{"id":18992,"date":"2014-11-17T21:36:41","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T21:36:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=18992"},"modified":"2014-11-17T21:36:41","modified_gmt":"2014-11-17T21:36:41","slug":"designer-spotlight-michael-mueller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/designer-spotlight-michael-mueller","title":{"rendered":"Designer Spotlight: Michael Mueller"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week we are thrilled to highlight Michael Mueller of Pookas<\/a>! Michael’s shop is full of rad jewelry and accessories; farily unisex but with a lean towards masculine depending on the material choices! Whistles, belt buckles, rings and more, Michael’s shop is an awesome place to find some seriously sweet accessories.<\/p>\n

\"michael_mueller\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? Where are you located?<\/em>
\nI’m a designer located in the cozy city of Wuerzburg, Germany. I’m associate of a company called KRITZELKRATZ 3000. We are game developers but nowadays we are also happy to create apps for companies like Audi and Volkswagen by using the Unity Engine for real-time rendering and software development. At the same time I conceive and create unique product designs and jewelry by using 3D printing technology provided by Shapeways.<\/p>\n

\"tiny_whistle\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What’s the story behind your designs? What inspires you?<\/em>
\nI think it is a good thing to act not too serious. I always try to add some fun and mystery to my work. There is a movie from the early 50s called “Harvey.” James Stewart plays the curious Elwood P. Dowd whose best mate is a mystery “Pooka,” an invisible 6-foot rabbit. Elwood is a very kind person who treats everyone equal and yes, he hangs out with an unseen rabbit all the time. To be open-minded is a good thing and if this means to see things that are hidden to others, so be it.<\/p>\n

What brought you to 3D printing with Shapeways?
\nI stumbled upon Shapeways three years ago. There was an article about it in one of my favorite magazines. It really hit me. I was so excited about it and have been since then. There is not one day I don’t work or at least think about 3D printing and what I can create next.<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS<\/a><\/p>\n

How did you learn how to design in 3D?<\/em>
\nI started to mess around with 3D software in the 90s during my university studies. It was an astonishing new thing, like 3D printing is today. Meanwhile some great software is available. Some of them are actually for free, like Blender<\/a> or Sculptris<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How do you promote your work?<\/em>
\nWith 3D printing you can visualize and even materialize your craziest ideas. This way you can show people stuff which they have never seen before. I try to be part of most social media platforms: Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Tumblr<\/a>, Flickr<\/a>, Pinterest<\/a> and Behance<\/a>. It’s always exciting to share new stuff and to get feedback from people all around the world.<\/p>\n

Who are your favorite designers or artists? Who in the Shapeways community has served as an inspiration to you?<\/em>
\nOne of the coolest things about Shapeways is the community! There are so many Shapies out there who are excited about 3D printing. I’m happy to be part of this group and it’s great to have so many friends there. You can always share and discuss new ideas. This is a perfect way to get feedback or inspiration. It’s always hard to choose whom to name so I won’t.<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS<\/a><\/p>\n

If you weren’t limited by current technologies, what would you want to make using 3D printing?<\/em>
\nIt would be great to print large objects for an affordable price. Also printing in aluminum would be awesome. I would love to see this material for glasses frames or bicycle parts.<\/p>\n

What will be your next project?<\/em>
\nI like designs with additional functions, like a pendant which is also a whistle or a keychain which can be used as a bottle opener too. Shapeways made a price change recently. Now large sized steel objects are much cheaper. This is a great circumstance for designs like a belt buckle. Guess I’ll make a few more. Buckles are great objects and last but not least very helpful to keep your pants up.<\/p>\n

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS SHOP:<\/strong><\/p>\n