Pushing The Limits and Size of Fine Art And 3D Printing
I have been a fan of Eric van Straaten’s work for a while now. I found his work by doing research for the book that I am writing titled 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft. I am thrilled that he has agreed to be one of the featured artists for the book and to share his process. As most of you know, the reason that I am writing this book is that I have been exploring and using a combination of technology and traditional art for a while now. I have reported on it in several magazines. Also, fine art and technology is what I received my degree in back in 2012.
The technology is constantly changing, and I have to spend a lot of time to keep up with it. That is why I hope that the book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft will become a series and repeat in the future, introducing the latest in technology and new artists who are pushing the limits. Of course, that will depend on my time and the publisher allowing for future editions, but first I need to complete this one, and there is a lot of research involved.
Now on to Eric’s work.
Because I have been a fan of Eric’s work, I have signed up for Eric’s email newsletter. I love to hear what he is doing. Basically, Eric has been creating fine art pieces through 3D printing. What intrigues me about Eric’s work is that the is not just 3D printed artwork in plastic, but instead the pieces are 3dD printed in color He is just not “manufacturing” work, but selling them as fine art. I have often stated that the themes of Eric’s work are a little risque, but in a way they are charming and the soft almost sugary look that printing in color on the ZCorp 650 gives a sweetness and innocence to the piece that I don’t think would be there in another medium.
Again Eric pushes the limits, this time with size. You see the ZCorp 650 can only print 37 x 25 x 20 cm , which is approximately 14.5“ x 10 x 8 inches. So Eric created 10 different interconnecting parts that are glues together. Also, the ZCorp 3D printed parts are not the strongest pieces to work with, that is why they are strengthened. Eric says “they are probably stronger than you think, comparable to ceramics.” But still, he is nervous about transporting them.
I can’t wait to interview all of these creative and wonderful artists for the book, and I’m so thankful they are going to share their process, vendors and materials with us through 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft. Apparently I’m not the only one who is into inspiring and encouraging the marriage of fine art and technology.
Eric’s work will be exhibited at the art fair REALISME in the Passenger Terminal in Amsterdam.
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Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor, writer, illustrator and educator as well as a public speaker.
Her blog can be found at https://creativesculpture.com.
She is the vice chair of the planning committee for 3DCAMP Houston 2012 and 2013 http://www.3dcamphouston.com
Follow the artists on twitter twitter.com/Sculptorwriter
Dedication Of A Tiger
The Grambling State University Tiger has been installed by Bridgette Mongeon. It has been a long process. The process is documented in this blog with the category Grambling Tiger or the artist has kept a project blog for the client. You can find it at http://gramblingtiger.blogspot.com/
How Many Books Did I Read In 2013?
Anyone who knows me know that I love to read. There are piles of books in all areas of my house, and I have a regular rendezvous with the local library. I also have the Overdrive application on my phone. Overdrive allows me to find and listen to audio books through my iPhone. It is linked to my library account so I can listen to them for free. Most of you are jamming out to tunes while you drive. If you see me driving, I’m probably somewhere far away, in a story from another time and place.
I am a sculptor and work many hours with my hands. The interns who work in my sculpting studio are often subjected to my addiction of listening to audio books. I asked one intern, upon his arrival, if he liked or listened to audio books. I could tell by his answer that he was a little distraught that I might make him listen to someone read. I wondered if he felt like he was in school rather than work. Because I sign his paycheck, he was subjected to the cruelty of listening to the written word. After one afternoon he was hooked. He asked, “I want to know what will happen. Are you going to listen to this when I’m not working?”
I document, or try to document, my reading list through another app on my phone called Goodreads. I love Goodreads, it is a social network of readers. I have, at times, received some great suggestions from my Goodreads friends. I do wish I had a little more interactivity with the app. For example, if someone suggests a book on Goodreads and I like it, I would love the opportunity to click a button and be taken to the Houston Public Library or Overdrive to search for the book and order it. I also wish it had a private journal area, kind of like a common place book where I could jot down my thoughts or phrases that I liked from the books that I read. It does however let me keep a list of the books I have read, see suggestions by others and let me keep a list of things I want to read.
