A look into the many advantages 3D scanning technology can provide sculptural artists
Sculptors, potters, carvers, welders, bronze casters— three-dimensional artisans of all mediums, have you ever considered digitizing your work with 3D scanning? You should! 3D scanning your artwork creates an exact replica of the piece both in geometry and color. You can use this replica in a wide number of ways, from archiving your work to collaborating with other artists around the world! In this blog post, we'll explore a few possible advantages to digitizing your art.
Preserve and Protect Your Work
Depending on the medium used and where the art is stored, sculptural art can degrade and become damaged over time. Creating a 3D scan copy of your artwork will not only protect it from becoming lost or damaged, but it can also preserve a pristine copy of the work for years to come. A digital copy can also be an incredibly useful tool when it comes to making repairs to your original work, similar to how we've seen 3D scans used to help rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral after its fire in 2019.
Make More Sales With 3D Prints
Just as 2D artists can scan and make print copies of their drawings and paintings, 3D scanning allows sculptural artists to do the same! 3D scanned sculptures can be printed in a wide variety of textures and materials, ranging from basic plastic to ceramic and metal. The process of making prints can allow a sculptural artist to reach a wider audience and make more sales by having a lower-priced alternative to more expensive original works. 3D printed copies also allow the artist to play with variables like size and material while maintaining the same detail and integrity of the original sculpture.
Reach A Wider Audience With Digital Galleries
The rise of digital art galleries are expanding artists' reach around the globe, allowing them to break restrictions previously held over them by physical spaces. In a digital gallery, installments are not governed by the same spatial limitations and physics we deal with in the real world, allowing artists to fully tap into their creative potential!
Since most digital galleries can be accessed virtually anywhere via the internet, an artist is also able to reach a much larger number of viewers than they might displaying their art in a traditional gallery. VOMA, the Virtual Online Museum of Art, had this to say about their online gallery—"It affords us the opportunity to collaborate with museums and collections around the world, bringing artworks to a huge global audience. We can show works from across history, bringing hidden works into the light and shedding new light on well-known pieces." Such galleries could also save on costly shipping of art installments, cut back on potential damage to art during transport, and allow the same art installment to be displayed in multiple galleries at once!
Collaborate Over Long Distances
Many of our apparel clients use our 3D scans to digitally collaborate on designs with remote team members. The same use could easily be applied to artists who'd like to collaborate on works with each other over long distances. The potential for different types of collaborative projects is vast— artists can combine works, add digital modifications via 3D software, or even create interactive augmented reality experiences together. Since everything can be transferred over the internet, artists are not limited by their location and can collaborate with creatives from all over.
In this article, we've discussed just a few of the unique advantages 3D scanning can offer artists. If you'd like to learn more, Artec 3D has a great case study on how award-winning artist Jamie Lester utilizes 3D scanning in his work here! Interested in trying out 3D scanning for your next sculptural piece, but still undecided? Feel free to reach out to our team with any questions you have via arkify3d@gmail.com or on our site's Contact page!
Happy scanning!
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