed project. His other previous projects include his Captain America Senior Bust, Mad Tree, and the impressive Hulk vs Hulkbuster statue pictured below.
For his next project, 3D Ghost tells 3Ders what he hopes he will accomplish: “I guess my next model for printing will be something similar to the gladiator but one step further,” he says, “maybe pushing the boundaries for small details or [hollowing] each part better so I can print it much cheaper and with less resin.”
Jan Löchler is a 31-year-old graphic designer from Switzerland. Professionally, he has been working as a graphic designer within the advertising industry since 2009. His passion for 3D animation and printing inspired him to learn the software and programs necessary, such as Cinema 4D and Zbrush, on his own time, allowing him to bring his character concepts to life.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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