Evolved, 3D printed creatures

Dolf sez, "I am growing creatures I call Entoforms using the open source Blender 3D software. To do so, I've written the equivalent of a 300 page book in python scripts, which though a work in progress, are already available. The Entoforms have text as DNA, and can thus be based on words, or names. I print them out in 3D, then pin, and label them in insect boxes like collected invertebrates. These I am selling as limited issue collectible art pieces. To help me create the first larger series, and exhibit them this summer and fall at art galleries... I started a crowdfunding campaign."

Entoforms (Thanks, Dolf!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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macouno

Hi Everyone, and thanks Cory for posting!

silkox: I’m not familiar with that program, so thanks for the suggestion! I’ll have a looksee.

Anon: I believe strongly in Open Source, and Creative Commons. I give all my data away under such licenses (programs/images/3d files), but the physical objects I create, I sign and sell as art pieces.

monstrinho_do_biscoito: Not yet… I don’t know if Spore allows imports from external software. I do however plan to auto rig and animate the creatures… right now I’m concentrating more on appearance for a bit longer.

Jeff: Hi your project looks interesting! Mine isn’t “interactive” right now… my shapes are too complex for it to be done in a game engine effectively right now. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to exchange some ideas!

Thanks everyone!
Dolf (macouno)
Anonymous

whoops. doesn’t he say that everything he does, he gives away? Not so on the entoforms website:

Pricing
Prices vary depending on what you want. Please do feel free to e-mail. A quote will be created just for you
Shart Tsung

More Earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand! :(
silkox

A cool idea. It would be especially cool to start with Richard Dawkins’ Biomorph program from The Blind Watchmaker.

Stay safe, Christchurch.
monstrinho_do_biscoito

i’m not too impressed by the other CGI work this guy has done, but these algorithm generated creattures are pretty cool. I wonder if they could be imported into Spore somehow and made to interact with an environment.
Jeff Clune

Very cool! Your project is similar in spirit to http://EndlessForms.com, a website we are building where you can evolve 3D objects and have them 3D printed.

Please check it out and let me know what you think.

A few questions for you: where does evolution come in? Do users (or you) interactively evolve the shapes? Can you tell us a bit about the encoding that you use?

The encoding on EndlessForms.com is based on principles from developmental biology (how organisms grow from one cell to complicated forms like jaguars, hawks, and humans). There’s an “about the technology” link at the bottom of our site if you are interested in more detail.
Anonymous

I’m convinced from the 3D printing entries on this site that it’s a technology as useful as 3D movies.