How Two Artists Shared a New Point of View

Art allows us to see the world from the point of view of the artist as they show their own experience and perspective in their work.

For two Korean artists, the 3Doodler provided a new way to express themselves through their art.

“If I could have anything in the world, I’d want to stand and walk on my own two feet and dance,” says Kim Hyung-hee. The 47-year-old painter was paralyzed in a traffic accident, and knows just how important art and creative expression can be in aiding in recovery and mental health.

Kim now works as a clinical art therapist, and discovered the 3Doodler as a new way to bring dimension and life into her artwork.

“I drew a three-dimensional flower on canvas,” she says, recalling her first Doodle. “In contrast with common drawing and painting, I can draw everything in new ways, and it’s new to be able to draw in three-dimensional ways.”

Hyung-hee has had private exhibitions of her work, as well as showcased how the 3Doodler can be used as a creative therapeutic aide in festivals and and shows around Korea.

“There are so various and beautiful colors in 3Doodler plastics,” Hyung-hee says, “and I can draw everything in three dimensions and unique ways.”

Weon Jea-hyun is a 27-year-old artist who specializes in kinetic sculpture, focused on combining movement with art.

Jea-hyun was instantly drawn to the 3Doodler and the new possibilities a 3D printing pen could offer.

“The first thing I tried Doodling was my name. It was very strange but awesome that my handwriting was realized into 3D immediately,” Jea-hyun recalls.

As an extension of work from an 2013 solo exhibition titled Observation, Jea-hyun used the 3Doodler to create a layered piece meant to showcase a shift in perspectives.

“People observe each other’s daily life. Someone can observe me, and I also can observe someone,” Jea-hyun explains. “Someone’s routine can be interesting for the other, and this metaphorical change of viewpoints can be a mechanism which assigns variability and interest to routine life.”

Jea-hyun’s own cat was the source of inspiration and the piece shows a layered crowd of attentive felines staring out at the viewer.

“In this work, cats can be interpreted as the projection of people,” Jea-hyun explains. “They observe others—the viewers—but also the viewers observe them—the cats.”back to top image

Facing the Future with Kim Hyun-Kyung

Kim Hyun-Kyung wanted to take her makeup artistry to the next level. “Of the various materials used in makeup, I was looking for something that could express a new and creative object.”

Hyun-Kyung, a 24-year-old makeup artist from Seoul, South Korea, turned to the 3Doodler. “I was able to create a three-dimensional design of various feelings through actual Doodling,” she says.

Using a 3D pen allowed Hyun-Kyung to explore more shapes and concepts in combination with visual effects and makeup. “It was interesting to me that I could embody the desired form in three dimensions without going through a complicated process,” she says, “and it was good that I could create a shape or figure imagined in my head as a solid itself.”

"I could embody the desired form in three dimensions without going through a complicated process, and it was good that I could create a shape or figure imagined in my head as a solid itself." Share

But just as with any new medium, Hyun-Kyung’s first attempt with the 3Doodler wasn’t as smooth as her stunning beauty shots make it seem. “I wanted to follow the demonstration video making a 3D square, so I turned on the power and drew a square on the paper,” she remembers. “However, I was so unskilled and had to struggle ten times to get it to look good.”

Now Hyun-kyung has been using the 3Doodler for over a year, and there is no sign of struggle in her creative makeup combinations.

Taking inspiration from costume and runway shows, Hyun-Kyung felt that three-dimensional additions could take the drama of the catwalk to a new level. “I devised a makeup design according to the costume used in fashion shows,” she explains. “After understanding the atmosphere and color of the fashion show first, I chose an outfit that might be the most eye-catching when combined with the 3Doodler, and made the work after drafting a design with illustration.”

A look inspired by Iris van Herpen A look inspired by Iris van Herpen

Hyun-Kyung was especially inspired by bold designers who freely explore new shapes and dimensions, like Alexander McQueen and Iris van Herpen, a leading designer of 3D-printed fashion design.

