3D printed jewellery design process based on sculpture inspiration

Abstract

In the article we present the educational process in which design students were guided through their design process, creating 3D printed jewellery inspired by the Forma Viva sculptures of the outdoor gallery Kostanjevica na Krki. The assignment was part of the international project Cumulus Re/Forma Viva, whose main goal was to implement digitization using 3D technology in the field of education for the preservation of cultural heritage. The task given to the 1st year masters students of Fashion and Textile Design at the Department of Textiles, Graphic arts and Design at the University of Ljubljana was to select a wooden sculpture and transform the visual and conceptual idea into a 3D printed jewellery collection. The curriculum of the course includes teaching the theoretical basics of 3D printing, 3D print design – fashion accessories and new production, business and marketing models as "disruptive" changes that result from this. In the practical part, students will learn the advanced design process of fashion accessory objects, including 3D technologies such as 3D modelling and 3D printing. Students are guided through a process in which selected visual and conceptual content is translated into fine jewellery that can be created using various 3D printing technologies. In this way, students tested themselves in two new areas that allowed them to expand their design knowledge and experience in 3D modelling and jewellery design with the goal of better "arming" themselves with the latest technologies for today's competitive world.