How to Copy a Monumental Sculpture Using 3D Technology- Part 1
FROM THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
It occurred to sculptor Bridgette Mongeon that one way of copying the sculpture at Tuskegee and making a replica is to 3D Scan it and 3D print it to size for bronze casting.
Is it possible to 3D print something at a large size? Yes, and the artist mentions this in a previous post. First, a sculpture is 3D scanned. Then it has to be made into a physical form again. Many times Bridgette enlarges small sculptures and later has them milled out using a CNC milling machine. CNC stands for Computer Numerically Controlled Milling. The scanner has what we call G-code. G-code is the height, depth, width of every area. The G-code tells a 3D printer or a CNC machine what to do. 3D printing is an additive process as the printer adds material. CNC is a subtractive process as the machine takes away material.
Mongeon has written about these processes in her book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling. Going to bronze from 3d printing is something she focused on in her 2015 version of the book. She was updating the book, upon request from her publisher when this sculpture of Booker T. Washington came into her studio.
Some of the problems with 3D printing direct to bronze casting are as follows.
- Ability to print at a large scale.
There are many 3D printers on the market, and there are many different types of 3D printing. When referring to 3D printing and the size that a 3D printer prints, we call it the “Build Envelope.” Many 3D printers do not have a large enough build envelope to accommodate printing for bronze casting.
- Cost for 3D printing for bronze casting.
The cost of 3D printing is prohibitive, especially with life-size or more substantial pieces. Many times an artist will make a sculpture as a limited edition. For example, the monumental sculpture that Bridgette Mongeon is creating for Booker T. Washington High School in Houston, Texas, is a limited edition of 10. Even though you will see that bronze casting from 3D printing can save time and materials, the costs do not weigh out for limited editions. If an artist were to create a “one-up” sculpture- A one-up means that it is the only copy available then 3D printing direct to bronze casting may be an option.
- Foundries capabilities for casting from 3D printing.
Sometimes a 3D print has to be created differently for bronze casting. Also, there are certain modifications and things that must take place during the casting of the 3D print. As we learn about the bronze casting process, you will soon see what we mean.
4. Resolution
Another thing to think about is resolution. Resolution is how detailed the print will be when it is off of the 3D printer. 3D printers, no matter what kind, print in layers. In many cases, you can see those lines on the 3D printed art. That would not work for recreating, “Lifting the Veil of Ignorance.” So a machine that creates in a very fine resolution is essential.
5. Material
We will look at this more in our next post. But material and 3D printing for bronze casting is important.
As Bridgette was meeting with Booker T. Washington High school, a new vendor called her. They had read her book and wanted to share their system of 3D printing for bronze casting. She was able to introduce this new vendor to her foundry, who is also into technology and was already 3D printing some things for investment casting. The three of them agreed, they could do it. It was a great learning experience and opened up many possibilities for the artist, but first, they would need permission from Tuskegee.
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
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Monumental Sculpture and 3D Scanning
FROM THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
Is it possible to recreate the exact sculpture without the artist having to sculpt it physically? This process could be done with laser scanning of the art and 3D printing the sculpture to size for direct casting. The artist wrote about this in her book, but more than that, she has used these processes to create her artwork. In September of 2018, Intertek scanning services came to sculptor Bridgette Mongeon’s sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter tea party in Evelyn’s Park and did this very thing. Lots of dots were put on the sculpture. These dots are used as registration. The blue light scanner sends light from the scanner to the art and measures the distance. She explains the process in this blog post. http://alicesculpture.com/scanning-in-the-park-part-1/ The reason the artist needed these scans is that Alice and her friends are going to get small. Just like in the stories of Alice in Wonderland, however, in Mongeon’s studio, they do so with digital technology. Of course, permission would need to be received from the university to 3D scan the sculpture at Tuskegee, and we have to know if the sculpture is copyrighted. (See post on copyright.) Here is a video on the Alice in Wonderland project and you can fast forward to 5:00 to see the parts on 3D scanning.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axtRhxhEZvk]
QUESTIONS
Have you seen 3D printing or 3D scanning?