"I chose an outfit that might be the most eye-catching when combined with the 3Doodler, and made the work after drafting a design with illustration." Share

Inspired by van Herpen’s 2011 Fall/Winter collections, Hyun-Kyung created her first unique 3D-makeup look. “Looking at the costume reminded me of the feeling of splashing water in the bathtub,” she says. “It took about four hours to make this look, and I captured the outline with clear PLA to show the wavelength of the water.”

It’s one of the pieces Hyun-Kyung is most proud of. “It was a look that many people were interested in, when we were in the studio on the day we shot the 3Doodler makeup.”

For other designs, she found that the FLEXY filaments were the most practical for creating wearable additions to makeup. “It’s comfortable when attached to the face because the FLEXY material is elastic, so it’s possible to form it to fit the facial structure of a person,” she explains. “I like black FLEXY the most. Black is good for expressing a sophisticated, chic, and dramatic feeling.”

A look inspired by the 2016 earthquakes in South Korea A look inspired by the 2016 earthquakes in South Korea

“But not all of my works are inspired by fashion shows,” Hyun-Kyung adds. In 2016, South Korea was rocked by a total of 470 earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks reaching up to 5.8 in magnitude. “Many people were afraid,” says Hyun-Kyung. “These earthquakes occurring one after another were judged to be a warning from nature that we take life for granted.” To reflect the worry and concern of these natural disasters, she created a custom design inspired by the quakes. “It shows the cracks of the earth to raise awareness for the environment,” she explains.

Hyun-Kyung sees 3D printing and 3D pens like the 3Doodler as the way forward for all fashion, whether in makeup, runway shows, costumes, or cosplay. And she wants to help lead the way in the 3D trend. For her next project, she wants to blend the line between fashion, makeup and art. “I want to continue to use the 3Doodler in makeup to express three-dimensional designs which can show a variety of feelings when seen from various angles.”back to top image

Creating Connections with Shim Jeong-Sub

For South Korean artist Shim Jeong-Sub, everything is about making a connection.

A student at Hongik University, Jeong-Sub studies woodworking and furniture design. But artistry and design is all about innovation, and for Jeong-Sub’s latest project it was time to look beyond traditional construction materials.

Demonstrating the strength of a Doodled truss structure Demonstrating the strength of a Doodled truss structure

“While experimenting with different tools and materials during the starting process, I turned my eyes to 3D printing,” Jeong-Sub says. In order to make 3D-printed furniture a reality, it was important to consider the strength and durability of 3D printing filaments like PLA and ABS.

"The 3Doodler uses the latest technology, but it can apply a wide range of human creativity." Share

While using a 3D printer was a possibility, there was something more appealing to the hand-made nature of using the 3Doodler. “Unlike previous 3D printers which require a complex method and high cost, the 3Doodler allows users to draw in 3-dimensions while keeping the same basic process of an FDM 3D printer with ejected molten plastic,” explains Jeong-Sub. “The 3Doodler uses the latest technology, but it can apply a wide range of human creativity.”

With a concept in place and new technology to make it a reality, the next task was to create the intricate structure which would successfully serve as functional furniture.

While most Doodled structures are created with standard horizontal and vertical lines, creating furniture required something different. “After judging that the thickness and the length of the filament would not support the weight of an average man, I experimented with various forms of structure,” says Jeong-Sub.

"I tried to pursue the natural and composite texture of connected filaments, creating a more coincidental impression." Share

After rigorous testing, Jeong-Sub finally found a solution. “I used a truss structure, which can support the most force,” he reveals. “By ejecting the molten plastic and connecting them one by one, the work was produced.”

“Assuming the ability to sit, I first formed a structure which supports the weight of a person,” Jeong-Sub explains. “After judging that it can support the force, I tried to pursue the natural and composite texture of connected filaments, creating a more coincidental impression.”

The result was a full-sized chair and design masterpiece which Jeong-Sub appropriately named “Connect”. The finished piece took two full months to complete, with a total of 450 meters (almost 1,500 feet) of connected filament.

