In our next installment of our Makers & Maker Movements series, we wanted to talk about something we are very interested in, 3D printed art. Makers all around the world who have played around with 3D printers know that it isn’t always the easiest or most forgiving medium; however, the artists who stick with it are rewarded by beautiful pieces.
Ji Lee, an artist who was born in Korea and raised in Brazil, is a now New York artist who began a low-key-art-movement in 2013 called “Mysterabbit.” This project consists of 10,000 one-inch 3D printed rabbits that are spread around the globe. These rabbits, who appear to be meditating, serve as miniature sculptures for those who are going about their day. Mysterabbit’s website offered a downloadable blueprint for the peaceful rabbits so people at home could create a few of their own, a map to track how many Mysterabbits are in the world, and a message, “we hope [Mysterabbits] will stop people from their daily routine and for a brief moment, make them wonder about their mysterious, newly found gift, and a small piece of the beautiful world that surrounds them.”
London-based DBLG has pushed 3D printing into the world of stop-motion animation. With four weeks and around 50, 3D printed bears walking up a set of four stairs, DBLG was able to create a two-second looping video clip called “Bears on Stairs.” At this point, I’m sure you’re asking, what makes this different from the rest of the stop-motion videos in the world? The final product was smooth and seamless, which takes immense focus and attention to detail.
After initially browsing his website, there are a few things that’ll strike you about Joshua Harker. First, you will notice that a lot of his work is centered around the natural world: skulls, animals, and flowers to name a few. Second, you’ll see scrollwork, or the ornamental work of fine spiral lines or patterns, plays an even larger part. Finally, you’ll see that these two combined and 3D printed are absolutely beautiful. Harker, who is considered a pioneer in 3D printed art and sculpture, is featured in thousands of collections and publications worldwide and continues to gain popularity.
Though art hasn’t taken a 100% focus on digital media, we can predict that digital media is going to continue to grow in popularity. 3D printing as a medium is a great way to combine the world of digital art with the satisfaction of having a physical piece of art to display or inspire. With 3D printers becoming more and more available to the public, it can only be expected that we won’t see the end of 3D printed art anytime soon.
