As with a lot of aspects of film production, the costume department has to be prepared to make sudden changes as quickly as possible. 3D printing allows designers to iterate and print costume parts in a fraction of the time it would take creating pieces by hand. It also cuts down on the time of achieving the correct fit when actors might not have time for the necessary fittings it might take to keep the production process running smoothly.

Many films have used 3D printing to create ornate, realistic and unusual pieces. In Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010), 3D printing was used to create multiple versions of the title character’s iconic suit. Different pieces could be rapidly modeled and then cast in whatever material was needed for that version of the suit, whether it be fiberglass or rubber for example, and then painted to look like metal. Robert Downey Jr.’s hands were scanned to fit him specifically making his comfort in the suit a lot more attainable.

One of the greatest conveniences of 3D printing is this ability to scan people or objects so that a perfect fit can be achieved right off the bat. In Maleficient (2014) a 3D scan of a horse was taken so that a few set of armor could be made to fit it perfectly. This saves a tremendous amount of time and money avoiding sizing mistakes and subsequent alterations.

For Black Panther (2019), costume designer Ruth E. Carter used 3D printing to create ornate headpieces and shoulder mantles for the character of Queen Ramonda and won an Oscar for best costume design for that film. The film takes place in a fictional country where immense technological innovations have taken place, and the pieces were meant to reflect that as well as an African inspiration. The pieces were made from polyamide material, PA 12, which allows for a high level of flexibility, detail and durability, as well as being ideal for skin contact. This is one instance where the level of intricacy and uniformity that 3D printing allows for actually served as an important aspect of the aesthetic of the pieces.

Other films like Prometheus (2012) and Ender’s Game (2013) used 3D printing to create high-tech, realistic looking space helmets, something that would take several weeks to produce otherwise. 3D printing allows for costume designers to create high quality, well-fitting and comfortable pieces for actors even when their schedules keep them from being available during design verification.

While handcrafting can still be an important aspect of creating unique pieces for the highly specific worlds of films, 3D printing allows for a lot more efficiency both in design and in production and helps to bring a sense of reality to the designers’ creations. It also allows for a bit more leeway when it comes to the unpredictability and fast pace of film production. Being able to use digital 3D design to accurately reproduce designers’ ideas expands the realm of possibility when it comes to building worlds, bringing people’s wildest dreams to life.

The post How Film Costume Designers Use 3D Printing To Bring Science-Fiction To Life appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

With the recent release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, we take an adventurous dive alongside the Millennium Falcon and journey to discover how 3D printing makes the galaxy far, far away, actually a bit closer to Earth.

Like many Hollywood movies these days, the creators and designers of Star Wars turned to 3D printing to create the film’s props and costumes which resulted in some “out of this world” pieces of work. We’ll take a look at how 3D printing brought Star Wars: The Force Awakens to theaters in 2015. From the story:

“Fans got their first look at exactly how much 3D printing was used in the film when Disney debuted a truckload of costumes and props at both the 2015 Star Wars Celebration and the Disney D23 Fan Expo. Costumes were presented in enclosed glass cases with plaques detailing how each part of the costume was made, and 3D printing was integral to quite a few of the props. In fact, it is probably safe to say that many of the costumes wouldn’t have been possible without 3D printing, at least not in practical terms.”

For Anthony Daniels, who has played C3PO since the beginning of the franchise, his costume needed to be 3D printed for his comfort:

“I said, ‘I want to be in the costume, but I want it to be faster.’ So what they did was 3D print it. It weighs about the same, I would say, because the plastic is quite heavy, but it allows you to prototype things. So it looks exactly the same, but there are differences to the way it fits together that make it much faster to put on and take off, which is most important. It gets hot in there.”

Costumes and Fashion

The Shapeways community is filled with creatives and designers who love to show off their fandom through 3D printing, and our marketplace features some amazing custom products inspired by their favorite movies, games and more. With that said, it’s really cool to see that movie studios are using 3D printing for more fashion-related reasons. As the fashion industry continues to turn to the technology to elevate garment design, we’re seeing more “real life” use cases pop up, such as the Kinematics dress from Nervous System.

