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 )
Private Gathering on Art and Technology
shared information about incorporating
3D technology in the traditional sculpture
studio at Shidoni Foundry. The lecture
culminated with a viewing of the cast
sculpture and a foundry pour.
As many of you know, I am in New Mexico approving the sculpture of the 14+ foot bronze tiger that I created for Grambling State University in Louisiana. It is being cast by Shidoni Foundry. I also gave a presentation at Shidoni Foundry titled Taming the Beast: A Lecture on Fine Art, Craft and Technology. The lecture is about the process of creating the tiger, but also about some of the items in the new book that I am writing titled 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft.
My very gracious hostess here in Santa Fe, Mary Anne Stickler has offered to have private gathering in her home for some of her friends who are interested in art, and great conversation. I’m so honored.
Date: Monday, November 18th
Time: 4:00 p.m.
If you miss either one of these lectures and gatherings, don’t fret. I’ll be back this spring doing something similar in Albuquerque-details to come. Oh, and if you want me to come and speak in your area, just give me a call.
_____________________________________________
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
Wrestling The Tiger
I’m headed to the foundry in New Mexico very soon to monitor the rest of the progress and to do the final coloring of the Grambling State tiger. Then we will load it up on the flat bed and watch for it to arrive on campus. Not sure how much posting I’ll be able to do while there. You will get glimmers of the sculpture in the snap shots that I take. Not until the great reveal will you be able to see the entire sculpture complete. Unless… you are in NM on November 16th. I’ll be giving a lecture on “Taming the beast” at Shidoni Foundry. The lecture will culminate with watching a bronze pour. (Not the tiger as it will be complete.) We will also be able to take a look at the finished tiger. I can hardly wait.
I’d be happy to repeat this lecture at Grambling for those who are interested. Looks like we are leaning toward delivery of the sculpture in the first week of December.
Rocking Out Again
The rocks in this Grambling State tiger sculpture are just as massive as the tiger itself. The many, many pieces of the sculpture are being welded together. The foundry will match my sculpted textures. It is a huge puzzle to figure out where everything goes. There will also be an internal structure inside the sculpture to give it support.
Removing The Ceramic Shell From The Tiger Head
In the post we saw some the process of pouring the head of the tiger. Now that the head is poured, the ceramic shell must be broken off of the metal. This is called divesting. I asked the foundry to take a movie of this part. It looks brutal, but it is important. If you watch the entire thing be sure to look at the how they also much take the shell of the inside the sculpture.
The second part of this video shows them taking the metal spurs off of the sculpture. I especially like the look of this video. Seeing the light from the torch shine through the holes in the sculpture.
Now, this piece will need to be sandblasted to get all of the ceramic shell off of the metal.
Taming The Beast: A Lecture On Fine Art, Craft And Technology
Taming the Beast: A Lecture on Fine Art, Craft and Technology
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon will be presenting a lecture on incorporating digital technology in traditional art and craft on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10:00 at Shidoni Foundry, 1508 Bishops Lodge Road, Tesuque, NM 87574.
Digital Sculpting, CNC milling, and 3D printing, combined with traditional sculpture, is the way that Bridgette tamed the 15’ tiger that she sculpted for Grambling State University. Shidoni Foundry in Santa Fe, NM is casting the beast!
Bridgette will be discussing the technology, her process and how others are combining the technology in art, craft and science. The creative event will culminate with a viewing of the completed bronze tiger and a demonstration of a Shidoni bronze pour. Space is limited. To reserve space for Taming the Beast contact Shidoni Foundry office, 505-988-8001 ex 114
About the Artist
Houston, Texas sculptor, Bridgette Mongeon, is a traditional figurative sculptor of over 30 years. Bridgette began to incorporate digital technology in her work in 2008 and coauthored the book Digital Sculpting with Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists. Writing and lecturing about; art, marketing in the arts, creativity, and digital technology, gives her great pleasure. Bridgette holds a BA from Vermont College and an MFA from Goddard. She is presently working on a new book about 3D technology in art and craft.
