The third in a series of continued experiments studying the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 3.0 is a slight departure from the structure of versions 1 and 2. The fungal forms were produced by creating silicone negative molds of fresh Shimeji mushrooms. The positives were cast from a high-clarity colorless 2-part resin system.

The piece is powered by a set of AAA batteries that are present on the underside of the Mopani driftwood substrate.  Illumination is triggered on the underside of the work via a toggle switch.

July 2016

The third in a series of continued experiments studying the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 3.0 is a slight departure from the structure of versions 1 and 2. The fungal forms were produced by creating silicone negative molds of fresh Shimeji mushrooms. The positives were cast from a high-clarity colorless 2-part resin system. 

The piece is powered by a set of AAA batteries that are present on the underside of the Mopani driftwood substrate.  Illumination is triggered on the underside of the work via a toggle switch.

July 2016

The third in a series of continued experiments studying the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 3.0 is a slight departure from the structure of versions 1 and 2. The fungal forms were produced by creating silicone negative molds of fresh Shimeji mushrooms. The positives were cast from a high-clarity colorless 2-part resin system. 

The piece is powered by a set of AAA batteries that are present on the underside of the Mopani driftwood substrate.  Illumination is triggered on the underside of the work via a toggle switch.

July 2016

The third in a series of continued experiments studying the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 3.0 is a slight departure from the structure of versions 1 and 2. The fungal forms were produced by creating silicone negative molds of fresh Shimeji mushrooms. The positives were cast from a high-clarity colorless 2-part resin system. 

The piece is powered by a set of AAA batteries that are present on the underside of the Mopani driftwood substrate.  Illumination is triggered on the underside of the work via a toggle switch.

July 2016

TBD

June 2016

TBD

June 2016

TBD

June 2016

TBD

July 2016

TBD

January 2016

An continued experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 2.0 is a commissioned self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom luminaries having been fabricated from photopolymer resins, possess an inherently natural fluorescence property.  With this regard, UV LEDs (400 nm) were incorporated into the base of each fungal body, generating a soothing blue fluorescent glow during emission.

December 2014

An continued experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris 2.0 is a commissioned self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom luminaries having been fabricated from photopolymer resins, possess an inherently natural fluorescence property.  With this regard, UV LEDs (400 nm) were incorporated into the base of each fungal body, generating a soothing blue fluorescent glow during emission.

[Photo taken in the "OFF"-state showing the clear translucent mushroom caps & bodies]

December 2014

Sample sculpted 3D formwork pieces (mushroom caps & bodies) for Fungi Luminaris 2.0 prior to printing.  

December 2014

An experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris is a self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom cap luminaries cycle through various colors (0.2 Hz) with time.  

October 2013

An experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris is a self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom cap luminaries cycle through various colors (0.2 Hz) with time.  

October 2013

An experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris is a self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom cap luminaries cycle through various colors (0.2 Hz) with time.  

October 2013

An experiment in the marriage of natural design with technology.

Fungi Luminaris is a self-contained mixed media piece. The fungal forms were sculpted using computer-aided modeling software and printed in 3D via a stereo-lithographic process. The piece is powered by a 3.7v lithium polymer battery that is contained within itself.  A mini-usb recharging port is present on the underside.  Illumination can be triggered on the surface of the work via a toggle switch.

The mushroom cap luminaries cycle through various colors (0.2 Hz) with time.  

October 2013

Sample sculpted 3D formwork pieces (mushroom caps) for Fungi Luminaris prior to printing.  

The "Sladar"-inspired modular headphone design project is a demonstrated proof of concept, showing that 3D printing can more easily facilitate customizable modular designs.  

A pair of Grado Labs headphones were used as the base framework from which the modular attachments were designed--a set of detachable aesthetic "ear pieces."  The modules were 3D printed and painted with acrylic UV-fluorescent paints.

Headphones are designed to be fashionable from the factory, and consumers can be seen everywhere going about their day-to-day activities wearing earphones, ear-buds, or headphones--listening to their favorite music. However, people typically own just a single pair of headphones.  A modular aesthetic design could open up an infinite range of possibilities toward enhancing one's sense of individuality in this regard.

The project was intended to be a fun experiment and provide one of my visions of modular design.

September 2013

The "Sladar"-inspired modular headphone design project is a demonstrated proof of concept, showing that 3D printing can more easily facilitate customizable modular designs.  