Kinematic Dress in motion

Seeing 3D printed fashion on the big (and small!) screen will continue to move this trend further. Even if it’s not a full dress, we’ll see more accessories and jewelry going to market thanks to 3D printing. As 3DPrint.com states, “it’s clear that with the next few years of blockbuster science fiction, action and superhero movies already slated that 3D printing will continue to play a major role in their creation,” and we think this means we’ll see it more in our own lives too.

Do you have a fashionable idea you want to bring to life? Check out the various ways you can get started!

MAKE IT & WEAR IT

*Edited May 30, 2018 by Darren Ho

The post 3D Printing: A Star Wars Story appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

inspired? design your own

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The answer to that is a little complex, but it hinges on one simple idea: What are you trying to make? There are lots of great software packages for 3D design out there, each tailored to a different type of product design. Knowing what you are trying to make will dictate the type of software you will use.

Overall, design software falls into two camps: CAD and 3D Modeling. CAD software is used when creating industrial, mechanical objects. Alternatively, 3D modeling packages more commonly used for making organic elements used for film special effects and video games.

Depending on the goals of your design, you may use both types of software at different stages of the design process to make the final 3D-printable design.

Below, we’ll go over how they are different and provide a few examples of each software type.

READY TO PRINT? START HERE

CAD (Computer Aided Design/Drafting)

CAD programs ask the user to “draw” a 2D shape and then turn those drawings into 3D forms, as either solids or surfaces. Drafting software comes from a long lineage of product designers, architects and engineers who would draw 2D plans, complete with measurements, which would be handed over to technicians or craftspeople who would interpret the designs and make the said object. This could be done manually or with a successive process of machining. Nowadays we have tools like 3D printing so that the design can be interpreted by other software (CAM or Computer-Aided Manufacturing) to create the tool path or slicing for 3D printing.

CAD programs take these 2D drawings and digitally translate them into 3D rendered “objects.” In some cases these are just “shells” or surfaces, while other programs treat the object as mathematically solid material. Simple shapes can then be added or subtracted to create more complex forms.

Because CAD software takes its roots in 2D drafting it is mainly for functional, measured 3D objects. Any functional object around you (your phone or computer that you’re reading this blog on) was designed in CAD software.

Examples of CAD:

Solidworks: Industry standard CAD software

Fusion 360: Free for students, startups, and makers!

Tinkercad: great for beginners

Onshape: Cloud-based with free option

3D Modeling

CAD software is great for functional objects, things that need to work mechanically or fit to a real world device. That said they may not give direct enough control over a design to allow for freeform, artistic work. This is where 3D modeling software comes in. Long used by the film and video game industry to make animation and special effects, you can also use these programs to create printable 3D models.

Modeling softwares are based around surfaces created from 3D geometry. This may be based around a system called NURBS, or may be simple polygons composed of vertices, edges, and faces. In many cases, programs will let you switch between these systems with ease, depending on your workflow. These points and surfaces come together to form the edges of a 3D object.

The advantage of modeling over CAD is that modeling software gives users direct input into each vertex or surface individually or as groups. This always for different ways to manipulate the shapes, often in ways that look more organic.

Some programs are even designed to treat 3D models as if they were lumps of clay so that designers can take a more sculptural approach. Using tools that emulate traditional artistic techniques, artists can get the most out of the geometry of a digital object.

Examples of 3D modeling software:

Sketchup: Free and popular

Maya: Industry standard for film and animation

Blender: Free, open source, and runs some of Shapeways’ backend tools

ZBrush: Professional digital sculpting software

Sculptris: Simpler, free version of ZBrush for beginners

Overall, knowing what you want to achieve with your design is vital to choosing the right tool for you. If a design needs to be functional, fit to other real-world objects, or have specific measurements, starting with CAD is the way to go. If a design needs to emulate a real-world or imaginary object or showcase your artistic vision, modeling could be a solution. If a design wants to do both, try mixing and matching software within your process.

START PRINTING TODAY

This post originally appeared in Shapeways Magazine on Oct. 22, 2016.

