I was just messing with photoshop. PS does make it a lot easier to do creative work, but it doesn't remove the artist. What I mean is, I am no artist, and no matter how good PS gets, I never will be one. It takes an artist to make art. What they are doing with CAD though...apparently can take the CAD designer right out of the picture(so to speak). Makes you wonder why you spent all of that time learning something that now just anyone can do.
I know this is all a good thing. I spent a lot of time learning CAD. All of this new technology seems to be erasing the need for CAD guys. I have mixed feelings.
Is there any reason that they couldn't just make the molds. Then use the materials you are saying? I mean, you are still making molds from pictures instead of actually casting a mold. Just a thought.
Thanks, Beth, I remember that one now. According to the caption, though, it's made of the materials I'm trying to avoid: thermoplastics, although it's cleverly finished to look like bronze. I'm suggesting versions of the older materials that used to be used in museum replicas from the Smithsonian and the MOMA, for example, which were essentially reconstituted bronze and stone. Those replicas were a lot less expensive than cast bronze, but more expensive than the thermoplastic versions made now. Some of them mixed plastics with clay. I don't know what the manufacturing processes were. I can also conceive of something like them using wood.
@Ann: There's definite activity in that area. Take a look at this slide show we did on 3D printing--there's some work being done to create museum-quality sculptures with 3D printing and new materials, including this bust of Thomas Jefferson.
Thank your for telling us about these services. I have stock in two leading 3D printer companies because I believe this is a huge growth industry that surprisingly few people know about. 3D printers combined with the services you report get us very close to what science fiction fans know as a Santa Clause machine. One can wish for a sailboat or any other fantasy and have it manufactured. Some work is even being done on printing biological organs and tissues.
Beth, another reason I'm wondering about more natural-looking materials combines with the souvenir idea. I'm an ancient history fan, and many replicas of ancient statues or other art objects are being made in plastic resins now, instead of the older reconstituted concrete and stone materials, which I prefer. So I wonder if there's any research being done on non-plastic, non-metal 3D materials. Not sure what any other apps for those might be.
I bet all the 3D printer and 3D content creation tool providers will get a lift just listening in on the exchange going on in this community. They're betting that once the tools make the technology more accessible, enthusiasm will be infectious and the applications endless. From the looks of the small burst we've got going here, they might just be on to something.
@Ann: Love your idea of the materials developments. I'm not so sure the ones you mentioned are developed yet, but they would sure get some good traction.
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