A pair of Grado Labs headphones were used as the base framework from which the modular attachments were designed--a set of detachable aesthetic "ear pieces."  The modules were 3D printed and painted with acrylic UV-fluorescent paints.

Headphones are designed to be fashionable from the factory, and consumers can be seen everywhere going about their day-to-day activities wearing earphones, ear-buds, or headphones--listening to their favorite music. However, people typically own just a single pair of headphones.  A modular aesthetic design could open up an infinite range of possibilities toward enhancing one's sense of individuality in this regard.

The project was intended to be a fun experiment and provide one of my visions of modular design.

September 2013

The "Sladar"-inspired modular headphone design project is a demonstrated proof of concept, showing that 3D printing can more easily facilitate customizable modular designs.  

A pair of Grado Labs headphones were used as the base framework from which the modular attachments were designed--a set of detachable aesthetic "ear pieces." 

Headphones are designed to be fashionable from the factory, and consumers can be seen everywhere going about their day-to-day activities wearing earphones, ear-buds, or headphones--listening to their favorite music. However, people typically own just a single pair of headphones.  A modular aesthetic design could open up an infinite range of possibilities toward enhancing one's sense of individuality in this regard.

The project was intended to be a fun experiment and provide one of my visions of modular design.

September 2013

The "Sladar"-inspired modular headphone design project is a demonstrated proof of concept, showing that 3D printing can more easily facilitate customizable modular designs.  

A pair of Grado Labs headphones were used as the base framework from which the modular attachments were designed--a set of detachable aesthetic "ear pieces." 

Headphones are designed to be fashionable from the factory, and consumers can be seen everywhere going about their day-to-day activities wearing earphones, ear-buds, or headphones--listening to their favorite music. However, people typically own just a single pair of headphones.  A modular aesthetic design could open up an infinite range of possibilities toward enhancing one's sense of individuality in this regard.

The project was intended to be a fun experiment and provide one of my visions of modular design.

September 2013

This image shows the 3D mesh (left) that was constructed in CAD, adjacent to a photo (right) of the modules being 3D printed from a liquid acrylic resin.

September 2013

This photograph shows the finished and complete micro smoke machine (MSMI) contained within a custom-engineered 3D printed acrylate housing. The housing was designed with 3D printing in mind and precisely engineered such that the internal components (electronics and mechanics) could be easily installed and contained within a small form-functional unit. 

The machine is powered by a rechargeable 3.7v lithium cell battery (green cylinder)--the mini-usb recharging port is present on the front face of the housing directly underneath the operation toggle switch. 

The motivation for this engineering project is to provide or invent a "hand-held," self-contained miniature smoke machine which can be used for various applications not-limited to visual & special effects, costuming, and props.

October 2013

This photograph shows the finished and complete micro smoke machine (MSMI) contained within a custom-engineered 3D printed acrylate housing. The housing was designed with 3D printing in mind and precisely engineered such that the internal components (electronics and mechanics) could be easily installed and contained within a small form-functional unit. 

The machine is powered by a rechargeable 3.7v lithium cell battery (green cylinder)--the mini-usb recharging port is present on the front face of the housing directly underneath the operation toggle switch.  

The motivation for this engineering project is to provide or invent a "hand-held," self-contained miniature smoke machine which can be used for various applications not-limited to visual & special effects, costuming, and props.

October 2013

This photograph shows the finished and complete micro smoke machine (MSMI) contained within a custom-engineered 3D printed acrylate housing. The housing was designed with 3D printing in mind and precisely engineered such that the internal components (electronics and mechanics) could be easily installed and contained within a small form-functional unit. 

The machine is powered by a rechargeable 3.7v lithium cell battery (green cylinder)--the mini-usb recharging port is present on the front face of the housing directly underneath the operation toggle switch.  

The motivation for this engineering project is to provide or invent a "hand-held," self-contained miniature smoke machine which can be used for various applications not-limited to visual & special effects, costuming, and props.

October 2013

This image shows a shot of the complete main housing (3D CAD model) of the micro smoke machine project (MSMI).  The housing is designed to be 3D printed and allow for the internal components (electronics and mechanics) to be easily inserted & installed. 

The motivation for this engineering project is to provide or invent a "hand-held," self-contained miniature smoke machine which can be used for various applications not-limited to visual & special effects, costuming, and props.

October 2013

This rhino mask is an original creation drawn from scratch, triangle by triangle, in CAD modelling software.  As with the previously made fennec fox mask, the rigidity of the mask causes it to be uncomfortable to wear--functioning primarily as a display piece.

