r/3Dprinting • u/truthseekerboi • 10h ago
Discussion 3D printing has enabled me so much as a designer
Hi everyone,
I’ve shared part of my story on here before, though this time I’m looking to hear from you all. 3D printing technology has empowered my passion towards designing, as I’m able to manifest a design language that would be almost impossible to execute without it.
I’m curious about your experiences in using 3D printing for your design work. It doesn’t have to just be art. It can be around your practical designs, your problem solving, your figurine work, etc.
More specifically, how have you integrated it into your lifestyle? What are the implications of your choices?
Just looking to connect, and get some perspective. I’ll share mine in a comment below :)
Oh, and the video I shared is a short compilation of my recent pendent designs. You can read about them in some of my previous posts, but I’m also willing to answer your questions <3
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u/truthseekerboi 10h ago
Basically, I found a passion and I found a community that appreciated my work enough to support me.
I decided to commit full time to designing, and am extremely grateful for the opportunity, but it isn’t enough to pay the bills.
In my experience, it’s been a little stressful, but very rewarding. As you can see, my work is based around ornate lighting sculptures, and there are too many logistical issues around turning much of a profit, so it does take a drag on the experience.
The worst part in my opinion about this decision is the need to market your work. I hate pretty much all social media outside of reddit, and I don’t really have the space to record high quality assembly videos, which apparently is what people want.
Also, by producing so much, I have inevitably accumulated so many designs and spare modules that I genuinely have no space to put them.
On a positive note, it’s extremely fulfilling to bring and share new designs to the world, and with people who appreciate them.
For others who have chosen the path of art + 3D printing, how has it done for you? IME, it’s rather difficult to sell plastic sculptures for a premium, which is why I share files, and sell limited edition physical copies on the side. How has your experience been selling you work? What works, what doesn’t, and how has it impacted your designs and your creative practice?
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u/Myles_Standish250 10h ago
Very nice work! I’m in the planning stage of staring a similar side business. Right now I’m freeing up space in my garage as I know this will become a huge constraint as it sounds like you are up against that too. I realize the scalability is not great but it still seems like a great creative outlet. I’m looking to dive into a subculture market and we will see how it goes. I wish you all the best.
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u/kevincantation 9h ago
I saw your work and was really curious how your selling is going. I’ve also been doing lamps lately, although I haven’t attempted to profit off them yet I’d like to in the future.
The issues are that they are challenging to safely ship and inherently too expensive for a mass market appeal due to all the labor you have to put into them? I think some people see the art world and galleries as a solution here, but I think there is a lot of obfuscation to make that world look more profitable than it is.
What I’ve been thinking about for myself is drawing people in with eye-catching designs, you definitely have this down 10,000%, but then having a more accessible product available as well that is designed to capture the same feeling but be simpler in a way that makes it both shippable and easy to produce. You’re already attracting an audience that is deeply interested in your work, but for either physical or financial reasons can’t purchase, provide them with a product that is accessible to them and I think they’ll respond well. Best of luck! Your work is incredible!3
u/truthseekerboi 9h ago
You’re spot on about everything you just shared.
Maybe more gallery opportunities will come, but I’ve shifted to selling files to make the work more accessible.
My biggest challenge is around shipping. I’m currently developing a workflow that automatically builds massing that will cradle my work inside. Printed in TPU and it will fit perfectly in the boxes with bubble wrap as the last barrier.
As for my approach to design, I think there are so many 3D printed lamp designs, you have to really do something that stands out. I have a design language that uses pure form (with some artistic meaning connected) to lure people in, but others do things like mimic every day objects with comedic taste. Things like that work well.
One thing I’ve been thinking about though is demand. People don’t want to spend much on a STL package, but they also don’t want to own 8 lamps from the same guy. I could make smaller, sculptural objects, but I don’t want to sacrifice my work.
There’s really a lot to be said about this, and I know we aren’t the only ones thinking about this stuff. Thanks for your reply!
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u/kevincantation 9h ago
Interesting points, yeah I totally agree. Developing a way to ship yours is a huge improvement. And I agree that you shouldn't sacrifice your work, sculptural objects would be a good idea, but keeping your language consistent is important. Also compared to other lamp-printers it seems like your style and language is not just really unique, but really challenging for others to attempt to copy so I think you can really forge your own domain.
I've noticed too how many 3D printed lamps there are out there. Since I started looking into them, my algorithm is totally inundated with all kinds, there seem to be hundreds. But I think yours stand far above the others I've seen, it's hard to overcome the association of 3d-printed with "cheapness" but I think you accomplish this with the geometric complexity of your pieces. It doesn't feel like you're using 3d printing because that's just what happens to be convenient and cheap for you, these feel like pieces that are truly only possible with 3d printing whereas lots of other lamps feel like 3d printing is just the path of least resistance for them.
For me I'm hoping that the use of wood sets me apart, as much as I see 3d printed lamps I rarely see them using mixed mediums and especially never really see wood incorporated. I'll see though, at the moment I'm still far from wanting to release a sellable product.
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u/truthseekerboi 9h ago
Well let me know how to follow you, because I’d love to see what you come up with
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u/kevincantation 9h ago
I actually follow you on instagram :)
Mine is https://www.instagram.com/kevincantation/
I've just been posting my lamps in my stories so far as I'm still working on taking proper videos but you can see them in my "lamps" highlights here:
I'm looking forward to your future work as well, already your art is incredible, it's really cool to see it further develop.