_____________________________________________
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
3D Technology in Art and Craft – A Question- 3D Printing in Color
I’m working on a new book that details 3D technology in Art and Craft. It will describe how to create art using such things as 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D sculpting and 3D milling. It will show how to combine these technologies with traditional art and craft. It will also contain interviews with businesses and artists to discuss their processes. Finally it will be a one stop book that features vendors and other resources.
I’m culling through my many years of research and writing on this topic. I studied 3D technology as it is combined with art as my MFA, and have written and lectured on this topic often. I’m also looking at the new technology that is coming out. In light of that, I thought I would post some of my own questions on the topic. If you have an answer to these questions please feel free to post in the comments section of the blog or drop me a line. Please cite your answers when possible. I greatly appreciate it.
3D Question- printing in color.
I’m intrigued with printing in color.
As part of the book I really want to walk the reader through creating a piece of art that uses 3D scanning and 3D printing as the art interacts with natural surroundings. I wrote about that in a previous post. I love the video created by Greg Petchovsky who takes objects in the real world and then recreates them or adds to them in a 3D program and then prints them out using a 3Dprinter. I contacted Greg about this project, asked him how he scanned the color and what other details he could tell me about the quick projects in the video. He was kind enough to answer some questions. Here are his comments from the e mail
had my prints done by Shapeways, they used ZCorp 3d printers.
The material isn’t waterproof, it will warp and develop white discoloration if exposed to water. I haven’t left 3d prints outside for a long period of time, so I’m unsure how long they would hold up.
I set up the scale in 3ds Max. I just used calipers to measure the object, but in future I’m thinking I’d include a wooden ruler in the scan.
I don’t think I’d use masks or visibility to make meshes fit into each other. I’d try to use booleans. I haven’t experimented all that much with booleans in zbrush, but basically there’s a button over each subtool that lets you chose between additive, subtractive, or intersection. And the resulting mesh can be calculated using the “remesh all” button… though the results might be somewhat mushy. I believe similar (possibly better?) results can be achieved with dynamesh? And I guess the details could be re applied using projection.”
I am also intrigued with the work of Laika and how the puppeteers created the pieces for the making of the movie Paranorman. Each puppet was created using different expressions. These expressions were used with stop animation and some computer graphic work to create the film Paranorman. I’m assuming the super glue will help to strengthen the piece as well as keep it clean.
It is reported by the University of Texas at Austin Architecture school, in this article that using super glue can double the price of a 3D printed piece. I’m still not certain what the process is of “dipping” a piece in super glue/acetone. Seems like it would make a mess and be very difficult to handle. I can’t believe no one has figure out another way to harden these materials. Also, it looks like none of these things printed in color can be used outdoors, so I may have to modify my example for the book to use drift wood instead.
I contacted one of my go -to people on 3D printing Paul Cesak, who just happens to also be the guy that started the 3D printing group on linkedin. The 3D printing group is growing by leaps and bounds. He replies “only with 3D Systems can a 3D print have the full spectrum of color. The downside of that is that it is printed on plaster, is very fragile, and has the texture of sand. Indeed small details are either not printed or are lost in the post-processing.”
I contacted one of my go -to people on 3D printing Paul Cesak, who just happens to also be the guy that started the 3D printing group on linkedin. The 3D printing group is growing by leaps and bounds. He replies “only with 3D Systems can a 3D print have the full spectrum of color. The downside of that is that it is printed on plaster, is very fragile, and has the texture of sand. Indeed small details are either not printed or are lost in the post-processing.”
Another artist that I will be interviewing for the book is Eric Van Straaten. This video shows his work being created. I’m not sure he uses anything to strengthen his pieces. I’ll let you know after we talk for the book.
I have many questions.
QUESTION: how does an STL translate color? I though STL files did not have color?
QUESTION: What 3D printers can print in color?
QUESTION: If this is done through SLS printing, how does the laser depict color? ( I’m wondering if this can be explained simply)
QUESTION: is there nothing else that can strengthen the pieces using this type of 3D printing?
_____________________________________________
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