Traditional Clay and Wax Sculptor - Can I Scan Existing 3D Designs?

Hello,

Complete newbie here - only just came onto this site from a reference in WIRED magazine. I have never used CAD software.

I am, however, a traditional modeller in clay, plasticine or wax. Is there ay way to reproduce, for example an existing model in plasticine, into plastic or silver?

In the WIRED article, they spoke of making spooky figurines directly from photos of people - reproducing in 3D from 2D image files? How would one do that?

Pity I'm starting a new job next week and will have very little time as I can well see that this could become obsessively interesting!

Thanks
Elisa Roselli

There are several systems out there that can convert 2d photos into 3d images.. they all work with varying degrees of success. A good bit of it depends upon your source photos.

Autodesk has a free version.. 123dCatch.com
Another (paid) program is www.3dsom.com

I can't directly recommend either.. both of them failed to create usable model(s) for the set of images that I attempted to use. However, I believe some other forum members have had better luck with them.

Thanks! Certainly worth a try, although I'm unlikely to sink a grand into a software unless it has really proven its usefulness. Especially since my work is very miniature and extremely fine-detailed. Spent most of the night viewing Youtube tutorials on 2 to 3D how-tos. Dangerous, this!

Best wishes,
efroselli

hi elisa. I'm kind of in the same boat - I don't think I'll ever master the CAD software, but I
DO create models in wax - and want to have them made in plastic. I tried a CAD program
called SKETCHUP (because it's free!) - I've been having fun, but I doubt I'll ever be able
to render a drawing as specific as I require.

What I'm hoping to do is to create a model in wax and somehow get it re-created in
plastic. so if anyone answers your post, do let me know!! I'll do likewise, if I make any
progress...

cheers tereze in NY

by the way - I usually go from a wax model to silver, so that is something I DO know how to do. at least
in NYC! in the jewelry district, there are mold makers who will make a rubber or silicone mold from
the wax model, and then cast it in silver or gold. There are also many casters in Rhode Island. I
don't know where you live, but if you want to have your models made in silver, that can certainly
be done. there are technical requirements, though, as to size - I am talking about jewelry and small
objects. Also silver is very expensive - we make our models hollow; sometimes we have to
make them in two parts and then solder the silver parts together.

happy to answer any questions about silver casting -

cheers tereze