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I'd like to use pictures of your work, how can I get some and what are the restrictions? Would you give a talk at my event or class?
Can you make bigger glass pieces? How do I clean your sculptures?
How do I start making things like yours? Can you recommend a course of study? I'm writing a report, tell me something about what you do.
If you'd like to use a 3D design for any purpose, please ask. I've licensed models for many uses, and I'll most likely be happy to help with yours. I like to collaborate. Don't reverse engineer my 3D designs without permission. Doing this violates copyright law, makes me unwilling to work with you in future, and is weak. Talk to me, most likely we can do what you want as an authorized use that will make everyone look good and feel happy. I'm nearly always pleased for my designs to be used and adapted, if you get in touch first.
It's fine to ask and sometimes I can do this, but I hope you won't take it personally if I decline. Public speaking is difficult for me and I accept only a few invitations each year. Travel is particularly stressful, and I tend not to do this unless there's an especially nice event, or location, or honorarium. My news page has an RSS feed. Just lately I've been hanging out on Facebook. There are more designs on Shapeways.
Sometimes, if they are fun or righteous or lucrative. Feel free to ask.
I don't know. When I take a design off the site it's because I've had problems making it with good quality for a reasonable price. I'll bring it back when evolving technology, or other changes in the resources available to me, make it possible. At that time I'll announce it on the News page, but before then I don't know.
Can you make bigger laser-glass pieces? No, for two reasons. First, no etching laser that I have access to can fire more than 3½" into glass, so that's the maximum depth I can etch. Second, large glass blanks are expensive. The largest piece I've worked on is a 26" square by 4" deep galaxy design, and the blank for that cost over $10,000. Generally it's a lot of work to generate quotes for projects of this type, and once quoted they are usually declined because of cost.
Metal Alternatively, consider that you own an iron-rich artifact and you live on an oxygen-water planet. Letting physics take its course and enjoying the newly enriched patina is a valid option. In the vast majority of the universe, nothing like itd could ever happen.
Glass
If it's a laser-etched molecule or another scientific subject, please visit CrystalProtein.com, and my assistant Ray can help. If it's something else laser-etched in glass, please bear in mind that I work only on scientific imaging projects. If your design is a car, building, kitten, portrait, or photo, Laser Crystal Awards may be able to help. Generally I'll work on an outside idea if I love it and it fits with what I do. it's fine to ask, but please don't take it personally if I decline...there wouldn't be enough time in one life to work on all the projects that come to my inbox, even if I had none of my own.
Think of something to begin with – the first one can be simple – and get busy! You'll need to draw, compute, scan, or otherwise acquire some 3D data that describes your subject. Then you'll need a fabricator, or a 3D printing service bureau, or a laser etching facility, to make the object, or maybe you can make it yourself. If you want to try 3D printing, your first decision will be which machine to use, as they all do different things. A great service bureau with a lot of useful information is here. I used to maintain a list of resources here, but I no longer feel that I can survey the field meaningfully. It's too big – ask Google for what you want. I wish you good luck, and if you make something nifty I'd love to hear about it.
Not specifically. I recommend doing what you like, learning about what interests you, and going where it takes you. My path led through a math degree, an art degree, and many years working as a programmer. Maybe that was overkill, but then I didn't really have a specific goal of becoming a CAD/CAM sculptor. Most of the technology that I use now didn't exist yet, so I was flying blind. The future's probably going to be even more unpredictable, and I can't think of any advice but to follow your nose: do what you like and stay loose. Take things seriously. Learn some manual skills, maybe join a hackspace if there's one near you. Make sure to have a day job lined up: one where you can always get work, it doesn't eat your life, and it makes a dollar or two. It's difficult to make nice things on waitron money, and I've never noticed that being stressed about cashflow did my work any good. Regarding CAD modeling and 3D manufacturing I'm self-taught, so there I can't recommend any educational method other than to download some tools and get started. I used to maintain a list of resources here, but again I no longer feel that it's a meaningful list. Ask Google – it knows.
Much of what I have to say about it is on this site already. If you have a specific question that doesn't seem to be answered, go ahead and ask. I can't answer general questions such as "What inspires you," and "How do you make your art". "Was piece X inspired by katydid wings or artichoke leaves?" is more likely to get a useful response.
Write, I'll answer if I can. |