Cosmo Wenman continues his 3D printing projects and the exceptional quality associated with his work. He faced adversity head-on and found the resources necessary to continue his ambitious goal to set free the 3D art of the world with an emphasis on the classical tradition. With renewed funds, Wenman successfully scanned and produced 3D printed replicas of the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory while The Medusa Rondanini moves forward in the queue. His painstaking efforts capture the austere beauty of the treasures from antiquity. Aid for the most recent designs, available for view on Thingiverse, came from Autodesk’s Reality Capture Division.
The original setback hit in July when a Kickstarter campaign failed, yet Autodesk arrived in fortuitous fashion. The 3D captures Wenman spent 18 months collecting could be archived and processed by Autodesk’s free application 123D Catch. The application sustained the project until the recently released ReCap Photo professional application launched and Autodesk formed a symbiotic bond with Wenman. The Skulpturhalle project remains creatively independent, but Autodesk will use the project to promote ReCap’s capabilities.
For the first time, 3D scanned images of these classical works found a stage in the 3D Printshows in London and Paris. In an interesting twist, Cosmo saw his Winged Victory on display at the Louvre while the real sculpture had been taken off display for the first time in 130 years for restoration. It is simultaneously inspiring and curious to think of a 3D printed model of such an iconic sculpture near the space once occupied by the original work.
One of the most noble qualities of Cosmo’s effort is the democratic resolve of his efforts. The designs are placed online for free download, and they are gorgeous renderings of sublime works of art. Too often these sculptures collect dust in museums and can only be accessed by wealth, 2D prints or screen images. 3D printing eschews the erudition of these pieces of art making them available and open in 3D form to more wide and varied viewers. And what artist — dead or alive — would not want their work to fall under the gaze of a worldwide audience?
Source: Cosmo Wenman
