2. DIGITAL BODIES¶
Digital Bodies – Human/Form Exploration through Digital Fabrication¶
In this Assignment / “Digital Bodies” we explore the human body as both subject & medium through digital fabrication tools. Rather than treating the body as a passive form, this task challenges to actively reinterpret & construct the canvas itself.
The It includes: - 3D scanning of body parts - Digital mesh manipulation using Rhino & Blender - Parametric slicing & file preparation for laser cutting - Assembly of a sculptural body fragment using interlocking structures
The project draws from haute couture references, historical representations of the human figure, & open-ended experimentation with shape & proportion.
REFERENCES & INSPIRATION¶
INSPIRING ARTISTS¶
Frode Bolhuis is a Dutch artist known for his Daily Sculptures — a growing collection of small, figurative works primarily created with polymer clay, each emerging intuitively over one to three days. His pieces often evoke quiet emotion through human forms, referencing ancient patterns, everyday textures, & unexpected color choices.
Bart Hess is a Dutch artist & designer working between material research, fashion, & technology. His work explores the boundaries of the human body, creating speculative skins & tactile futures that question how we define beauty & identity. Visiting his studio during Dutch Design Week 2017 in Eindhoven first inspired my passion for experimental materials & body-related design eveb more.
Lucy McRae is a British-Australian sci-fi artist, filmmaker, inventor & “body architect.” Her work speculates on the future of human existence, examining how the body, beauty, biotechnology & emotion intersect. Lucy works across media — installations, film, wearable & edible technologies — bridging science & imagination to provoke new perceptions of what it means to be human.
Patricia Piccinini is an Australian artist whose hyperreal sculptures blend human, animal & artificial forms. Her work explores empathy, evolution & the beauty within imperfection, inviting viewers to reflect on our connection with other life forms.
Ana Rajcevic is a Serbian-British artist and designer whose work explores the body’s surface through speculative wearables, sculptural forms, & material experimentation. She merges design, art, & jewelry to create hybrid pieces that challenge definitions of comfort, protection, & adornment. Her work inspires me as she treats the body not just as a canvas, but as a site of transformation — where materials, space, & human form meet.
Xooang Choi is a Korean sculptor exploring the human body as a reflection of emotion, identity, & social tension. Through hyper-realistic yet distorted figures, he reveals vulnerability & inner states, transforming physical form into a language of feeling.
Katie Grinnan is a Los Angeles–based artist whose work explores the relationship between visual, kinesthetic, & cognitive experience. With a background in sculpture & sound, she creates installations that translate perception into physical form. Her project The Sensitives uses copper, sensors, & sound to respond to touch, blurring the boundaries between body, material, & space.
Stelarc is an Australian performance artist known for exploring the limits of the human body through technology, robotics & cybernetics. His work challenges the boundaries between body & machine, questioning what it means to be human in an age of technological extension.
INSPIRING WEBSITS¶
ASSIGNMENTS¶
When it comes to inspiration, nature has always fascinated me — especially bones & insects. During my time at NOUMENA in Barcelona, I began experimenting with early AI tools, creating hybrid beings that were part human, part insect.
This idea stayed with me & has evolved into the foundation of my Digital Bodies project — a 3-dimensional exploration that transforms this speculative concept into physical form, merging digital design, anatomical abstraction & fabrication research.
3D MODEL¶
MakeHuman for 3D Modeling¶
MakeHuman is a user-friendly tool for creating realistic 3D human models. It allows you to customize body shape, size & proportions, and includes preset poses — useful for designing mannequins in various positions.
FREE FILES¶
Using File Libraries for 3D Models¶
Creating a 3D body from scratch can be complex without advanced skills. An easier & faster alternative is using online model libraries, where you can download or purchase ready-made files.
For the experimentation with digital mesh manipulation, I worked with several STL models sourced from the open design platform Thingiverse. These served as the foundation for testing different modification techniques, transformations, & structural modifications using Rhino & Blender, allowing me to understand how mesh data can be prepared for digital fabrication workflows.
The Red Bull Ant by Kintall_John Gosper
Female Head by Daann_ii_Danelle Coleman
Female Torso by Matterfaker_Lukasz Major
I edited, segmented, and reassembled the individual 3D files, creating many different variations in the process.
I used CAD Rhino & Blender, often switching back and forth between the two programs.
I'm already very familiar with Rhino, so I felt more confident using it. I scaled the individual parts there and explored various tools for working with meshes, solid bodies, and SubD models.
The STL files I used varied in quality — some were hollow or not closed. As a result, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to turn them into closed solids that could then be further processed and joined.
Helpful commands included: - “Mesh to Solid” - “Cap planar holes”
I used Blender, for instance, to smooth the transitions between objects or to reduce the resolution of the files.
Opject Mode -> Add Modifier -> Collapse -> Ratio
STL FILE¶
STEREOTOMY¶
Stereotomy is a design technique that transforms 3D forms into flat sections for assembly.
SLICES¶
To convert my 3D model into flat, buildable pieces, I used the software Slicer for Fusion 360.
Construction techniques¶
Slicer for Fusion 360 offers a range of construction techniques that can be adjusted to suit your design goals. Keep in mind that your choice should be guided by the material you plan to use for the assignment.
Configuration¶
After importing the STL file into Slicer for Fusion 360, I configured the sheet layout for export. I then created a custom material profile, adjusting the dimensions to match the laser cutter material specifications.
ORIGINAL MODEL¶
INTERLOCKED SLICES¶
CURVE¶
RADIAL SLICES¶
FOLDED PANELS¶
STACKED SLICES¶
Due to the details & to the high material consumption & effort, I decided to focus only on building the head as a 1-1 scale model in the INTERLOCKED SLICES Construction technique.
The software automatically adjusts the number of sheets. It also helps detect construction issues by marking mismatched parts in red. Once all elements appear in gray, the model is ready to be exported as a DXF file.
LASER CUTTER¶
Materials¶
Only use safe & approved materials such as paper, cardboard, wood, acrylic, felt, or cotton-based fabrics. Dangerous materials like PVC, polycarbonate, ABS, HDPE, polystyrene, epoxy, or fiberglass must never be used. Always check the material thickness & properties, as they impact the cut quality & safety.
For this assignment, we were provided with 4 mm corrugated cardboard as the main material.
Prepare the cut¶
I used SmartCarve to prepare the files for cutting. I imported the DXF files, removed the outer frame & defined the cut (green) & engraving (red) lines. Important: Double-check the unit (mm/inch) to ensure correct scaling.
Prepare the machine¶
Used Slicer software to define slicing technique & structure. Focused the laser head, placed the material, checked the height & activated the exhaust fan. Set parameters (e.g. power, speed) according to the material type & thickness.
Safety Considerations¶
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby & ensure the workspace is free of clutter & flammable items. Keep the laser cutter’s interior clean – inspect & clean regularly. Never disable built-in safety features – all covers & sensors must be intact. Do not look directly at the laser beam! Never operate the machine if doors are open, viewports are damaged, or interlocks are overridden.
& this is my final result — a life-size hybrid form combining human anatomy & insect structures, built from layered, laser-cut cardboard & shaped through 3D modeling, mesh editing, & slicing techniques.
I also decided to create a second, simple head using leftover cardboard, so I can use it as a model for upcoming assignments.