What I read
What I read depends on what is available when I log into Overdrive or am taking my walk through the library. At the library you will usually find me in the young adult section. I read young adult or YA as writers call it, because I like to write for this genre. I have nothing published, but I do have one complete. This is my first choice, along with middle grade MG. I have about 3 books inside of me , yet to be written for MG.
When walking through the library I’ll look for those books with stickers on the cover or spine indicating they are an ward winning books. I exhaust those quickly and will move on to what catches my eye. I will also go through periods of time where I’ll order books from the library. If I’m ordering a book, I’m probably ordering 2 or 3. I’ll also listen to books from CD’s. In the case of audio books on CD I will order what I can from the library . This is usually the case when it comes to award winning audio books. You can find several lists on the internet like the audies. There is nothing like listening to great reader or actors in an audio book. In that same light there is nothing like a really poor reader of an audio book to make you hate the medium. That is why I only revert to LibriVox when I am in desperate need of a fix for audio books. LibriVox is great in theory. Books that are in the public domain are recorded by individuals and put up for free on librovox. The problem is that often one book has multiple readers and if one of these readers drones, or has a strange pitch or rise and fall to their cadence of words, it is murder to my ears.
I read/listen to a lot of novels, and my second favorite is a biography. It is strange because as a young adult and child I was absolutely enthralled with nonfiction and especially “how to” books. Guess as I age, I no longer have the need to know how to, but instead I want to dream.
I must also add that now that I am a grandmother I am reading more books to my grandchild. But children’s books are not foreign to me. I have been studying the writing of children’s books for years. I have about 10 written children’s books, no, once again they are not published. I do believe they are some of the best writings I have ever done. I have not published my children’s books for the simple reason that as an artist I feel like I should illustrate my own books and that becomes overwhelming to me. So, they sit unpublished. I digress from my subject.
So what have I read/listened to this year? Documenting my reading list could be a bit of a chore, however, my Goodreads application has a scanner and before bringing my books back to the library I just scan the ISBN number and my book enters my scanned list on good reads. Here is my list. 70 books in 12 months, though I do believe I haver forgotten a few.
The Tiger Arrives Home!
On December 2nd the Tiger left NM to be driven on an open bed semi to Grambling, Louisiana, and Bridgette Mongeon, the artist, left Houston on that Tuesday to meet the tiger.
A long drive later, early on the morning of Wed the 4th the artist and tiger are united once again. Now for the installation.
I love that he/she high fived everyone as he/she went across county.
Patina
The patina is the coloring of the tiger. The color is created by using chemicals and heat. It is a very dark cold and long day/evening when we figure out the patina. Once we decide on the color it will take several days to complete the patina.
Going High For Detail
Once the Grambling Tiger sculpture is sandblasted, I must check it out to be sure that there are not corrections. I walk around the sculpture or in this case, climb around the sculpture looking for places for them to fix. I mark them with a marker and then the foundry men work their magic. I have a very intimate relationship with this height and this tiger head.
A Cat Finds His/Her Rock
The foundry works diligently to meet the deadline. Each of the many pieces of metal must be welded together seamlessly. Once the cat is almost finished, it is moved from one side of the foundry to the other.
arm. It is a tight fit.
Need Help With This Part Of A Chapter- 3D Printing And Investment Casting
I spend a lot of time on the internet searching for new technology or posting comments on my groups on linkedIn. I am writing a book about using 3D technology in both fine art and craft. I’m putting some of my questions and thoughts below. Please feel free to add to them with things you have discovered, correct my errors in the technological processes, and when possible cite your comments or background. Please let me know if I may quote you if that applies. Also, I’m looking for examples with incredible art. I’m not into showing the creation of oil valves or common items, though that may be what some of these processes are made for. If you have samples of artists or art using these processes, please contact them and see if they would like to be featured in the book and then let me know. I would love to hear about their processes. If you are interested in having an artist try your products to be featured in the book, contact me and I’ll either use my own work, or if I am busy writing, pass it on to another artist that I want to feature, and whose work is top notch.
Investment casting and 3d printing.