TEACHER RESOURCES
Teachers who are interested can find educational resources on 3D scanning and lessons plans at CyArk. “CyArk is a non profit organization founded in 2003 to digitally record, archive and share the world’s most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come.”
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
https://www.facebook.com/BridgetteMongeonSculptor/
https://twitter.com/sculptorwriter
What is Copyright?
FROM THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
If you remember though Booker T. Washington High school would like sculptor Bridgette Mongeon to recreate the sculpture at Tuskegee we must first find out if there would be copyright infringement. Let’s learn a little about copyright.
Here is a bit from the artists book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling on the subject of copyright.
Intellectual property or IP refers to many different aspects of law that governments put into place to protect literature, artworks, music, discoveries, inventions, etc. Though many countries recognize IP rights, there are some differences between countries. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) tries “to promote innovation and creativity for the economic, social and cultural development of all countries, through a balanced and effective international intellectual property system.”
There are several different kinds of intellectual property rights; copyright is one of
them. Sparked by the invention of the printing press, copyrights were invented to
protect those making creative works. A creative person, whether they are a
musician, a writer or an artist, owns the rights to the work that they have created for
a designated amount of time.
In the United States copyright began in 1790, the total duration of protection was
only for 14 years, and individuals needed to apply for a copyright. After a copyright
expired, the creator could extend it for another 14 years before it went into the public
domain. Works entering the public domain are those having expired copyrights or
where an individual gives their works to the public domain. When works enter the
public domain, no one else can claim ownership. They are available to the public.
For example, Lewis Carroll wrote Alice In Wonderland, and Sir John Tenniel created
the illustrations for publication in 1865. Many companies, including Disney, have
recreated the story of Alice. They cannot claim copyright to the story because they
recreated it.
According to the copyright law of 1976 (USA), the copyright law protects everything
that you create from the moment you create it, even if you have not registered it.
This is the way copyright is handled throughout the world. It was defined by the
Berne convention, an international agreement concerning copyrights. The duration of
copyright, changed in 1988 from the creator’s life plus 50 years, to the creator’s life
plus 70 years as it is today (USA). Having a piece of artwork protected by the very
act of creating it is good for an artist. They don’t have to register every piece of work
they make. Once something is in a tangible form, it is copyrighted. Many artists put
their name on art along with the copyright symbol © and the year. It is surprising how
many people do not realize that even if artwork does not have a copyright notice, the
copyright law still protects it. Traditional sculptors have been fighting copyright
infringement for years. Individuals think that they can copy a sculpture if a sculptor
has not marked it with ©, the year and name of the artist. Sculpture is often
recreated and sold as a reproduction without the permission of the artist.
Under the current copyright law, you do need to register your work with the copyright
office if you want to collect for statutory damages for infringement. If you discover
someone has stolen your work and you file suit, statutory damages are punitive and
can be quite severe for those infringing on someone’s rights. Financial penalties for
infringement keep many people honest about “taking” other people’s creations.
Many creative people make a living from their creativity. Authors make a living from
the books they write, artists from the artwork they create, musicians from the songs
they write and record. If there were no regulations to how others use these works of
inspiration, it would be devastating for those who make a living creating.
Read on to find how copyright plays into copying the sculpture of Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee University.
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
https://www.facebook.com/BridgetteMongeonSculptor/
https://twitter.com/sculptorwriter
About the Sculpture “Lifting the Veil of Ignorance”
FROM THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
The original intent of the sculpture project for Booker T. Washington High School was for the artist to recreate the sculpture “Lifting the Veil of Ignorance.” This sculpture is very large and resides on campus at Tuskegee University in Alabama. There is a smaller version of the sculpture, often referred to as a maquette. An artist creates a maquette to work out the design. The original maquette was damaged and needed repair.
There were several concerns when copying art. The first concern is copyright. We will go into this in another post. The second concern is that it takes a very long time to create a bronze sculpture. An artist wants their work to be original, and spending a year copying someone else’s work is not enticing. However, it can be done digitally, as we will see.
Let’s take a closer look at the art. The sculpture was created by Charles Keck (1875-1951) and dedicated in 1922.
The artist was very prolific, creating pieces of Washington, Lincoln, and many other famous people. This link provides some beautiful photographs of the sculpture from all sides.
