How Did I Get Here?

No, not me. I have shared that story many places but if you're new it's here. 

How does a vase get here? And does the vase like this Talking Heads song too?

In the 4 years I've been working on my process, and I mean that in the least pretentious way possible, I've struggled to document each step. But with 2 new vase models in the works for the Holidays, I managed to not just record some of the steps but I actually have the 3D printed versions that came before.

Hopefully this will clarify that the vases themselves are NOT 3D printed, I use 3D printing to prototype and make something called the Tooling Model so that they can make a plaster mold to cast the vases out in Oregon. 

I made this bedside table sized vase for a wedding cocktail hour, it was experimental meaning I made the model in wax, made the mold myself and got a few pieces out of it. I liked it, but I wanted more of a twist and more movement at the rim where the flowers fall. 

I scanned it, brought it into Blender and worked on it many, many times. This is how I work in Blender, I have a "clay" view and I can preview my work in a shiny porcelain like surface. 

I print each version so it can hold flowers. I think that scale, drafts and prototyping probably needs its own Journal entry. 

Once I have what I'm pretty sure is the "final" version, I print it at slower speed for a finer surface finish. I pour clear rubber sealant inside so it's water tight and then arrange in it to make sure it's stable, it's not too small or too large. I move it around my house looking at it. 

The last stage is very time consuming, making the Tooling Model. This involves and even slower print with very fine layers to make the surface as smooth as an FDM printer can make it. It still has a texture to it, so I lightly sand it, prime it will auto filler/primer. Sand, paint, sand, paint, sand and paint. The mold will pick up any texture, a bump, a tiny bubble, a scratch. It takes me about 2 weeks to completely finish the surface on a large model, less for smaller pieces like Baby Twist

The tooling models look like they're wearing hats, this is something new I've built into the next models to go for mold making. In casting, it's called the Spare. It's an extra well in the mold for porcelain slip reserve. As the mold absorbs water from the slip, the level goes down. Without the spare, the edges would be too thin. It also allows the Oregon team to cut the rims more easily. My designs have complex undulations and changes in height so this ensures the rim is exactly how it was designed. It's an extra modeling step but it's better for everyone so it's worth it.

So that's how Baby Twist got here over about 2 years. Some pieces come together quickly, some take more time, some I need to let sit and come back to with a fresh idea to solve a problem. Sometimes I need to go and learn something about design or printing. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing my process (the phrase makes me cringe but) it's what I'm up to behind the scenes if I'm not arranging flowers or sharing upcoming sale info!