From 3D virtual Scales to 3D Print!
BeeMKay
Posts: 7,019
GamePrint does it again. After the beautiful, detailed work they did with the first 7 inch standard paint figure I ordered with them:


I ordered my second character from them. This is another character from my webcomic, Zephania Duon, and he has a scale as symbol of the character's background and future in the story.
Here's the render:

And here the totally amazing 7 inch print result that arrived at my doorstep!

I'm still aww-ing and oooh-ing at how beautiful he turned out, and how even small details, like the holes of the nose and the shoe laces were printed with accuracy and handeled carefully in the clean-up process afterwards. And the idea to use real, thin chain-link for the scale adds a touch of realism I didn't expect. 

Comments
that is nice
Absolutely amazing. They continue to exceed any expectations I have. Congratulations.
— Walt Sterdan
Thanks!
They are really amazing, aren't they? If you consider that 30-40 hours go into the post-print cleanup alone (according to the "How is it done" thread over in the Arts section), I'm amazed that they can keep their prices this low. $250 (right now just $175 until Christmas) for the 7 inch figure is definitely a more than adequate price, if you consider all that's done.
And if you're a story teller like me, to have the character "come out of the screen" adds a totally new dimension to things. It's definitely worth saving up the money for this little piece of luxuary jewel.
Prices are reasonable considering the work that they put into them.
At this rate Game Print may soon be sending out scales that acutally work.
Or ... did they just do that?
Heh, no, though that was my first thought a well when I unwrapped it. The bar and the stand of the scale are actually two parts, and held together by a small nail and glue. I thought that the print program would just simply make one piece out of it, but no. The details on this are fantastic, as I said.
So, in theory, I guess they could make this a functional scale. All the elements are there. But it's such fine print that it would lose a lot of stability. I'm still surprised that the entire construct actually is possible in the real world like that.