The post CAD vs. Modeling: Which 3D Software to Choose? appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Behind the scenes, Aaron Sims of Aaron Sims Creative (ASC) used extensive practical effects to bring the strangest thing of all, the Demogorgon, to life. In 2017, that means making use of a pretty special technology that has come to replace clay character modeling. That’s right, the first Demogorgon was not, in fact, from the Upside Down — it came from a 3D printer.

Sims is a fan of the benefits of concrete, practical effects in creating a realistic experience for the viewer, and the Duffer Brothers agreed. He described the benefits of basing effects in real objects:

“As soon as you can hold something in your hand and turn it around and run your thumb over the surface texture of it, it feels more real. It feels, in a weird way, more impressive. To actually feel what it’s going to be makes it real. And, all of sudden, makes it worth making it in the end.”

Definitely dig into the whole amazing longread on FormLabs blog, and print your own monster designs here.

make your own stranger things

Images via FormLabs blog

The post Spoiler Alert: Stranger Things’ Demogorgon Is Not From the Upside Down appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

With more than 25 years in the film and entertainment industry, Dunne has quite the impressive CV. He started out in the film industry making weapons for “Braveheart,” and has gone on to work on films like “Fifth Element,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “V for Vendetta,” and many more. Just from looking at the weapons themselves, you can tell that what drives him every day, on every project is his love and appreciation for the crafts of weaponry and armor.

print awards-worthy props

Each weapon is conceptualized and designed specifically for the character and scene it will be used in. Dunne takes everything into consideration, such as the size of the actor wielding it and marks of age and wear on the weapon. It’s important to carefully craft each prop so that it looks like it comes straight out of the world it’s from.

In a previous post, we raved about the “Game of Thrones” Dorne Dagger which was printed in our Frosted Ultra Detail plastic. When choosing materials, Dunne focuses on what they’ll become: The materials themselves impact how the weapons will be decorated and finished. He also chooses materials that have the most appropriate weight. Aside from Frosted Ultra Detail, Dunne has also printed with our white Strong &Flexible Plastic.

try it yourself

While Dunne’s been intrigued with 3D printing for a while, this is only the beginning of his foray into our world and industry. Fans of historical fiction and fantasy, 3D printing, and “Game of Thrones” can expect to see many more incredible creations from Dunne and Shapeways to come.

The artist at work

Head over to Dunne’s website for high-resolution documentation of his works.

The post The Secrets of Game of Thrones Weapons Master Tommy Dunne appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

The moviemaking industry is facing radical changes as a result of the recent growth in Netflix, Amazon, and other online streaming services. At the same time, movie production costs are staggering and unprecedented, resulting from the onslaught of visual effects and rising popularity of fantasy films.

On average, visual effects cost $25 million per picture, and recent shooting in 3D adds $15 million to overall expenditures. Viewers want to see unbelievable and unrealistic portrayals of alternate realities — all of which require advanced effects, props, sound, and graphics. Since technology is constantly changing, “every director wants ‘never before seen’ so by definition a quarter of the shots if not more are going to be new and must be developed from scratch.”

Aside from advanced technology, computer programming, and superior 3D visual effects software, movie production teams are beginning to 3D print props that are more accurate, realistic, detailed, and customizable to different scenes and purposes. As a result of this new application of 3D printing, movie studios engaging in 3D printing props are eligible for….

READ MORE AT 3DPRINT.COM

This article reprinted with permission from 3DPrint.com. Cover image via WETA Workshop.

The post 3D Printed Props Revolutionize the Film Industry Landscape appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Robert caught our attention through his work merging 21st-century digital tools with the magic of stop-motion animation, showing us all that filmmakers can use 3D printing technology on a budget, and with a low barrier to entry.