Jeong-Sub continues to explore how hand-drawn 3D forms made with the 3Doodler can be elevated to sculptural interior design pieces. His latest works follow the same concept as his Connect chair. He is currently putting the finishing touches on a pendant light and an electroformation, where Jeong-Sub created an underlying structure modeled with the 3Doodler which was then electroformed and covered with copper.

All of his work reflects Jeong-Sub’s own take on modern life. “This piece ‘Connect’ visualizes in detail the figure of modern people living with connections,” Jeong-Sub explains, “as well as focusing on showing the effect of coincidence when each connection creates a structure with more complexity and variations.”back to top image

Read additional coverage of Shim Jeong-Sub’s work at Dezeen

Showing What’s Hidden with KIMONE

South Korean artist KIMONE shows the hidden side of human emotions with her digital art. Now she’s looking to push her art into a new dimension.

“The first thing I Doodled was my name on paper,” KIMONE says. But using the 3Doodler was different than other media she had used in the past. “Those words were written badly and I felt pretty awkward,” she admits.

But feelings and emotions, especially those related to insecurity, are what KIMONE’s artwork is all about. Her series “HIDE” was inspired by her experience in therapy.

“During therapy sessions, I looked at myself through the person sitting in front of me,” she says. “The enclosed area where I had the sessions was not a space for me to be comfortable in, but instead put me under pressure.”

Even though the therapy sessions were meant to encourage openness, KIMONE says that for her it made her want to cover up even more. “Every moment, I tried to hide,” she says.

With the 3Doodler and branching out into 3-dimensional art, KIMONE’s artwork turned from hiding to expressing. “I have been working on the natural human body and very basic human emotions,” she says. “I wanted to express the extended concept of a human face that shows abstract feelings and emotions.”

Using the 3Doodler allowed KIMONE to explore new avenues in her artwork. “Doodling enables me to represent all kinds of abstract images,” she explains. “And Doodling has a special virtue in that you can use mixed medium and vary from 2D to 3D.”

"Doodling has a special virtue in that you can use mixed medium and vary from 2D to 3D." Share

Now KIMONE plans to continue using the 3Doodler for bigger projects. “I would like to express the human body in more detail,” she says. “I look forward to creating structural sculpture by using parts of the human body.”

KIMONE says she recommends using Overhead Projector film paper for Doodling. “It’s good for practicing one’s writing and also the letters can be separated into pieces more easily,” she says.

KIMONE says her 3Doodled face was the most intense work she has done with exploring the human form in 3D. She worked on her sculpture for 10 days, working five to eight hours each day. “It is a great pleasure for an artist to feel emotion easily through their work,” she says. “This artwork made me feel this.”back to top image

Working Wire and Plastic with Jina Sim

Korean wire artist Jina Sim has taken 3Doodler around the world—in a manner of speaking.

Jina typically works with wire, creating complicated forms from tangles and twists. She wants her work to serve as a “boundary that distinguishes the outer world of an object, to separate what is real from what is not.”

Her complex wire-frame work allows the viewer to see the inner and outer aspects of each object simultaneously.

Recently, Jina has began taking this concept to new levels with the 3Doodler. Using the same basic design structure as with wire, she now creates her clean yet complex lines with PLA drawn into the air.

Her Doodled wireframe globe showcased the stunning possibilities that the 3Doodler can offer.

Jina began with a simple styrofoam ball, covering the surface with paper tape which she says prevents the PLA plastic from sticking, making the Doodled lines easier to remove.

On the tape, Jina then sketched the outlines for the countries and continents before setting to work Doodling along the stencil she had made for herself. She was careful to work only on half of the globe, so she could easily remove the the Doodle from the ball.

Once the two halves were complete, Jina Doodled them together to create a stunning finished product.back to top image

Close-up: 3D pen art cake with sticks design

Get Inspiration in Your Inbox

Sign up to be the first to have our latest 3D pen lessons, stencils, deals, and discounts (yay!) deposited directly in your inbox.

You have Successfully Subscribed!