Engineering meets art as designers, artists and craftsmen push the boundaries of 3D printing
If the whole concept of 3D-printing sparks your interest, then you might just possibly devour this book.
Lucy Johnston brings together an eclectic mix of eighty designers, artists and craftsmen, who merge digital technologies and traditional techniques to create inspiring works of art, in Digital Handmade.
Crisp typography, a clean layout and beautiful photography guide you through the hardback book.
With over 80 curated case studies from around the world, each artist documented comes with an introduction to and description of their artwork, with thought-provoking quotes.
Illustrations of the artwork are superb, in black and white or colour photography. and they adorn the two to four pages dedicated to each individual.
A synopsis details the location of the artwork, technologies and materials used in creating the piece/pieces and a website address for further exploration.
Also included are brief artist biographies and a glossary to educate the reader on all those tricky digital techniques and terms.
Digital Handmade reads like an extensive exhibition catalogue with the theme being the digital age in art, or to quote Lucy Johnston: “the new digital artisan movement”.
However, for a book about art, it is well compiled and presented and not merely a catalogue of artists.
As someone who enjoys visiting exhibitions or simply admiring design and creativity, I certainly enjoyed the read.
Manufacturing, engineering, instrumentation, welding, textile, furniture and jewellery design are just a few of the media chosen.
From Luc Merx’s human chandeliers to Michaella Janse van Vuuren’s link between couture and engineering, Digital Handmade fails to disappoint in weird and wonderful ways.
If Gaudi had the digital processes and techniques of today, he might not only have finished Sagrada de Familia, but may also have given the basilica a new twist along the lines of Wim Delvoye’s gothic series, which involves CAD, 3D printing, and laser-cut stainless steel to produce sculptures that resemble twisted and turned gothic architecture.
Truly engineering meets art.
Dutch product and design superstar, Marcel Wanders, makes an appearance, as does Cinnamon Lee, the Australian jewellery designer whose approach blends digital processes with the ancient metallurgist’s craft and Nendo, the Japanese creative studio produces ceramic work in which digital fuses with fine and age-old ceramic art.
A growing movement, digital handmade grasps the craft base of the maker and grafts it onto 21st century techniques to create a radical new approach to art and artisan objects.
This is a book which will intrigue the collector as much as the maker and is ideal for anyone looking to investigate this ground-breaking and most creative of digital trends.
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