To tell the story of “You’re Almost There,” which centers on the ill-fated vacation daydream of an idle office worker, Robert used 3D scanning technology and our Full Color Sandstone material to create the posed models of his main character, which he will bring to life within a digitally fabricated dream world. The final piece will combine his Full Color Sandstone figurines, 3D printed PLA props, CNC cut MDF set pieces, and an animatable laser cut acrylic sea.

print your character idea

While traditional stop-motion animation is produced using one flexible model that can be posed differently in each frame, Robert is opting for the replacement technique in which the entire character is replaced on screen to create a sense of movement.

To achieve this, Robert 3D printed a staggering 71 versions of his main character — a feat he says would not have been possible without Shapeways’ manufacturing capacity and material offerings (not to mention our 15% student discount). Better yet, by outsourcing his 3D printing jobs to Shapeways, he was able to focus his time and resources on the aesthetic, artwork, and animation for the film, while maximizing the visual diversity of each Shapeways material.

try it yourself

Even after freeing up some of his time by printing through Shapeways, Robert had plenty on his plate between coordinating the 3D scanning, 3D modeling, rigging, motion capture, 3D animation, CNC milling, and laser cutting for his production, and it wasn’t always easy. At times, the photogrammetry 3D scan did not play nicely with the motion capture rig, and conveying his storyline in a limited number of frames became challenging.

But with his film still in production, he is already seeing some great results:

Throughout the project, I also had a handful of new ideas that came to me for future films and experiments that blend even more types of 3D printing together. As an animator, I hope these experiments will help me discover new ways to bridge the gap between animation and rapid prototyping. Upon finishing the film, I have plans to submit to film festivals for the potential of showcasing this unique method of filmmaking to wider audiences.

Well, filmmakers, you heard it here first. 3D printed animations might just be the new way to make a splash at Cannes.

Have An Idea?

Contact us to see how we can help from prototyping to printing for large scale productions.

get in touch

The post Robert Hemlich’s Stop-Motion Masterpiece in the Making appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Here, Steven tells us about his own podcast and maker channel, and his impressive career in the 3D printing industry.

Where is your hometown?
My hometown is New York — born and raised in Brooklyn!

How long have you been with Shapeways?
I have been with Shapeways almost two years now. Time flies!

How long have you been 3D printing?
3D printing has been a part of my life for a long time now, maybe six or seven years, non-stop. I started working in this field by chance; I was right out of school, working in a supermarket with my brother, and was really unhappy with the way my life was turning out. I was doing back-breaking work until a friend working at a desktop 3D printing company encouraged me to apply for a job there. I had no idea this would spark a career and a passion for making things. When I eventually came across a job 3D printing with Shapeways, I was very excited because I had purchased from them before and couldn’t wait to dive into a bigger pond of challenges.

What is your favorite 3D printed object ever?
Favorite 3D printed object ever? No way I can just pick one! I have printed so many things in my time in the field. I have done collaborations with some of the biggest names in pop culture. After building my first machine and seeing a small part printed, my goal was always to answer the question how big can we print? I always said I wanted to print things over 6 feet! When I first got into 3D printing, it was not a thing to print that massive. One of my most recent print jobs was a 3-foot mace prop weapon from World of Warcraft. I definitely love making props for display or other people’s cosplay.

If you could 3D print something in any material, currently possible or not, what would you pick and why?
I have seen a bunch of materials I would not mind tackling, as well as some giant printers I would like to try! Recently, I’ve really wanted to go in a different direction than what I was used to. I am used to materials that print quickly and require post-processing to look amazing, but I was not used to materials that come out of the machine amazing. So, when I came to Shapeways, I really wanted to work with High Definition materials, and that is where I currently am. 

How do you spend your time when you’re not bringing our community’s 3D printed vision to life?
This makes me chuckle because when I’m not bringing the community’s 3D printed vision to life, I am probably bringing my own visions to life. I am very fortunate to be able to do a ton of creative things that I love to do, with the people I love. I podcast with my brother and best friend every week and its truly one of my favorite parts of the week. I also work on YouTube with my brother where we show people how to make some of these expensive props or replicas on the cheap. I spend most of my time with the love of my life, Jamie, and I am blessed to have a group of friends I grew up with that I admire and who believe in the dreams I have, no matter how crazy they seem to most. Oh yeah, and I watch a ton of Batman — the 1966 TV show. Holy lame hobbies Batman!

