Rachel Goldsmith Makes Fine Art by “Painting in Plastic” Using Her 3Doodler

The world of 3Doodling evolves more and more as we see artists take up the challenge of this new technology, developing techniques and tricks that maximize the benefits of this 3D printing pen while also creating innovative art that can be squarely placed alongside other contemporary fine art pieces. The artwork of Rachel Goldsmith, who is highlighted in a recent 3Doodler blog, is an excellent example of using the 3Doodler pen to create new art forms unique to the technology.

In an interview with 3Doodler, Goldsmith explains how her artwork is evolving after a busy year that had her winning the 2015 3Doodler Artist Award as well as presenting one of her 3Doodled works (a pink flower) to former President Bill Clinton. Here, she tells 3Doodler about some of the many techniques she has recently developed to help her achieve the effects she wants:

“Not only is this still a relatively new medium, but I’m at the cusp of the wave in utilizing it in general, as well as in fine art specifically. I have spent the last few years experimenting, developing and now refining an arsenal of techniques that I can employ to create fine art. I’ve been using a technique a lot which I call “Anchor Pull”. This is when I use the pen to make an anchor, and then drag the melted plastic to create long webs in layers. You can see this in my Kelp series, my Webs, and my Squares series, as well as my more recent Triangles.”

Another new technique Goldsmith now has in her artistic arsenal is using gold leaf. The plastic palette available in 2014 was not thrilling her, so she spray-painted a completed piece gold and then added pieces of gold leaf to reflect the light the way she wanted. Goldsmith also reports being inspired by organic textures like leaves, vines, and water, and she states that now she sees objects in nature that remind her of her own artwork (as opposed to simply seeing things in nature she would like to paint). The artist explains that “It has both come full circle and has become fluid – the inspiration is going both ways.”

Another work reveals Goldsmith’s unique artistic vision and her handy work with an oven and a heat gun, in addition to her 3Doodler pen. Goldsmith describes that for her “Red Shell,” the piece was placed in an oven heated to 425°F. She simply placed the plastic on tin foil to “bake” for about 5 minutes and then removed it so it wouldn’t bubble. She also used this technique for a very complex piece that looks nautically-inspired. It is titled “Under the ‘Hey Now'” because Goldsmith was scuba-diving off a boat named the “Hey Now” right when she began making this. Goldsmith describes:

“For my most recent use of this technique, I extruded circles… a lot of circles… and then more circles. I heated them in the oven and then used a heat gun to collage them together. This was a very cyclical and long process.”

If you have followed Rachel Goldsmith’s career, as we have, you can certainly see her “Painting in Plastic” technique evolve. If you are new to her work and would like to see more, check her website out and follow her on Instagram. What do you think of this art genre? Discuss in the 3D Doodled Art forum over at 3DPB.com.