The entire mask was fabricated from 3D-printed objects--11 separately printed objects in total.  The individual pieces were assembled and joined together to yield the completed mask.  The mask was primed prior to patterning the painted finish layer by hand using a combination of acrylic and oil-based paints.

The design was modeled in CAD and 3D printed from an ABS thermoplastic filament via a fused-deposition modelling (FDM) process.

July 2015

This fennec fox mask was drawn from scratch, triangle by triangle, using rough facial feature measurements.  While the completed mask is "wearable," due to the rigidity of the materials used in its construction--the mask is quite uncomfortable to wear (due to a lack of relaxed facial conformity).  The design inspiration came from similar pre-existing hand-made mask constructed from leather.

The entire mask was fabricated from 3D-printed objects--7 separate objects in total.  The individual pieces were assembled and fused together to yield the completed mask.  The mask was primed prior to patterning the final detail layer by hand using paint pens.  Holes on the sides of the mask are used for the head-straps.  

The design was modeled in CAD and 3D printed from acrylate resin via a stereo-lithographic process.

November 2014

Joshua Tree National Park (Photo) - January 2015

This fennec fox mask was drawn from scratch, triangle by triangle, using rough facial feature measurements.  While the completed mask is "wearable," due to the rigidity of the materials used in its construction--the mask is quite uncomfortable to wear (due to a lack of relaxed facial conformity).  The design inspiration came from similar pre-existing hand-made mask constructed from leather.

The entire mask was fabricated from 3D-printed objects--7 separate objects in total.  The individual pieces were assembled and fused together to yield the completed mask.  The mask was primed prior to patterning the final detail layer by hand using paint pens.  Holes on the sides of the mask are used for the head-straps.  

The design was modeled in CAD and 3D printed from acrylate resin via a stereo-lithographic process.

November 2014

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2015

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2015

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2015

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2014

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material (alternating colors) wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2014

This is a hand-crafted brooch made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

July 2014

This is a pair of hand-crafted earrings made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2014

This is a pair of hand-crafted earrings made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

June 2014

This is a pair of hand-crafted earrings made from spliced thermoplastic material wrapped around a metal frame backbone.  The earrings feature sterling silver ear-wire threads.  (Contains no 3D-printed components.)

July 2014

These earrings were designed and shaped--being loosely inspired from the "Tempest" (Starcraft 2).  The design was generalized and simplified for the intended application as a wearable earring.  

The front of the earring also has a loop physically built into the design--the design is slightly modular in the ability to easily swap out or replace the hanging object with anything the wearer desires.  

These earrings were designed and shaped--being loosely inspired from the "Tempest" (Starcraft 2).  The design was generalized and simplified for the intended application as a wearable earring.  

The front of the earring also has a loop physically built into the design--the design is slightly modular in the ability to easily swap out or replace the hanging object with anything the wearer desires.  

The design was modeled in CAD and 3D printed from acrylate resin via a stereolithographic process.

August 2013

These earrings were designed in CAD and 3D printed from an acrylate resin.

August 2013

These sunglass frames were designed in CAD from scratch, taking inspiration from feudal Japanese samurai kabuto (helmets).  The design was centered around providing the answer to the question of "what kind of sunglasses would a samurai wear today?"  

The frames were 3D printed to yield a fixed (hinge-less) design. 

August 2013

These sunglass frames were designed in CAD from scratch, taking inspiration from feudal Japanese samurai kabuto (helmets).  The design was centered around providing the answer to the question of "what kind of sunglasses would a samurai wear today?"  

The frames were 3D printed to yield a fixed (hinge-less) design. 

August 2013

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

October 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

Created in Autodesk Fusion 360, rendered in KeyShot.

September 2016

This photograph reflects the results following delving into the experimental process of plating nickel metal onto a 3D printed plastic surface using electroless plating chemistry.  

Electroless plating does not require an electrical power source but instead is an auto-catalytic chemical reaction revolving around chemical reduction as opposed to an electrical reductive process.  This key difference is what enables traditionally non-conductive materials like plastics, wood, etc. the ability to be plated with a thin layer of metal. Electroless plating is possible with a variety of metals including copper and gold.  

Nickel is also a very good base metal in preparation for subsequent surface treatments and coatings.  Nickel coated plastic models can be also be soldered and applied toward unique electronics and lighting projects.

August 2013