Today my search leads me to the topic of 3d printing and investment casting. I’m going to summarize some of my questions in this post and then send this around and hope that some professionals in the industry will be able to help me. It is also my hit list of professionals and companies that I am trying to reach. (Not an easy job as I am presently writing from New Mexico instead of my home base in Houston, Texas, and I do not have my hit list here. This NM trip is another story all together.)
Many things can be burned out of an investment casting. The things I’m noting when discussing these processes of burning out are; detail, a clean burn, temperature, cost, toxicity and build envelope. The few things I am covering in this section of this chapter are listed below. If there are some I have forgotten please feel free to let me know.
ABS and PLA-
Of these I know that PLA is preferred because of the toxicity of ABS. I also have the extrude temperature of ABS as 225 and of PLA 180-200 I suppose this will also depend on the supplier of both materials, but in general is this correct? If this is the extrude temperature what would be the burn out temperature for investment casting?
ABS
* Detail—
* Clean burn?—
* Temperature—
* Cost—
* Toxicity—
* Build envelope–
* Machines and stats and service bureaus and stats–
PLA
* Detail—
* Clean burn?—
* Temperature—
* Cost—
* Toxicity—
* Build envelope–
* Machines and stats and service bureaus and stats–
PAPER AND CERAMIC
In a podcast interview with fellow artist Paul Effinger we talked about burn out quite a bit. But this interview and the accompanying book that I wrote, “Digital Sculpting With Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Aritst “ with Mike de la Flor showed his work. I believe that his piece “Artifices” was 3d printed with a ceramic powder and dipped in a resin binder. The piece, that we featured on page 187 of the Mudbox book, was apparently printed on a ZCorp510. OK 3Dsystems. So, any updates on systems doing this and details.
The Mudbox book was written in 2009 and printed in 2010 and was one of the first books to feature a chapter on 3D technology in the art. I’m curious how the technology has advanced. What machines and service bureaus are printing paper or ceramic for burn out. How do they compare with the detail, a clean burn, temperature, cost, toxicity and build envelope?
I know that mcor technologies is doing some great printing with paper. I’d like to feature them in another part of the book because I love the color work, but I’d also love to talk to them about investment casting and 3D printing of paper.
With these products it appears that many are dipped into a solution. If your product is dipped please clarify what it is dipped in and why. Also, as an artist I am concerned if a piece is dipped in anything as I know that the dip will really affect the texture on a piece. I love texture on my artwork and this would be very difficult for me.
Also, with all 3d printing texture is more than just what I put into it, but what the material that is being burned out can affect the look of a piece . I have created molds from wet clay, dry clay, and oil base clay and the same figure will look totally different depending on the item being molded. I’m interested in investigating this more with the 3d printing.
WAX
I’m pretty impressed with what I have seen with the wax 3d printing. This piece was sent to me from 3D SYSTEMS a few years ago. I love the detail and take it with me on all my lectures to show as an example. Going to have to dig in my contact list when I get back to the office to find out who sent this to me, and what machine it was printed on. This definitely is an example of the quality/detail that I am trying to show in this book. So what machines are printing wax for investment casting? How do they compare?
I also loved what I saw at envision tech and would love to find someone from this company to talk to.
* Detail—
* Clean burn?—
* Temperature—
* Cost—
* Toxicity—
* Build envelope–
* Machines and stats and service bureaus and stats–PAPER AND CERAMIC
.MGX by Materialize.
I know that .MGX by Materialize has been working on a large build envelope and investment casting. I won’t describe it here, but when I interviewed Joris Debois back in 2010 , we talked about it. We were in contact about 2 weeks ago. I look forward to hearing from.MGX by Materialize. Their process will be a major section in this chapter.
* Detail—
* Clean burn?—
* Temperature—
* Cost—
* Toxicity—
* Build envelope–
* Machines and stats and service bureaus and stats–PAPER AND CERAMIC
Thank you for everyones help. Please feel free to respond here or on linked in, or contact me and let me and we can set up a time to chat if necessary. Thanks in advance,
Bridgette Mongeon
Also note: This section is just about burn out. I am also interested in other parts of 3D technology that are entering or may influence the traditional process of fine art bronze casting, such as what is mentioned in the American Article that I wrote for Sculpture Review in 2007. I’m going to hit up exone and Bob Wood again about printing the investment instead of the piece for investment. I’m wondering how that has changed over the last few years. The 3D printing in metal is discussed in another section.
