Varend Corso – Dragon
Varend Corso
- Date : 2019
- Branche : Advertising
At 3D Next Level, we have a passion for creativity and exciting projects. Located in the beautiful Midden Delfland area, we take pride in our work for the popular event, the Dutch Varend Corso. This unique boat parade through the area showcases boats with unique themes, beautifully crafted with flowers, vegetables, and fruits. For this project, we collaborated with our client, Van der Bos Flowerbulbs, to create a unique boat around the theme "Game of Thrones," featuring a custom-made dragon. We let our creativity run wild and added various impressive effects. Below, we're excited to share how the project came to life.
A dragon
3D model
Often, a client doesn't have an existing 3D model of the desired object. Therefore, we explore how to obtain a 3D model, sometimes by creating a 3D sculpture, 3D scan, or drawing it in 3D. In this case, we had a limited budget for a custom design, so we used an existing 3D model from the internet. Our designer then adjusted the model to a higher resolution, as the original model was not suitable for our XXL 3D prints. The dragon needed to be approximately 1 meter tall, and the original resolution did not suffice for a good result in large-scale 3D printing. As a result, our designer modified the model to enable a high-resolution SLA 3D print of the dragon.
XXL 3D printing
Once we had the correct file for 3D printing, we printed the dragon in parts. The dragon needed reinforcement for the boat, requiring us to divide the 3D prints into separate parts. This allows for the incorporation of various additional features later on. Our engineers skillfully prepare and divide these prints so that the parts fit together like puzzle pieces and can then be neatly glued together.
Creative
At 3D Next Level, we always strive to give our 3D prints something extra to make them truly stand out. For this specific project, we achieved that by integrating LED lighting into the eyes and mouth of the dragon. We opted for a special light-transmitting lacquer for the eyes and placed the LED lighting behind this material for an impressive effect.
To bring the dragon even more to life, we wanted smoke to come out of the nostrils for special effects during the boat parade. To achieve this, we placed a smoke machine at the back of the dragon and created passages in the nostrils connected to special tubes, allowing the smoke to escape only through the nostrils.
However, the most challenging part was to make the dragon actually breathe fire. After hard work and innovative thinking, we managed to incorporate a special flame igniter into the mouth of the dragon. Of course, we took the necessary precautions to control the heat and the risk of fire, and placed the fire effect further away from the mouth of the dragon.
Finishing
After incorporating all these spectacular elements into our dragon, it was time to apply the finishing touch. We carefully concealed all cords, wiring, and cables so they were invisible to the public. Safety and stability of the dragon were our top priorities, so we meticulously measured everything and created a special attachment to ensure the dragon would remain securely attached to the boat while sailing.
Airbrush
After completing the technical tests, it was time to bring the dragon to life. Our regular airbrush artist, R-Brushtook over and applied multiple layers of paint with his airbrush. Thanks to his craftsmanship, beautiful effects, patterns, and shadows emerged, truly bringing our 3D print to life. The result was truly stunning to behold and complemented the rest of the decor on the boat during the Dutch Varend Corso.
The 3D-printed dragon can now be found in our showroom, allowing you to inspect our high-quality 3D prints and finishes up close. You are welcome to come and view the dragon in person. Are you also looking for a unique project or a unique XXL 3D print? Contact us now and discover the endless possibilities.
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