This sculpture started as a geometric digital model, which I then smoothed and sculpted intricate details into. The result is this beautiful standing form we might think of as sci-fi or dystopian.
Though the long barrel shape may remind people of a gun or laser, the delicate structure holding it up hints at a greater engineering in its form and function. Additionally, the small details and organic forms are also meant to show a technological advancement, as we often envision the future as something that can oppose our current industrial environment. Call this a combination of the industrial with the organic.
Painted and Copper-Plated 3D-Printed Sculpture
During my time making sculpture around this time, I had the opportunity to go to the scrap yard. In the vast piles of abandoned metal, I saw objects and machines that were beautiful in their decay, but also could have been part of structures that once served some great function.
I saw wonder in this abandonment, with the many things that were once important but were thrown away and forgotten about in the short memories of people. From this experience, I was inspired to take my intricately sculpted digital form and make it into something that could display this process. In doing so, I created the same form but with a materiality to show it in a decayed light.
Research and Development
This sculpture was not only about ideas of future, decay, and abandonment but also an exploration of material and fabrication.
To create the physical sculpture, I took the digital model I created and 3D printed it in PLA plastic. From there, I had a basic, white, clean, physical model, but I wanted to change the materiality to look rusted and abandoned.
This involved research into electroplating. I first learned how to create a blue copper electrolyte solution using vinegar, salt, and copper anodes. Then, I supplied electrical current to the solution using a variable power supply, requiring me to test different voltages.
Next, I needed a way to get the copper to stick to the plastic of the model. I found a conductive nickel spray paint I could apply, but first, I melted the surface of the 3D print with a heat gun to get it a little more decayed and smooth. After that, all I had to do was put the sculpture into my electrolyte bath, connect the power supply, and slowly let the copper replace the nickel.
Reflecting on this process, there were some unexpected but welcome outcomes. As shown in the image, there is quite a substantial layer of red copper sticking to the surface in the bath, but because I didn’t clean and polish the underlying nickel paint, the adhesion was really poor. This meant that the red rubbed off easily, allowing more of a layered, decayed look instead of full-on rusted. I really like the way it turned out, though to make it safe to the touch, I had to apply a bit of clear coat on top, which made it a tad shinier than I would have liked.