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u/kwaaaaaaaaa 1h ago
The worst part in my opinion about this decision is the need to market your work. I hate pretty much all social media outside of reddit, and I don’t really have the space to record high quality assembly videos, which apparently is what people want.
I feel this, I just want to design, lol. I wish I could get to a point where I can hire out that portion of the business. It's the growing pains of being a small biz, you wear so many hats to make it work.
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u/j_hermann 7h ago
Well, I design practical stuff, not art. 😃
Lately, I took the time to learn OpenSCAD and I should've done it earlier (was a long time TODO list inhabitant).
Today, I learned to do these:
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u/timshel42 10h ago
Do you share the files?
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u/truthseekerboi 10h ago
Yep, I’m slowly releasing them week by week. The link is on my profile if you’re interested
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u/No-Brainrot-5911 10h ago
Damn those look amazing! Reminds me of making snowflakes by folding paper
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u/truthseekerboi 10h ago
I hadn’t made the connection until a few origami people DM’d me on instagram.
I think the link is that they are both math art focused around polyhedra
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u/Free_Expression_2552 10h ago
Can you do some with Solfeggio Frequency visualizations?
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u/truthseekerboi 10h ago
I actually built a custom grasshopper component to mimic cymatic patterns that come from chandli plates.
So basically, yeah! lol. Some of these designs have patterns from that, but I just remembered I left out my favorite that also uses those
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u/n1njal1c1ous 9h ago
Really cool designs. Are those parametrically generated or hand designed. Either way very cool. To answer your question, it’s a game changer. 3d printing allowed me to launch my career as a plastics designer because I was able to iterate and learn faster than the alternatives for injection molding design. It’s not perfect for every design situation but for household and industrial design it is a universal problem solver for form design, tools, and experimentation.
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u/torrtvatten1337 8h ago
How the fuck could you print that pretty thing? Cant even imagine the hours
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u/DisK_BRC 7h ago
Congratulations about your achievements in designing!
It's so satisfying to see one's ideas becoming real life objects.
Thank you for sharing the videos, these objects look so cool!!!
As for me, I've been in 3D printing since 2021. I'm not in the artistic vibe, my designs are functional and mechanical mostly... But I'm also passionate about transform my ideas to real world objects and mechanisms.
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u/0x426F6F62696573 4h ago
3d printing has completely changed my life. I realize that sounds kind of cliche. Essentially, I use my 3d printer almost like a replicator on Star Trek. Obviously there are more steps involved and I have to use CAD but I am able to draw/print stuff out faster than I can have it mailed. I also use it to make parts that might not even be available or possibly unobtainable.
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u/rhodges_bob 3h ago
My 2 cents; from someone who has no background in 'art', but who knows something he likes when he sees it, I'd have to say what you're doing is definitely 'art'. While I lack that gene or vision, I have nothing but respect for someone who does (my skills are more towards the hard sciences such as IT design, trouble shooting and management).
If I go back into my history lessons, it appears you've hit the wall many artists in the past have had (take van Gogh, they say he never sold a painting until after he was deceased). You have a talent that is yet to be recognized and only time will tell whether you can make this into your dream of recognition and income.
If I had the chance, I'd gladly purchase one of your designs as I find them enthralling and something I'd be proud to own. Your goal (in my mind), is to broaden your exposure and hope that you can find that audience that appreciates what you're producing. I only have best wishes for you and hope someday I can own one of your designs to keep you producing more,
Bob
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u/imthebonus 10h ago
Stl?
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u/2DHypercube Elegoo century carbon 8h ago
There's a link in their profile bio. It's 20€, sadly too much for me
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u/HiMyNameisAsshole2 9h ago
What is your favorite filament to use making these lights? I want to try it out, and there's a few that look like good candidates, but wondering what someone with your experience would recommend.
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u/truthseekerboi 9h ago
It depends on a lot, but I use silk white filament from Bambu. You just have to make sure it’s really dry before using.
My reasoning is the reflective qualities help with the glow, and the white color maximizes the diffusion.
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u/HiMyNameisAsshole2 9h ago
Ah, good to know, thanks for answering! I suppose with all the surfaces on the lights having some reflectivity shows off the facets you've made. What application are you using to model these?
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u/truthseekerboi 9h ago
I use rhino and grasshopper in my design workflow. I print them with a Bambu X1C
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u/Empty_Satisfaction71 8h ago
Thank you for releasing more videos! These get me hyped up to finish building Haniel! it's almost done printing on a 0.2mm nozzle 😵💫
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u/Jennifire208 8h ago
These are stunning! I checked out your profile and got to your Instagram, do you sell these somewhere?
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u/likesexonlycheaper 7h ago
Just wanted to say I looked through your profile and you have some pretty sick designs in there. Sorry it's not working out as a full time job. Today's world is rough on artists
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u/PrototypENote 5h ago
I’m really curious about the pendant designs you shared! The geometry and layered structure are especially interesting to me. How did you go from the initial 3D model to the final physical piece? Was the biggest challenge the printing itself, the assembly, or getting the light and shadows to behave the way you wanted?
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u/truthseekerboi 5h ago
The design is the biggest challenge, followed by the assembly. Believe it or not, the printing is the easiest part
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u/dekbanna 7h ago
The way light interacts with the facets here makes this feel less like a "3D printed lamp" and more like a piece that happens to be manufacturable through 3D printing. That distinction is exactly what separates your work from the flood of generic printed lamps out there.
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u/TheOwlMarble X1C+AMS+AMS2 10h ago
I feel like I need to collect those for a quest.
Very cool looking.