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve learned about 3D printing in your time at Shapeways?
The most exciting thing I’ve learned about 3D printing at Shapeways is more of an evolution; I’ve developed a real passion for quality in a product. Shapeways has so many materials, the knowledge and possibilities are endless. Working on one of the best teams of any 3D printing company is a bonus. Shapeways taught me a world beyond the materials and machines I was used too. Learning new programs,machines and materials is AWESOME! Being able to speak directly to the community is great as well.

What’s on your work playlist?
My work playlist is very eclectic, to say the least! Normally I am listening to podcasts like The Knuckleheads or The Brilliant Idiots on iTunes. Audiobooks are a must as well; I am either listening to biographies or something motivational. When it comes to music, my playlists are all over the place, from Black Sabbath to The Beatles, Symphony NO.5 to Kayne, Kendrick, Post Malone, Big Sean — anything ’90s or ’00s hip hop…. I can go on and on for days! As I write this I am listening to Sinatra and Cardi B. I told you my playlists are all over the place!

If you started your own Shapeways shop, what would you sell?
My Shapeways shop would probably sell things my brother and I have made on our Super Maker Brothers channel so people can order the parts and follow along with the video. Chances are I would probably sell some obscure random items or desk toys.

In a perfect world, what is the trajectory of 3D printing?
In a perfect world I would love to see 3D printers in every classroom. I think schools should have innovation centers with printers, woodworking, metalworking, casting, and all types of making with your hands. Any time I explain 3D printing to people who aren’t super familiar with it, I try my best to get them out of the mindset of cheap plastic toys. 3D printing is much more than just toys. Besides mold-making, prototyping some of your everyday household items, or even parts for transportation, 3D printing is huge in the medical field! Anytime I go to the doctor or surgeon I try and push them to look into 3D printing. After training for Strongman and injuring my spine, I think it could have been cool if the doctor had had a printout of my spine to show me the problem areas.

Give us some words to live by!
Do they have to be mine? Can I say “To infinity and beyond!” or “This crest is a symbol of hope” or “Wubba lub dub dub!”?  OK, I’ll give some words I live by:

Why let go of the branches to reach another branch when you can just own the tree?

Let me explain. Let’s say all the branches are my dreams. I want to podcast or do radio so I grab that branch but there is a another branch where I can make props on YouTube, so I let go of the podcast one to reach that one. But now I see a bunch of branches that say different things like voice acting, filmmaking, clothing designer, twitch gamer, entrepreneur, etc. Never let go of any one branch because if you can own the tree, then all the branches are yours. Do it all! They each can cross-promote, and one hand washes the other. Crazy doesn’t mean impossible.

Any questions for Steven or the other 3D printing engineers? Ask in the comments and we will deliver!

The post Meet the Shapies: Steven Gonzalez appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

PODCAST: We are back with a new cosplay announcement, and the successes and tragic failures encountered so far! We are ready, 2017! Check it out on soundcloud.com/thelasergirls #icon32 #3dprinting #cosplay #scififemales #golaser

A post shared by Sarah C Awad and Dhemerae Ford (@thelasergirls) on Feb 6, 2017 at 9:17am PST

Following our Lightning as Cloud 3D Printed Cosplay Project, we were exhausted but itching to jump back on the making train. We decided to take on an ambitious new costume project only three months before I-CON, in March. We chose two of our favorite characters from science fiction media: Ripley from the first Alien movie and Re-L Mayer from the anime Ergo Proxy.

Sarah Makes Re-L Mayer’s Choker, Pendant, and Shotgun

Re-L’s look may be minimal, but I always found it striking and iconic. The main challenge was not the complexity of the accessories, but realizing them in a clean and nearly perfect way that embodies Re-L’s streamlined aesthetic.

The bezel that held the lapis stone in Re-L’s choker was made in SolidWorks, with the final printed on our desktop 3D printer in black ABS. From modeling to prototyping, I completed the entire piece in one productive day with no additional outlays.

