3D printed mini-me statuettes (or 3D selfies) are now a consolidated trend in B2C 3D printing. What started as an exclusive commodity, available only in global centers such as London, New York and Tokyo last Christmas, has now spread to just about every major city and even in many towns throughout the world. Even some parts of Euromold seemed to have been invaded by small armies of miniature clones. Ironically, the next evolutionary step might be an inverse one, from two-legged of mini-me’s to four-legged mini-pets.
PetPrints3D is the name of a Toronto based start-up which has made 3D printed pet portraits its core business. The company uses 3D Systems’ gypsum-based Projet x60 technology to create the full color statuettes and has already collected an impressive number of replicas and extremely satisfied customers. For most of us the only thing we can love as much as ourselves and our closest relatives are the family pets, in fact, since their lives are shorter, the attachment to pets can be even stronger and being able to always carry a vivid memory of them can offer some comfort.
The reason why pets came after people on this particular evolutionary scale is that 3D models of pets are more difficult to acquire. People can be scanned with a relatively affordable Artec EVA systems, or even with the Kinect, Structure, Sense or iSense scanners, or Autodesk’s 123D Catch software. In all cases, though, the person needs to remain perfectly still for up to 15 minutes while the 3D scan is being conducted, something wholly incompatible with PetPrint’s puppies, kittens, guinea pigs or parrots.
Pets could only be 3D scanned with expensive and not easily transportable photogrammetric systems or – and this is the solution chosen by PetPrints – their 3D models acquired through a painstaking process of three-dimensionalization of regular 2D photos. In this case some advanced 3D design skills are a requirement.
That is why a PetPrint is not – at this moment – as affordable as a 3D selfie. The Canadian shop offers three different basic sizes (which depend upon the size of the pet). The standard size is at least 4 inches long (which is a little longer than an iPhone 4), or tall, if the pet is standing up, and costs $250. The medium size (6.5 inches standing up and 7.5 inches lying down) runs $500, while the large size (8.5 inches sitting up and 9 inches lying down) goes for $1,250. Special prices are available for multiple copies of particular combinations.
In the near future photogrammetric 3D scanners will become more affordable, while structured light scanners will become faster and mini-pets will become more common. Judging by the enthusiastic comments from satisfied customers on PetPrints website, there will be a wide open market waiting for them.