Questions for teachers and students
What do you think the sculpture means? What does it represent? Why do you think the artist portrayed the subject this way? What is he holding? What is he sitting on and why? Do you like the work? What feeling do you get from the two subjects? Do you think the size of the sculpture makes a difference?
Why was this sculpture installed here?
What is the relationship between Booker T. Washington to Tuskegee?
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
https://www.facebook.com/BridgetteMongeonSculptor/
https://twitter.com/sculptorwriter
Who Was Booker T. Washington?
FROM THE ARTIST’S STUDIO
I spend a lot of time getting to know my subject. Some say, “You develop a relationship with the deceased.” This statement is true, but most historians probably do the same. Dr. Phillips gave me Booker T. Washington’s book Up From Slavery, and I spent a lot of time on the internet getting to know this man. I soon learned there were two trains of thought in education during this period, one from Booker T, and another from W.E. B Dubois. I was intrigued at how radically different these two men were in their approach to education. I found this great article from a teacher today and how he has been influenced in his present-day teaching by these men.
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
- What are the differences between the philosophy of these men?
- What is the difference between their upbringings?
- What do you like about each?
- What do you dislike?
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
https://www.facebook.com/BridgetteMongeonSculptor/
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About the Artist
Bridgette Mongeon is a sculptor/author and public speaker. She has worked on various monumental sculptures over her 30+ years of creating. You may see her work in the Grambling Tiger in Grambling State University or the Prairie View Panther for Prairie View A & M. She has also been commissioned by Kindness Without Limits to create a sculpture of Neil Armstrong for Space Center Houston and Russia. She is most known for her monumental sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party in Houston, Texas.
Added to her credits are the author of 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling and co-author of Digital Sculpting with Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques for Artists.
She was nominated as 30 most influential women in 3D Printing and enjoys lecturing to students and adults on the subject of STEAM- the interdisciplinary educational initiative encouraging Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. If you are an art teacher in Texas, you may recognize her as the keynote speaker at the Texas Art Educators Conference 2017.
As part of her sculpting the Booker T. Washington sculpture for Booker T. Washington High School, she has offered to create blog posts documenting her work with educational materials for teachers and students. Please follow along and share your thoughts.
Below Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science Key note Speaker Bridgette Mongeon.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qhaP_GUmHM]
Author Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon
https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
https://www.facebook.com/BridgetteMongeonSculptor/
https://twitter.com/sculptorwriter
What Is a Metal Check?
A metal check is when an artist comes into the foundry and looks over the entire sculpture very carefully. You will see as you follow this blog that the sculpture has gone through many steps in its creation. The artwork had an added distraction in that the artist had to move the artwork from one foundry to another mid-project. No one knows the sculpture like the artist. With so many hands involved in creating the art in bronze, combined with 150 hidden things in the sculpture, there is a great chance that something might be wiped out somewhere along the process.
It took a long time to approve all the metal. Deep in the Heart was very gracious with their time and expertise, especially since they had to fix mistakes made by another foundry. For example, the Mad Hatter was tipped so far over it looked like he was falling and not pouring tea. His chair was attached to him in a way that was counterproductive to the flow of the design. This was very difficult because inside all of the pieces there are structural elements and with the Hatter and his chair and him tipping, those structural elements are of utmost importance. The foundry cut off the chair and repositioned the Hatter. Once everything was as the artist intended it you could hear others in the room in agreement that this was the way it was supposed to be. It just works and flows so much better. Deep In the Heart went above and beyond and helped to figure out the best way to fix what could have been a very costly problem.
The Making of Wonderland
A new video that shows how sculptor Bridgette Mongeon made the bronze sculpture “Move One Place On.” Also shows 3D scanning by Intertek.
Scanning in the Park- Part 1
On a sultry day in September Bridgette Mongeon started 3D scanning her sculpture of Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter Tea Party titled “Move One Place On.” As you will see by the previous press release, she and her team used several different types of equipment and scanning processes.
Intertek Surveying Services under the direction of Chad Rabitoy and a few different helpers jumped down the rabbit hole to Wonderland to help with this next curious adventure in Evelyn’s Park.
WHY 3D SCAN?
