3D printing is still the next big thing, and many people are excited about it for industrial, manufacturing and medical reasons – and for good cause! The technology looks set to revolutionise these sectors but that is not the only part of life affected by the promise and potential of 3D printing.
Please DO handle the exhibits!
Imagine a blind person able to feel the Rosetta Stone or the exquisite Pieta carved by Michelangelo and gain a real sense of the majesty and beauty of these pieces? The originals are kept under lock and key, climate-controlled and safe from theft, malicious vandalism and curious fingers, but a 3D model will be a perfect replica, painted and treated to look and feel like the real thing and the model can be handled, turned over and used to make casts and imprints at will. http://www.tested.com/art/makers/454188-maker-profile-cosmo-wenmans-3d-printed-art/ Little consideration has been given to the boost to art appreciation made possible by this new technology, but it is beginning to take hold, and soon it may be possible for all of us to wander around a museum or exhibition, touching the displays to our heart’s content and gaining a true feel for art!
From the computer screen to your hand
On the market already, is software and specialised styluses that work within a computer operating system to create works of art, from intricately detailed and realistic models to wonderful swooping abstract shapes, which can then be printed out for sale or display. The cost of this technology is coming ever closer to being affordable for all, having plummeted from $2500.00 to $1000.00 – still pricy, but getting there! This technology is opening up an entirely new world for a different kind of artist – the cyber artist who can create wonders on the small screen, but maybe struggles to express his or her creativity in the ‘real’ world.
Not just plain plastic any more
The one drawback to 3D printing has always been the fact that the lasers lay down layer upon layer of specialised polymer, making a durable and sturdy product, but one that is essentially plastic! The medical sector are trying to use ceramic substances as replacement bone, and are working on a cellular base into which stem cells can be planted to create an implant that will grow and change with the body, and other industries are working on stronger bonds and metal/ plastic fusions to create strong load-bearing products. But there has been considerable progress since the first 3D printers were used. The aesthetes have already worked out how to use precious metals like gold, silver, bronze and platinum in their creations and a very good replica ‘sandstone’ has already been created too. Other industries are working on products that appear rubbery and have a good amount of ‘give’ to them. http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/exponential-growth-within-3d-printing-6268564.html
The world in 3D
The inaugural 3D Printshow Awards are to be held in 2013 with a stated aim of celebrating the best of 3D creations from every field. Entries have started flooding in; featuring everything from life-life face masks of the artist to minute, to architectural models, to beautifully detailed lace-like shells and skulls. http://3dprintshow.com/london2013/awards/
As predicted when the world of 3D printing was still in its infancy, there have turned out to be almost limitless applications for 3D printing. Thanks to this innovative and almost world-changing technology not only can more people learn to appreciate delicate and fragile ancient masterpieces, but more people can learn new skills and express themselves through this new medium. Surely anything that can make the world a more beautiful place is something to be encouraged?