Best 3D Printed Art

With most traditional manufacturing methods, physical cutting tools are used to create these characteristics. But with 3D printing, the tools used are light waves and nozzles. Both of which, can be emitted or made at far smaller sizes than the traditional tools. Even down to the nanoscale.

This allows for 3D printed art with shapes and features that are much finer and more intricate than before.

Whether they were generated algorithmically, digitally sculpted, parametrically modelled or 3D scanned, many designs that artists were not able to manufacture previously, are now possible.

3D printed art can be printed with almost any of these characteristics that an artist may require. The range of 3D printing materials is already vast and growing rapidly. Millions of colours are available in high definition and their placement is digitally controlled. Completely transparent resins are common. Even glass is now available. And the hardness and flexibility can be adjusted to any level required.

By adding each individual part of each individual layer, 3D printing allows artists to control precisely what material and characteristic they require for each area of the shape. One can create multi-material works of art with varying levels of resolution, density, colour, transparency, hardness and flexibility, all within the same 3d printed art work.

With 3D printing, the entire shape is built up (or down) from one side to the other. With control of every single part in between, the internal material can be placed in any desired amount or arrangement. Resulting in shapes of 3D printed art that can go from completely hollow, up to solid, and any density in between.

Especially unique to 3D printing, are internal lattice structures which can be added to hollow objects. These can aid artists with physical requirements like strength, flexibility or temperature dissipation.

The relatively diverse capabilities of 3D printers allows for art works that previously required multiple manufacturing processes, to be accomplished all in a single 3D print. Consider some example cases:

Parts that required painting after manufacture, can now just be printed in colour.

A hard part that required softer sections to be attached after its manufacture, can now just be printed with all the hard and softer parts in a single print.

A molded shape that required additional holes or trimming after being cast, can now just be printed with all the required features.

Or making a part with a highly detailed section, that requires a separate and more accurate machine to add it afterwards.

3D printed art can all now be printed on a single machine, and in a single print. Which saves the artist time and the cost of requiring multiple machines.

Before 3D printing, each traditional method of manufacture had its own constraints that hindered the artists design process and reduced the availability of shapes. Whether it was a cutter or a mold, each tool restricted the creation of shapes in some way.

But with 3D printing, because we can accurately place and bond the newly added building material in any location we desire, it is now possible to create almost any shape of 3D printed art that can be imagined.

Depending on the complexity of the shape, 3D printing is generally faster than machining because there are less setup requirements, no tool changes or part re-orientations and less mess. And compared with molding, a new mold would need to be made every time the design is changed. This is much slower than 3D printing, which is able to start building the updated design immediately.

Additionally, artists can print multiple parts or versions simultaneously.

Although freshly 3D printed art works generally require some post-processing steps like cleaning, cutting or curing, the faster build times usually make up for this additional time.

Traditional manufacturing methods like machining, require that a block of material be trimmed away, leaving the desired shape behind (Subtractive Manufacturing). This means that the material that was removed, is wasted. With 3D printing, the material used to construct the part is usually the only material used in the manufacturing of the part (Additive Manufacturing). Except for 3D printing methods where disposable support structures are required.

For other traditional methods like molding, casting, extruding & vacuum forming, molds need to be created and usually replaced. Unlike 3D printing where no molds are required.

An additional benefit with 3D printed art, is the ability to rapidly print prototypes to test new designs with. This allows artists to identify design flaws before creating entire molds that could be wasted if a design change needs to be made. Which is often the case.