For Re-L’s pendant, I imported a vector drawing into SolidWorks, where I gave it thickness and added in details. I 3D printed several prototypes in the same ABS as the bezel before ordering a brass print from Shapeways.

The final print was a pleasant surprise, as it beautifully captured minute details I thought would be easily lost, especially the XII carved into the back.

I had very little reference material for Re-L’s shotgun, so it took about a month of trial and error. After two failed attempts at modeling the gun, I went back to the drawing board and created a to-scale blueprint using vector drawings I made in Illustrator. Then I played with the overall shape and style of its profile.

Once I was happy with the blueprint, I then imported my vector drawings into SolidWorks, made them 3D, and figured out how all the parts would fit together. The power of 3D printing lies in being able to create unique items, so 3D printing barrels would be redundant and costly and I decided to use 1″ diameter wooden dowels for the barrels. Then I built the other pieces around the dimensions of the dowels.

The body, handle, grips, and cap were printed on an SLA printer at the LaGuardia Studio at my alma mater, NYU. I love this material for props due to its high resolution and durable, smooth finish that makes post-production sanding, painting, and weathering a breeze. SLA prints also have a nice heft to them, which I find gives my pieces more lifelike appeal. If you don’t have access to an SLA printer, Shapeways Frosted Ultra Detail 3D prints use a similar material and are likewise great for cosplay.

At that point, the shotgun looked flat. To give it more contrast and drama, I painted it with both black and purple spray paint, then finished it with a high-gloss topcoat for extra protection. I used sewing notions and rubber plumbing rings left over from other projects to complete the shotgun.

Dhemerae Makes a Flamethrower and a Watch for Ripley

Ripley’s costume posed a surprising challenge because of the strong community around Alien and its depth of knowledge. I had a hard time trying to incorporate all of the nuances that Alien fans had painstakingly outlined. Contributors to the Replica Prop Forum had already done all the hard work in collecting amazing reference images, and I got a good picture of how the original film pieces had been made. This helped me figure out how to adapt those techniques for my workflow at a lower budget.

The Flamethrower, fresh off the printer!

I developed 90 percent of Ripley’s flamethrower in SolidWorks and printed it in ABS plastic on a Fortus 450 MC (also at LaGuardia Studio), a large FDM printer that can produce stellar high-resolution prints. And the support material is dissolvable, so there was no sanding needed prior to priming. The ABS pieces looked fantastic fresh out the printer and all the parts fit together perfectly, making for an easy build. As an alternative to ABS, we recommend Shapeways PLA!

For the back cylinder and the hoses, I altered, primed, and painted plumbing supplies. I had a really hard time finding canisters with rounded bottoms in the right size. Then I found two vintage Super Soaker refill canisters, and those worked out wonderfully for the gas canisters.

The most difficult part of this project was also the smallest: the watch. In Alien, Ripley’s watch was made from 2 Casio F-100 watches fused together. Since F-100s are a rare collectors’ item, I got two Casio F-91W watches and used SolidWorks to design a case that could fit the guts.

I printed the watchcase with all its buttons, the orange backing, and the clear display cover in color on a Stratasys J750, which prints in full-color plastic. It took about five iterations before I arrived at a design that captured the look of Ripley’s watch and could fit the parts from the Casio F-91Ws. Though a bit rushed and imperfect, I was nonetheless thrilled. I’d like to go back to the watch, flesh it out, and share my 3D models so anyone could print them and build one.

Ready for Action as Ripley and Re-L

When you finally put on the complete look for the first time, you feel like you can take over the world! We met several artists and cosplayers at I-CON who were really into 3D printing and the lore of our characters.

Building costumes in three months was a great trial for TheLaserGirls, and it really tested our abilities to design pieces outside our wheelhouses. We love choosing projects that will challenge us in a new way, for it not only tests us but encourages and inspires us to push the boundaries of 3D printing.

Have you used 3D printing for costume design? We’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment below for a chance to be featured in Shapeways Magazine.

The post Ripley and Re-L Mayer: The Making of a Sci-Fi Cosplay Project appeared first on Shapeways Blog.