3d printing – ultrawolvesunderthefullmoon

Sculpture: The Tangle Series by Joshua Harker

Joshua Harker is an American artist considered a pioneer and a visionary in 3D printed art and sculpture. His series of “unmakeable” technically complex tangles is credited as the first to break the design and manufacturing threshold of possibility. His pursuit of a process to bring his works into the 3rd dimension culminated after nearly 20 years in a perfect storm of software development, materials engineering, and 3D printing technology advancements. He went on to navigate the creation of his “Tangle” series in the archival material of cast bronze, thus bridging the traditional techniques of the past with technology of the present.

To fully appreciate the gravity of the pieces one must understand the practical impossibilities of their existence. This has been considered a landmark event in the history of sculpture and the chronology of the 3D printed medium. It has made him one of the most recognized artists in the field. Along with his techniques, subject matter, and execution, his experimentation in the dissemination of his art through digital media and the internet has garnered him international recognition.

Man-Made Collection by Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow, Updated Stone Tools

The ‘man made’ collection by Tel Aviv-based designers Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow is a series of contemporary artifacts that proposes various gripping and slicing possibilities. The concept originates from the different stone hand-axe forms rather than specific utilitarian actions used in the stone-age. Each of the white 3D printed handles complement and highlight a singular use of the tool – the extensions effectively transform the ultimate multi-tool into a specialized object.

The flint hand-axes were three-dimensionally scanned at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology. with support from Stratasys, the handle files were printed in Verogray – a performance polymer. The parts were then prepared and assembled on the original flint hand-axes, effectively joining the two most temporally distant making technologies: flint knapping and 3D printing.

“Any multi-tool becomes specialized when frozen at a single moment in time during its use. The first stage of the project was one of hastened evolution and bleeding: flint rocks of desirable size, shape and material quality were sourced from the Negev desert in southern Israel, while time was spent improving and understanding the skill of knapping. Basically this involved the striking of flint with a softer stone (historically a striking bone or antler was also used) to create controlled breakage, and chipping away flint flakes as the impact’s shock wave runs through the stone. Needless to say this is also where the bleeding comes in.” – Dov Ganchrow