An Encore of “Taming The Beast” Presentation
I’m in Sata Fe this week checking the progress on the Grambling State Louisiana Tiger. While here, I presented a lecture called Taming the Beast: 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft. In the lecture I spoke about the creating of the tiger, how 3D technology is advancing, and how artists are using 3D technology in their workflow. The lecture features a modified and very shortened version of what will be in my new book, 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft. Shidoni Foundry hosted the first Santa Fe lecture.
I gave the second presentation of Taming the Beast at a private gathering at Mary Anne’s Stickler’s home. Mary Anne is my host while in Santa Fe and has opened her lovely home to me.
There has been discussion about doing yet another repeat performance of the lecture while I am here. I have extended my stay, and I am in town until the 27th. If we can schedule this, I’ll let everyone know the date, place and time – probably through this blog post or Facebook, so feel free to like my Creative Sculpture facebook page, and comment here on this blog post or on Facebook about the best dates for you, and if you would like to attend. We don’t need a big crowd, 8-20 people is fine.
I will also state that for those people who have heard the lecture, you might also be interested to note that Shidoni Foundry has regular bronze pours on noon on Saturday. If you have never seen this take place it is breath taking. Here is a video they helped me create when they poured the tiger head. Give them a call to reserve your space,1508 Bishop’s Lodge Rd., Tesuque, New Mexico 87574 (505) 988-8001. You can also request to see the beast.
If enough people are interested, and Shidoni is agreeable, maybe the repeat performance can be done there on Saturday morning, before or after a pour. Let me know your preferences, I’m also open to another venue if someoone has suggestions.
For future reference, a Santa Fe artist asked if I would come back and do the lecture in Albeququerqe in the Spring, he is organizing it. I’m delighted. If you know of anyone in Albuquerque that might like to be a part of this as either and attendee, sponsor or would like to host, please let me know I’ll pass the information on to him.
IF YOU ATTENDED EITHER LECTURE
I would greatly appreciate your comments. Please feel free to post them below. Please note, if you comment you are giving me permission to use these elsewhere. These comments are very valuable for me because they help others get a feel for a lecture. For example two that I use quite often concerning my Marketing in the Arts workshop state:
“This workshop is a necessity for every practicing artist and student. I commend Ms. Mongeon on the development of such a resource. “
Professor David Hickman University of Houston
Former President-Houston Society of Illustrators
“I left the room with the certainty that if fame and fortune were going tobe mine, it would only occur if I took the bull by the horns, and you showed me not only where the bull was but how to get the horns, as well.
Besides your ebullient enthusiasm, which is highly contagious, you also shared with us lucky attendees really practical steps to getting where we want to go. I left the lecture with a suitcase of ideas.”
Mary Erbert
Artist-Houston
IN CLOSING
I would like to thank everyone in Santa Fe for their warm welcome and excitement over my work and my research. if you have attended Taming of the Beast: Using 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft , please feel free to comment here and and include your name and title and location, also let me know what you think about a time , date and place of a repeat performance of the lecture.
This Really Happened This Morning
— “You hoo. Are you up?”
Me: “What? Is it morning already?” ( I open my eyes momentarily, and then shut them again.)
— “Hey, hello, pay attention!”
Me: (I reach over to check my cell phone.) “What the …? It is 4:30 in the morning.”
— “I know you can see me. Come on, wake up.”
Me: “Who is shining a spotlight into my window, and what on earth do you want at 4:30 in the morning?”
— “I’m not a spotlight. I’m a desert full moon. If you thought the New Mexico sunsets were great, you should see me.”
Me: ”I’m sleeping, can you please be quiet and get your boney rays out of my eyes.” (I balance a pillow on the bed in front of me.)
