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Do we have anyone doing 3-D printing for jewelry, or plans to do it? If so, we definitely want to hear about it, and see what you're doing with it. This was in Interweave's newsletter this morning, and I don't think anyone can deny this piece is outstanding, and quite an intricate design that this artist has executed beautifully. I think it's PHABulous!!

Use the link at the bottom to access the full story, and sublinks; one of which is to a site where you can see more of his pieces. Enjoy!

The Digital Mine, Part 1: Studio Notes on 3D Printed Jewelry
March 08, 2018 | Author: Betsy Lehndorff



"Do you speak 3D? I am trying to become more fluent in this language of jewelry making. (I also have a story about figurative wax carving paired with 3D printed jewelry in the March/April issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist.)

Here is one example of computer designed, 3D printed jewelry by 30-year-old Denver artist Ricky McRae.



Education: BFA from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, 3D animation

Traditional Jewelry Making Experience: None.

Secret Sauce: Assembling the right team of experts

Design Elements: intense, 360-degree detail. See all those little suckers on the curling and twisting tentacles? Nature, surrealism.

Method: McRae began ... "

https://www.interweave.com/article/jewe ... -smallpics

That octopus is fantastic! 3D printers are now very affordable - temptingly so. The supplies to do metal printing are spendy, though (even higher than metal clay). Computer design and manufacture is interesting, but more suited to mass-production. I think the artistic aspect is somewhat lost when a human hand isn't involved and duplicates can be cranked out by the hundreds - sort of the difference between an original oil painting and photo-printed copies.