You Will not Imagine These Dolls are 3D Printed

Aida Legrand, MatterHackers’ November Hacker of the Month, has solely been 3D printing since January of 2016. Legrand’s husband purchased the self proclaimed “technical geek” and software program engineer a Robo 3D R1 Plus to kick off her 3D printing obsession, which has now develop into her full blown passion. She has since upgraded to the BCN3D Sigma, and her prints are beautiful – Legrand creates 3D printed ball-jointed dolls.

One among Legrand’s 3D Printed Ball Joint Dolls

For those who do not know, a ball jointed doll is any doll that’s made utilizing ball and socket joints, that are generally used within the design area. Ball and socket joints are in our our bodies, like the place the femur meets the pelvis, or in your shoulders and knees, so it is pretty apparent why artists like Legrand use them to create their dolls.

Legrand’s sketches of her doll’s joints

Legrand prints her dolls utilizing PLA filament on the BCN3D Sigma printer, which provides twin extrusion, so she will use assist materials and a number of colours for her prints. The Sigma is able to reaching incredible prints, however Legrand has fine-tuned her printer, producing a number of the finest prints that we have now seen. 

The dolls are printed on the BCN3D Sigma printer

3D printing has made Legrand’s doll manufacturing a lot simpler and sooner, particularly in terms of prototyping new fashions. The accuracy and determination supplied by the BCN3D Sigma printer is vital to Legrand’s prints – the effective layer top supplied by the Sigma permits her to do minimal sanding to her prints.  

Positive layer top from the BCN3D Sigma for considered one of Legrand’s doll ft

Legrand makes use of specialty 3D printed sanding instruments, which she sells on her web site (alongside along with her ball-jointed dolls), Legrand Doll. The sanding instruments are designed to suit the effective contours of the 3D printed dolls, particularly in small grooves, like between the fingers. 

Legrand’s customized 3D printed sanding instruments

Legrand makes use of zbrush to design her 3D printed dolls. The ball joints are related and stabilized with elastic cords. She paints options on the sanded dolls, and he or she additionally designs and sews clothes and costumes for the dolls as nicely.

Check out a number of the different 3D printed ball jointed dolls and components that Legrand has created beneath, or go to her web site or Instagram. 

Legrand’s doll components from the print mattress

Tiny, detailed doll fingers

Need to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? E-mail rhonda.grandy@matterhackers.com, and inform us about your 3D printed creation – you could possibly be featured in our subsequent e-newsletter. Hacker of the Month wins 3 free spools of PRO Sequence PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness.