3D printed nude selfies were, let’s face it, an inevitability. The first time that I saw a company offering 3D printed selfie I said to myself that it was only a matter of time before naked versions started to show up. There have already been adult performers willing to have their bodies 3D scanned and turned into statues that their fans could buy, and I’m sure that some 3D printing service providers have already quietly printed naked selfies for their customers. But so far there hasn’t been a company that expressly went out of their way to offer nude 3D scanning and 3D printing to their customers as a distinct service. Yet.
The six body types available as a Nudee.
UK-based online retailer Firebox may be about to change that however as they have just started selling what they call a Nudee in their store. It should be said, however, that the Nudee isn’t really an actual 3D printed nude selfie; instead, customers can select one of six body options and have their actual head placed on top of it. There are three nearly-nude women bodies and three nearly-nude male bodies. Each gender is represented by a single slim body type, a muscular body type and an overweight body type. It isn’t clear if the bodies are based on real people, or just modeled with CAD software, but they are, almost uncomfortably, very realistic looking. Of course I think it is pretty obvious that the Nudee being offered by Firebox isn’t really meant to be used as anything other than a joke or a novelty.
The head of the Nudee is supplied by the purchaser, who only needs to send in two high-quality pictures of the head that they want to be placed on the body. They need one picture from the front, and a second picture from the side. If the images are clear enough, the head can be turned into a 3D model by running it through some software and then added to the naked body before being 3D printed. As with other selfies that use images to turn the head into 3D models, Firebox needs very clear images and thankfully they have supplied a guide when you click Personalise to make sure anyone purchasing a Nudee can get them the best pictures possible.
Currently the company insists that they do not need a nude body of the customer because they’re not really making a completely 3D printed version of them. So there still is no nude 3D selfie service available as of yet, but it is honestly only a matter of a time. Boudoir photography was very popular, and lucrative, back in the ’80s and ’90s and only fell out of favor with the release of inexpensive digital cameras. I would imagine that a version of that business model, a boudoir 3D scanning and 3D printing service, would be equally lucrative.
The final 3D printed Nudee statue will be approximately 20 cm (7.8 inches) tall and the skin tone of the body will be matched to the head. The Nudee is 3D printed in a sandstone material, so it is not going to have a smooth surface and shouldn’t be exposed to water or heavy moisture. Each statue will set you back £149.99 ($212), and sadly there are no refunds or returns. It takes about three to four weeks to create the Nudee, and Firebox does offer international shipping options. Discuss in the 3D Printed Nudees forum over at 3DPB.com.