— “Come on, I know you want to open the shades and look. I’m not like one of those Houston, city moons. I’m a full, winter, desert moon. “
Me: (Getting even more irritated, but now fully awake. ) “ Hey don’t diss our Houston moons. They are pretty great, and I have seen one or two at the end of my street that were so large they looked they could roll down the street and and bowl down all of the houses.”
— “Yes, I know, but this is a desert moon, aren’t you the least bit curious? Don’t you want to open the blind and let my magical powers flow over you while you are in bed. “
Me: “There are no magical or mystical powers in the moon. I really would rather sleep.”
— “No magical powers— I make tides. That is pretty darn incredible you know. Lets see you do that. Besides if you wanted to dance naked under the New Mexico sunset.”
Me: “Hey, how did you know, and besides, I never said I wanted to dance naked. I wrote.
(The sun sets, a crescendo of color and texture, clouds mixing with hills, fire in the sky. It makes me wish I had a drum or a fire, and I could dance and praise the gods for such delight. )
— “You should see me. I know you want to look. I’m quite stupendous. There are many things that are special about a full moon, in the desert, in New Mexico. Google it.”
Me: ”I don’t want to Google it. I don’t want to dance. I don’t want to open my shade. Please go away. Hey, quit moving around, peaking in and hitting my eyes with your brightness. I really want to sleep.”
— “No, I don’t believe you do want to sleep. You have an adventurous soul. I think you really want to take a moonlit walk in the desert.”
Me: “I barely walk in the desert at daytime. Nighttime? I’ll probably walk into a cactus. Wait, what am I talking about? I don’t want to walk around at night.”
— “It is not really night any more. It is early morning. And then you will not miss your buddy —the sun, he comes up just over there you know.”
Me: “Yes, I do want to watch a few sunrises, wait. I’M NOT TAKING A NIGHTTIME WALK.” (I jump out of bed and open the blinds) “There, I’m letting you in. Are you happy now. Please leave me alone. “ (I look up expecting to see the man in the moon with a menacing smirk, but instead I shriek) “Oh, my God ,I think you have burned my retina. What is wrong with you? (I cover my eyes, concerned with the damage I have just caused.) “That is a horrible trick. Are you sure you are the moon?”
— “Yep, Beaver moon. Google it. I know your curious to see if I’m telling you the truth.“
Me: “You are not big, but you are terribly bright. I expected more. I can’t even look at you. And… I’m not Googling anything. I’m paying attention. Isn’t that enough? Can’t I just rest here and let you do your thing? “
— “Beaver moon because I remind people to set their traps.”
Me: “I’m a sculptor and a writer. I live in Houston. I don’t hunt, and I think it is cruel to trap animals.”
— “Yes, but you were going to hike in the dark, lots of things are done during a full moon. It is an entirely different adventure. Come on, get up and walk with me.”
Me: “ You are relentless.” (I open my eyes.) “Good you have gone away.”
— “Nope, I’m just behind this pine. I’m still here, waiting.
Think of it… a moon walk, sunrise, hot tea, there might even be wildlife.“
Me: “Right I’ll get eaten by something for sure.”
— “Now you are being silly.”
Me: “Give me a break, I’m tired. It does sound tempting, Can’t I just close my eyes for a few minutes?”
— “Sure, but first take a picture of me like you do the sunset.”
Me: “It will never work, besides you are behind the pine. “
— “Yea, but I can see your feet, so just sit up.”
Me: “There. I told you it would not work. Please just a few minutes to rest my eyes. “
— “It’s a marvelous night for a moon dance. With the stars up above in your eyes…”
Me: “Are you really singing? You are not just annoyingly bright, but you are singing?”
( I pull the cover over my head.)
— “Yep and I’m shimmying as I sing, but you can’t see me because I’m behind the pine. Come on out and take a look.“
Me: (Silence)
— “Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin’
We could dream this night away.
But there’s a full moon risin’
Let’s go dancin’ in the light
We know where the music’s playin’
Let’s go out and feel the night.”
(Pause)
— “… Hey, you still awake?”
Me: (snoring loudly)
(A banter with the moon, early morning hours. By bridgette Mongeon )