By combining 3d scanning, 3d digital modeling, and 3d printing, it is possible to create amazing and surprising effects, objects that can seamlessly blend between reality and imagination. In this tutorial, I describe the process of making a full colour 3d printed object that seamlessly fits on to a real sandstone wall, producing the illusion that the wall is built from pieces of lego. But the techniques described have a more general usefulness, almost limitless potential, and are easier and less expensive than you might think!
Staring with a real physical object, in this case a sandstone brick wall, I create an inexpensive but high quality digital 3d scan using a stills camera and the program Agisoft Photoscan. I then model the lego brick shapes over this scan using 3d software, I make this model fit perfectly onto the scanned wall by using boolean subtraction, I add colours clone stamped from the photos, correct the scale, and finally I do a colour 3d print, which fits seamlessly onto the sandstone wall, producing a novel illusion that would be difficult to achieve by other methods….
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: CircuitPython Comes to the ESP32-P4, Emulating Arm on RISC-V, and Much More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