Mongeon created these scans for several reasons .
Digital Preservation—One reason is for digital preservation. She can save the data. If anything should happen to the art, there will be data that can be used to repair the piece. Digital preservation of cultural heritage is not new. Organizations such as Cyark have been scanning many places around the world for years.Mongeon talks about the importance of this in her book 3D Technology in Fine Art and Craft: Exploring 3D Printing, Scanning, Sculpting, and Milling.
Online Educational Experience and Virtual Tour—These scans can also be used together to create an online educational experience for people all over the world. Mongeon is looking for volunteer coders and gamers to assist in helping her push the technology further and she is looking forward to the collaboration experience between others. When writing about this technology in her book she would often say “You don’t know what you can do, until you know what you can do.” That is why she is excited about these collaborations. “Others know best about how we can push these tools to create an incredible adventure using their skills in technology and education. I can’t wait to find these people and see the magic happen. I have no idea where they will come from, but I’m like the white queen, ‘I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’”
The scene of “Move One Place On” lends itself to education in literature, math, technology, history, art, and engineering. “When I look at the possibilities I see a chance to reveal some of the 150 hidden things, as well as to give virtual visitors the opportunity to learn more. For example, they might click on the Mad Hatter’s hat and learn that hatters did go mad because of the mercury used in felting. Or if they hover over or click on the Mad Hatter’s teapot in the scene, it might reveal that Mongeon used the famous Newell teapot as an homage to the man who started 3D,” states Mongeon.
In Mongeon’s studio Alice and her friends don’t get big and small with mushrooms and elixirs, they so with digital technology.
Alice Shrinks- Little Replicas as limited editions.—
Mongeon will also take this digital data and modify it, and reduce it down for reproduction. The exact monumental scene will be shrunk like Alice in the story, and 3D printed as a small scene available to purchase as a limited edition bronze.
SCANNING THE ENTIRE SCENE
It was a scorching Texas day when they cleaned the sculpture and started scanning at about 1:30. The sculpture is very hot in the Texas sun. Rabitroy set up some registration balls around the scene. He used the Faro Focus
hardware / Faro Scene Software for laser scan andNCTech iSTAR 360 Camera and Kolor Panotour Pro software to scan the entire scene.Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon captured Rabitoy in his definition of this process in this facebook video.
INDIVIDUAL PIECES WITH FINE DETAIL
They used different scanners and equipment as mentioned above. Blue Light scanning must be done in the dark. Rabitoy used the GOM Tritop photogrammetry and ATOS / GOM Triple Scan III scanners using structured blue light scanning technology to capture the fine detail of each character. They had to do the blue light scanning in the dark, so it was a very long night. The team started by putting registration marks that consisted of small round stickers on Alice approximately every six inches apart. Four people worked for about an hour to accomplish this task. Then the blue light scanning began. Each scan covered about a two-foot radius. There were hundreds of scans each overlapping the other. And each area had to be scanned from multiple directions to get all of the many undercuts. Often Mongeon would stand over Rabitory’s soldier and state, “Good, it got another one of the 150 hidden objects in the scene.” Rabitory would turn the scan searching for the hidden object.
The entire scan of Alice took 9 1/2 hours. There is still much more to scan. Tthey will come back to do the other characters until the project is complete.
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If you are interested in jumping down the rabbit hole to create these free educational resources or for more information on purchasing the collectible 150 or the small bronze Mad Hatter scene contact the artist at www.creativesculpture.com
Follow the artist on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettemongeon/
Twitter:
https://creativesculpture.com
You tube https://www.youtube.com/alicesculpture
For more information on this press release contact Jessica Brown Bridgette@creativesculpture.com
For more high resolution media images visit this google doc. You are also welcome to use the images on this page with credit.
Private Meetups At The Sculpture
It does not have to be a large audience. Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon enjoys meeting with small groups of people. She has met families, those interested in education, artists, gardeners and more. This month she presented to a small group in a neighbor’s home. She spoke about the creating of the work, the educational component and all that is being done with the art and education and then it was off to the sculpture in Evelyn’s Park to take photographs. The Sisterhood of Shalom Salaam
Contact Ms. Mongeon if you are interested in having Bridgette talk to your group.