Category: Virtual Assemblage

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Totems of Dystopia

Interactive 3D printed totem poles of dystopic futurism.

Based on my “Virtual Assemblage” technique of 3D junk sculpture, and building on the mechanics and interactivity of my popular Cathenge “Catolith” Cat Statues (cathenge.net), the “Totems of Dystopia”, would be a set of (3) 10′ tall 3D printed totem poles arrayed in a triangle. Within this array is a zone of intricate interactivity facilitated by the use of LiDAR (as deployed successfully in Cathenge) that triggers a collage of sound samples and lighting effects. The goal is to create an atmosphere of beautifully unsettling discord and majestic suspense that is both fascinating and cathartic to the audience.

The images below are quick 3D sketches that are “for example” and are not the finished design. Potentially, they will be 3 individually different totem poles. Also, the color and finish in the render is only provisional – the finished work would be painted and illuminated differently. The specific details of this project are to be determined, but these images, and the brief text give an idea of the projects style and concept.

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Ride ’em Snailboy!!

Lately, in my sparetime I’m working on these “Virtual Assemblages” – preparing these 3D junk sculptures to be 3D printed.

I couldn’t resist doing a new render of this.

Snail Cowboy
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Virtual Assemblages

This is a collection of “turntable” renders (mostly) of what I would describe as 3D junk sculptures. These models are made from free models recombined into novel forms. Making these models was a technical exercise in using volume modeling with voxels and that technique makes them “solid” for 3D printing. My goal is to print these models and then prepare them to be cast in bronze, or in some cases finished by different means. One way or another my plan is to create a series of real world sculptures based on “Virtual Assemblages”.

Virtual Assemblage, “Trailer Alien”, 3D print test.
“TV Goddess”
“Sphinx”
“Scorpion Gymnast”
“Reptile Temple”
“Sardine Can”
“Jitter Bug”
“Fatman Tongue”
“Carriage”
“Geometric Angel”
“Angelic Evolution”
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3D Printing Lab in West Oakland

Since the end of February, my main priority has been getting the studio in Oakland together.  Getting the 3D printers working reliably has been a major push that my tech, Bill Crashkopf, has helped me with extensively.  The printing room itself didn’t have enough electricity to run all the printers, but Bill finished running (2) 20A circuits this week, so finally (!!) we can begin printing.

Bill Crashkopf finishes wiring electrical for the 7 Creality CR 10 S5 printers installed in my new print lab in West Oakland.

At the moment there is no urgency to print cat parts, and so I’m eager to turn my attention to printing “Virtual Assemblages” based on these models:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PUSfnPw7DZRbsfj28

As I’ve often said, the big advantage to being in Oakland vs. Stinson Beach is access to other artists/technicians.  The Crucible, for example, is right around the corner from here and once I have a couple of these printed satisfactorily I will bring it to a foundry to see about having these printed in bronze. I’m not aware of anything like the Crucible in West Marin.

Here’s an initial test print of a “Trailer Alien” assemblage:

“Trailer Alien”, WIP – test print of “Virtual Assemblage”

The Trailer Alien is an example of a 3D printed “Virtual Assemblage” (a junk sculpture made from junk 3D models downloaded for free from the web and recombined/remodeled to be 3D printed)