Art design science
# 3D printing #insects #metal
June 15, 2021
Grace Ebert
“Thorn”, bronze and sterling silver, approximately 4 x 2 x 3 inches. All images © Allan Drummond, shared with permission
Dr. Allan Drummond works at the interface of art, design and science with his metallic replicas of spiders with big eyes, ants and other winged insects. He’s turning his research into a creative practice in the Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology departments of the University of Chicago, throwing biologically realistic specimens with a focus on anatomical elements of prehistoric organisms that are most likely to be lost in the fossil record, including the lower abdomen.
Each creature begins with a digital rendering made in Blender that is then 3D printed in individual parts – you can see examples of these first models on Instagram. Drummond then, with the help of jewelry designers in his current city of Chicago, casts the replica in bronze or silver, and later assembles and refines the metallic components, resulting in a meticulous replica of the actual insect, be it life-size or enlarged to enlarge its features.
In a note to Colossal, he writes that the work shown here uses more advanced techniques than his previous models and was created with the help of two mentors, sculptor Jessica Joslin and jewelry designer Heather Oleari. “Feeling the parts for the beetle snap together in my hands – a total rush – was less a relief from stress than a confirmation that at least I know what I’m doing when building giant metal arthropods,” he says.
If you’re in Seattle, head to the Roq La Rue Gallery before July 3 to see Drummond’s sophisticated metal insects in person, and delve deeper into his process on Instagram.
“Proudhopper (Dictyopharidae)”, bronze and sterling silver, approx. 5 x 3 x 3.5 inches
“Naphrys,” bronze and black glass, approximately 10 x 14 x 5 inches
“Naphrys,” bronze and black glass, approximately 10 x 14 x 5 inches
“Semibalanus”, bronze, steel, and silver, approx. 4.5 x 4 x 3.5 inches
Detail of “Semibalanus”, bronze, steel, and silver, approx. 4.5 x 4 x 3.5 inches
“Thorn”, bronze and sterling silver, approximately 4 x 2 x 3 inches
“Proudhopper (Dictyopharidae)”, bronze and sterling silver, approx. 5 x 3 x 3.5 inches
“Bellacartwrightia,” sterling silver and patina, 5.5 x 4 in
“Farm To Table”, ant made of bronze, aphid made of sterling silver with black glass, two-carat zirconia, approx. 9 x 5 x 2.5 inches
# 3D printing #insects #metal
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