Emerging Objects, a design and research company specialising in 3D printing, has been working on techniques of 3D printing with a variety of alternative substances. Salt harvested locally from the San Francisco Bay, wood pulp, clay and concrete are all utilised in their 3D printing processes. Not only do their materials set them apart, but their designs are amazing.
I have often considered 3D printing to be of potential use to sculptors and other artists, but being constrained to working in plastics or metals has made it a bit of an novelty for me. Since plastics are the only substance available to work with in lower end 3d printers, I have always felt that though absurdly cool, 3D printed objects always come out with an extremely artificial, unnatural feel to them.
By utilising natural materials in the printing process, as well as naturalistic forms, Emergent Designs has been able to transcend that uncanny valley between art and object that has always haunted my opinion of 3d printing. Their process allows the material to remain strong and yet it can also be translucent. By utilising influences from Ernst Haeckel’s book Kunstformen der Natur, they have created a number of truly beautiful and functional designs which are only enhanced through the use of natural materials when printed. I can see some interesting potential for 3d printing in my artistic process.
Check out their webpage for more information.