Lasting imprints
Company can make 3-D replicas of you, loved ones.
Company can make 3-D replicas of you, loved ones
The art of 3-D printing has come a long way since its beginnings in 1983. Now Oklahomans can make small, solid figurines of themselves or loved ones thanks to Full Color Sandstone 3-D printing material.
360 Studio has been featured at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City since June 8, said Alison Counts, marketing director for 360 Studio and Candid Color Systems.
“It is very unique to have a display of your grandchildren or loved one in a 3-D model,” said Jack Counts, owner of 360 Studio and Candid Color Systems.
The studio offers a chance for clients to come and experience a complete photo shoot in half a second shutter speed with the help of more than 100 cameras inside a booth.
Steve Foisy, lead technician of 360 Studio, explained that with the many displays of cameras circled around the client, the images captured will provide exact detail in facial expression and clothing before being 3-D printed. The process takes several
weeks to complete.
Christy McFarland, one of the representatives for 360 Studio, said there is only one of its kind in Oklahoma and possibly neighboring states.
Figure sizes range from 4 inches to 9 inches with the choice of coating and supporting base for the client’s replica. Prices vary according to size. Counts recommended the 7-inch figure replica, which starts at $199. Base and additional coating is an extra cost.
Customers are advised to bring their specific clothing, props and pose ideas that represent their personalities the best.
The 360 Studio hours are noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Three Oklahoman reporters recently put the process to the test:
Nuria Martinez-Keel
I stood completely still with my arm outstretched, trying to keep my shirt and hair from moving. Of course, my long brown hair didn’t want to cooperate, as Christy McFarland, the studio manager, brushed my straight locks back into place before each photo.
I looked right ahead, holding up a small, black recorder that I use for interviews. Cameras flashed all around me in the circular studio, capturing a 360 image of me smiling and interviewing an imaginary source.
Before I took my picture, I had no idea which pose to choose, so I turned for inspiration to other printed replicas.
Miniature couples stood arm-inarm. Children posed in their soccer uniforms. One college graduate smiled in her cap and gown.
Each of these people had a memory, hobby, career or stage of life they held dear. They carefully chose the best outfit and pose to capture it for posterity. A policeman stood resolutely in his uniform. A sprint car racer posed in her driving suit.
I decided to commemorate the reporting work that brought me to the studio in the first place. I grabbed my recorder and held it out as I would in an interview. To show who I am and what I do, my new mini-me is frozen in place, as if she’s asking, “Could I get a quote?”
Stepping into the small space with a carpet in the middle and nearly 100 cameras around me was very perplexing. The studio’s staff explained different poses while McFarland suggested ways to personalize my replica.
I did not know what to do for the first picture, so I just stood awkwardly, staring straight ahead, before my photo was taken. The process took only five seconds before I had to pose for the next picture.
Being first to take the photos, I wasn’t thinking about what to do or even hold since I was told the entire body would be 3-D printed. My other poses included me touching my chin and holding a laptop that McFarland provided.
I chose one of the three poses to become my replica after stepping out of the studio. Looking around, I was surprised how personal the 3-D models would be since the printer could copy down to the last single stitch on a shirt.
Lama Agha
Standing in front of so many cameras was quite intimidating to say the least, but just thinking about the end result made this experience well worth it. Receiving a 7-inch replica of myself holding my purse in one hand and my phone with the silly black cat case in the other is something that never came to mind.
After McFarland made sure my button-up shirt was hanging straight and my double heart necklace was facing forward, I waited still and rigid for the camera’s flash to go off, so I could finally breathe.
Standing outside of the circular studio gazing at the model replicas behind the glass case was spectacular. The amount of detail in these little figurines was shocking.
Every natural crease on a shirt or pair of pants stood out perfectly, and the facial expressions seen on each replica was exact.
These replicas can be used for a number of different things, and not just standing on your bookshelf.
From baby showers to wedding toppers, these wonderful replicas will complete your event or celebration without question.
Whether it’s wearing your graduation regalia, hugging your loved ones, or just simply standing alone with a piece of something to show off your personality, this figurine will do the job.