Dutch Company HEMA Announces Launch of 3D Scan & Print Lounge

IMTS

Share this Article

Retail chain HEMA made its debut in the 3D printing market last year and is making an even bigger commitment to the medium now, with the introduction of a Scan Lounge to its Stadshart store in The Netherlands.  The Scan Lounge is a space equipped with 68 high-resolution cameras that can be used to create 3D images of a subject. The idea being that with that data, a 3D figurine can be printed that captures the person or people in their full form, down to the last detail – including full color. From pose to pick up is between three to four weeks and starts at about $80 (€59).

3dprint This 3D portraiture is one of a variety of efforts being introduced by small businesses and manufacturers alike to capture something that is seen as missing from 2D photographic representation. However, there are tradeoffs when printing as well. As HEMA notes:

 “3D scanning and printing are still new and rapidly evolving technologies. Even though we use the latest photographic techniques and software, it is not yet possible to capture everything in a 3D print.”

It’s a bit more complex than stepping into a photo booth and the considerations are not what your average user might expect from having their picture taken. The limitations are, however, fairly standard and as these types of portraits become more and more common, people will become more accustomed to the types of factors they need to take into account when having their 3D portrait captured. For example, in the pose, the person being scanned cannot have their fingers spread apart or else the printing will be too thin in that area and be highly likely to break off. Likewise, there are considerations regarding hairstyle and clothing that must be taken into account.

While none of these are particularly onerous burdens, they are all things that are not necessary to be conscious of when having a 2D image made. In other words, 3D printing could be a medium that is unique in it’s own right, rather than being simply an enhanced form of visual reproduction. As 3D printing becomes more easily accessible on a consumer level, there may be a time when you can go to the local drugstore and have your ‘image’ made and printed within an hour!

hema-3d-printed-jewelry-1The question then becomes: what does it mean to make a portrait?  There is artistry to portraiture that moves beyond capturing the exterior topography of an individual within the technical limits of a particular technology.Nicola Kalinsky of The National Portrait Gallery posits that part of what makes a portrait much more than a reproduction is who it is that makes the portrait as well as the image’s invocation of a memory or capture of an essential characteristic.

Does 3D scanning and printing preclude the idea of a maker or is it a medium in which an artist works? With the invention of the camera, many people declared that there was nothing but technical capacity required in order to make images, but that argument has long been disproved. Will 3D portraiture be able to move beyond technique? Some artists are already pushing those boundaries and I believe it won’t be long before this question is laid to rest as well.

Have you been 3D scanned and printed yet?  If so, let us know your experiences within the HEMA 3D printed portraiture forum thread on 3DPB.com.

Share this Article


Recent News

Liquid Metal 3D Printing Sector Emerges with Fluent Metal’s $5.5M Investment

3DPOD Episode 191: Amy Alexander, 3D Printing at the Mayo Clinic



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

3DPOD Episode 190: Generative Design for 3D Printing with Novineer CEO Ali Tamijani

Ali Tamijani, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, has an extensive background in composites, tool pathing, and the development of functional 3D printed parts,...

Featured

3DPOD Episode 189: AMUG President Shannon VanDeren

Shannon VanDeren is a consultant in the 3D printing industry, focusing on implementation and integration for her company, Layered Manufacturing and Consulting. For nearly ten years, she has been involved...

3DPOD Episode 188: Clare Difazio of E3D – Growing the Industry, and Growing With the Industry

Clare DiFazio’s journey into the 3D printing industry was serendipitous, yet her involvement at critical moments has significantly influenced the sector. Her position as Head of Marketing & Product Strategy...

Featured

Printing Money Episode 15: 3D Printing Markets & Deals, with AM Research and AMPOWER

Printing Money returns with Episode 15! This month, NewCap Partners‘ Danny Piper is joined by Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at Additive Manufacturing (AM) Research, and Matthias Schmidt-Lehr,...