“It is more in the spirit of Gaudi than one particular work of his, although without doubt his work at Park Güell in Barcelona had a large impact on me,” Hilldrup said in an interview. “In the wider sense, it is more about the reinterpretation of organic forms using contemporary tools and methods of the time, as did Gaudi.
Hilldrup was able to print the lampshade in cooperation with Stratasys, who let him test out one of its pricey (approximately $330,000) Objet500 Connex 3 Color Multi-Material 3-D printers. During the design process, to place the fractals on the lampshade, Hilldrup used a script that randomly allocated the polygons on the surface onto the 3D image. When it was time to print, he used the Objet500 to print the entire piece at once.
The Objet500 is geared toward commercial manufacturers and designers. It is able to mix cyan, magenta and yellow, just like traditional 2-D printers. The result is that it can 3-D print objects in an array of colors, by using “triple-jetting technology.” This technology allows the printer to combine drops of three base materials at the same time to reduce the need for separate print runs or any additional painting.
Renderings during the TRIG design process
Hilldrup said he used the Object500 because its palette allowed him to fully express his vision.
“I chose the Objet500 Connex3 Color 3-D printer as it offered me a wide and vibrant color spectrum in which to emphasize and separate the design’s triangulated nature,” Hilldrup said. “I originally wanted to utilize a clear palette, and this is something I still would like to do in the future, as this would offer another aspect to the design.”
Hilldrup is no novice when it comes to combining household art with 3-D printing. His 3-D printed art portfolio includes ReGen, a sculpture that ended up becoming a diplomatic gift from Britain to Israel and Flux, an eclectic candle holder. Next up for the artist? He won’t specifically say, however, he is considering perhaps another lighting project or maybe even using 3D printing technology to create his own unique furniture pieces. I guess we will have to just wait and see. What do you think about this stained glass-like lamp which Hilldrup was able to 3D print with the help of Stratasys? Let’s hear you thoughts in the 3D printed lamp shade forum thread on 3DPB.com.
