Week 12: 3D Printing

Each time I use TinkerCad I am always surprised by how easy it is to use. I always thought that creating something in 3D on the computer was over my head. Even though TinkerCad takes a little getting used to, it seems like something most people can catch onto, including children.

The following are a few images from when I was playing around on the website:

Here is my finished product:

3D printing is extremely satisfying. I would imagine that it would give students a sense of immediate empowerment. By allowing students to create something in 3D it shows them that they can create something that shares their space with them, instead of something that is just flat on the page. This is really exciting for most children and is seen in most sculpture projects.

3D Printing relates to sculpture in the sense that you can use it to make a small model before creating something in large scale, you can turn a sketch into a 3D form, or you can just explore different shapes and how they relate to each other simply by using the TinkerCad software.

An artist I found who uses 3D printing creatively is Kevin Mack. He is most interested in digital painting, sculpture, and surrealism. By incorporating 3D printing into his work, he has been able to bring some of his structures in his paintings to life. His goal is to "create compelling psychoactive art that inspires imagination, fascination and contemplation. " Here are some examples of his work which capture that:

If you have the time, you can watch this video which allows you to move through a space full of Mack's colorful forms.

I think I am drawn to Mack's work because it reminds a lot of what I've been seeing in my Ceramics class this semester. However, some of these structures could never be achieved with clay. Also, I think it is interesting how he transfers his digital painting ideas into 3D forms. 

Often we ask students to turn a 2D idea into a 3D form. Kevin Mack might be a good example to show them.