I have been back and forth with Santiago regarding the hair on the Afro Babies. He has explained how difficult it is to design in the software and he switched to a different software package to get the look I was trying to get. Here is the exchange we have had:
Me: I had these Lego toys that have little Afros. They have the bumps that you started with, but there are many more of them. It may be difficult to recreate this in 3D. Therefore, some combination of the spikes and the bumps should work.
I appreciate all the work you are doing and the difficulty involved.
Thanks for your persistence!
Santiago: What I can do is reproduce some type of filament, curvy, thick pipes.
But actual thin hair, while it is possible in 3D software via plugins/added modules effects, it is not in 3D printed figures, with any material (not even hi detail ones). But specially, the multicolored stone, as I mentioned to you in its day, is very limited. It cannot do even slightly thin structures. And gravity and support strength are a real problem. In the guidelines, they explain to you that it is like making sand castles in the beach. Whatever would not be possible in that, wont be either with multicolored sandstone, as would get destroyed once they extract from the machine (later they apply like a a super glue adhesive)
So, we can, as much, do some sort of filaments, in the case the hair is not all left to 2D texture flat painting.
You might want to check these matters in their material guidelines page 🙂 :
http://www.shapeways.com/materials/sandstone-design-guidelines
There is important info not showing there, which is at the main info page:
http://www.shapeways.com/materials/sandstone
This also tells about how fragile it is. It is not going to break for time to time handling, thanks to the super glue, but is for example, not good for a table top game, is mostly a decoration piece.
I indeed might be extremely interested in, if you are so kind, that once you receive the model, might tell me how it feels, how strong it seems to be and all… As , for me as a modeler… and texturer, I have an edge, an advantage with most modelers there in Shapeways as many are not capable of texturing also (properly). But sadly this is the only material allowing it. Still …for deco purposes, they say it rocks.
I am producing a “multi style” head hair, so you can check several samples in the same head, so to make a choice of what we can do.
Me: Sorry I was not clear. I am not in New York now. I came to Maryland to visit with friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. When I get back I will try to sketch what I am thinking and scan it and send it to you.
In the meantime, I will see the section that you are changing and maybe it is what I am looking for.
I understand the constraints you listed and am sure we will find some compromise.
Thanks again for being so responsive.
Santiago: It’s been a bit of an issue to get the desired effect, as mostly I need to prevent issues when the molding proccess starts in their machines. Figures must be solids of certain characteristics, and this is limitting me in going for easier methods for the several hair versions. Finally I needed to make an export from Wings, and I have generated the full hair with Blender, using its METABALLS system. It was the best way to model it , and keep all time everything as one piece, and not make a nightmare of later on melting all. The thing is, we cannot do separated pieces for 3D printing of certain type. It’s be really tedious, as I have placed and configured each small metaball of “lego hair” individually… Quite a task… But am happy now 🙂 . It almost killed a i7 core with 8gb of ram and a good graphic card! 🙂 Half a million of triangles…
Good news: I just got it ready now, hair is done, and now I am going for the final thing: texturing.
It’s a huge file in modeling count, but my machine can deal with it more or less (+600 thousand triangles in the hair, lol) . Mostly as if hair is good (I really like it now, but I don’t know if you would, I really hope so!. I think it is completely in the line that you wanted in those lego samples: It’s hard for a better aproach, and in my view, it ended better than in those lego examples.)
The delay has been a mix of things: Yes, the hair styling, not reaching the point you exactly wished, was a bit of a slowing down factor, but is mostly that.. I am these late months making a living out of my artwork, as the only income source, so, when a project needs certain number of modifications, I do not charge for them, but I actually need to also attend the other projects as well, so to (er, pay the bills 😉 ) not loose them, and also for schedules. I am hoping to end it all today, so it will be good for your classes, as well. 🙂 Yes, there have appeared more obstacles than I thought, I mentioned you it was my first contact with real physical figure printing… The bigger issue here, and I can explain that in depth if you really wish so, is that I cannot make, as far as my little knowledge on 3D printing and materials go, figures built of several parts, or can, but it would involve certain extra complexities with their tech services. I am quite expecting issues when we do send this model to their services, because it often hapens, also I am novice in the specific matter, and also, the model has some singularities. But I am optimistic in the final result of all, and of course, I will be extremely helpful with you and the service to make this reach the desired output. Things can happen: They can reject the model, even several times, as once they examine the model they might estimate that issues would occure during the machine operation or another step. I will try to clean the model the best I can, and eliminate possible issues before sending, but still, these matters are expected. I’ll be there to change anything.
Not attaching here the shot as I need to do certain things first, but expect a final shot today 🙂
I am sorry for the delay, but this is going to end as a nice figure 🙂
Me:
Great to hear from you and that the problem was not me:) !
Looking forward to getting your next design.
Santiago: I’m a bit in a hurry right now, but so that you could check a bit of it… Is not the actual exact colors from the initial drawing that you sent me, as these are not textures yet, but actually just basic material colors. But to give an idea. In 3D, one can’t see volume in typical LCD screens if we set as black the hair color. In the final model, yes, it will be black, because in real life, the natural light wll allow to see the hair volumes and all.
As it’s no textures, this is why we yet don’t see the face (eyes, smile, etc) This will be in the texture. 🙂 The names that you want to go changing in the sign: textures, and very easy to add it 🙂
So, hair does not need to be dark brown, can be full black.
I am at step four of my original plan. I am pleased with the look and the progress.
Santiago is now going to start on the face.My plan is to mass customize the toy. I will make a boy and a girl figure and possible two hair styles, one bumpy and one spiky. The sign is where the customization will occur.
I will find out the limitations of how many characters can be printed in the space and allow people to write in those characters when they order. My vision is the Afro Babies will be holding “greetings”. Some may say “I love (or have a “heart” image) and add in a name. One may say “Happy Birthday _your name inserted____. Or “Get well, “Congratulations”, etc.
Since these will be 3D printed, each buyer can add their own words. I have already checked with the designer, such that the sign portion can be customized.
