Art and technology have been walking hand in hand bringing creative visions to life as long as homo sapiens have been walking around. And, since the inception of digital technology, homo sapien Mark Bern has been making digital art for decades. Starting with his Commodore 64, he has been exploring and updating pixel art with every technological advance. Most recently, he’s updated from 2D to 3D. Based on his 2D pixel art collection, Mark has made some truly inspiring 3D printed canvas prints.
3D printing adds another tool for artists to realize their visions, and Mark’s work is no exception. After generating his models on his newer computer, they are 3D printed with a bright technicolor pallet. Mark uses a combination of digital processes to generate abstract and highly pixel forms. A simple way of describing the process by which he creates these abstraction is to say that they are photo edited solely by pixel. I’m not sure, but it seems like an algorithm may be used that scrambles the pixels of a photo.
When Mark decided to 3D print one of his 2D pixel abstractions, he used a ColorJet printer to fabricate a representation. It measures 16 x 16 x 3.3 cm and weighs only .8 kg. The Zurich, Switzerland-based artist is just getting started and considers the work you see here as just a prototype.
It’s important to remember that 3D printing is a tool, and the skills of artists, engineers and Makers are what allow for innovations in art, design, engineering and manufacturing.
Though Mark’s artwork makes me a bit nostalgic, at the same time, it reminds me of all the twists and turns that await us all as technology and art develop in sync. The simple architecture, geometry and design remind me of a simpler digital age.
