Start Of My 3D Printing Journey…

How you can get started or progress on the journey too.

March 2015, I started an artist in residency in Montreal Echofab Fablab. 

The spring was slow arriving here, snow turned to sludge, sludge turned to cold dirty water, when it was not grey and overcast the skies looked fantastic with jet streamers stretching Westwards towards the Canadian Shield. The skyscrapers of down-town Montreal spewed the smoke of winter,  flagpoles on their high masts cracked in the thaw…

I stepped into the warm dry EchoFab FabLab where I was to start a three week art residency, this was the future, it was my first real experience of these spaces where one can “make almost anything”.

The 3D printer stood on the table, I fed it my first 3D print in with an SD card, I didn’t know what to expect.  I just made a 3d mesh in 3ds max of some people walking. It printed, I watched the whole process, however strands of plastic looked like tracers came from their heads and bodies.

3D printing artefacts tracers

Technology can create unpredictable ‘art stuff’ sometimes. I was hooked. I think I preferred the fact that it was not a perfect print. 3D printing for artists and other creative people is very much alive and growing today…

What You Can Imagine, You Can 3D Print…

So the 3D printing revolution is happening right now, all over the world, Montreal, London, Glasgow, in fact all the continents except Antartica have places such as FabLabs and Makerspaces where we can make 3D prints. We can also make so much more too!

As I write this, yesterday on the 26th of November, I went to the MakLab in Glasgow to 3D print the characters that I’ve been making for my latest artwork based on World Expos with a retrofuturism feel. These were made in 3dsMax a 3D animation/modelling software. It is amazing that if you can make something in an application like this, you can print it. Sometimes you have to make amendments so it will print properly but at the end of the day most shapes and forms can be printed. Amazing!

Some Things You Can Do As An Artist With 3D Printing…

For artists, 3D printing is a good tool. You can use a laser-scan of an sculpture or other 3D real life work or use 123D Catch and then edit it in a 3D application. You can then scale it to make it smaller or larger and then get it 3D printed. This saves a lot of time as opposed to using older scaling methods.

You can also make very intricate parts and mechanisms that would be difficult of even impossible to make by hand.

Use a 3D print as a mould to make a cast and use old technology sculpture casting techniques for a more traditional feel.

If you have an art show or large 3D sculptures and installations, you can scale down or use small elements from the larger piece to sell as separate 3D prints.

You can sell your 3D Prints for example on an on-line shop like mine.

These are only some ideas. Once you start on your own personal 3D printing journey, you will come up with and discover ideas that will suit your own purpose…

How You Can Make 3D Prints…

Step 1 – Make something use Blender, get a lesson off me, 3ds Max. Sketch first or use photographs as references then develop in 3D as I did with the retrofuturistic characters for my new artwork (see below)

3ds Max Characters

Step 2 – Refine the model. When it is complete, check in a print setup application such as Cura or similar package.

Cura Setup

Step 3 – Once you have optimised the print in Cura, for example added supports so that your print doesn’t fail. Take it to a 3D printer. The prints below for my latest artwork were made using an Ultimaker 2 3D printer. The materials used was glow in the dark print filament. Sign up to my newsletter below to get notification when this artwork and new artwork is completed.

3D prints glow in the dark

I would say don’t just send to Shapeways (great for metals etc) using a machine such as an Ultimaker, you can get good results at a cheaper price and you get your 3D prints straight away too! It also helps you to learn how to optimise your prints and set them up so they don’t fail too.

Check out this episode from my Creation / Inspiration Vlog cast where I show you and talk about the 3D prints I made above and also some laser-cutting for my new “Expo” project…

If you would like to learn or progress quickly to make your own art as 3D prints, e mail me now at info@jamesabellart.com for a quote for a Skype lesson. I currently charge from $25 per hour and you can also make savings with a group lesson.

You can also buy my 3D prints and my other artwork on my online shop.

Some 3D Printing Resources…

Blender – Make 3d models for 3d printing with this powerful free 3D application

3ds Max – For high end modelling

Cura – Setup you 3d print for Ultimaker printers

Meshmixer – by Autodesk, another good applcation to setup 3d prints

other stuff on my blog

Ultimaker – Reliable affordable 3d printers

Create Education – Ultimaker’s site dedicated to education with 3d printers

Shapeways – Order 3d prints with a massive range materials for 3d prints

3D Print Hubs – Another way to order 3d prints from a local person or small business that owns a 3d printer

Fab Foundation – Find your locatl FabLab to get 3d printing access

Liked it? Take a second to support Crofton5 on Patreon!