The Wave vase by Silvia Sukopová
A unique blend of hand-drawn art and 3D modeling
Published on 25 May, written by Laila
Silvia Sukopová, an independent artist based in Bratislava, is the author of an outstanding piece of art. Not only is it a gorgeous aesthetic piece, but also a lovely souvenir – The Vase Wave. Moreover, the design itself is based on a hand drawing, which makes it even more unique.
A special souvenir for Bratislava
“For me, the view of the Danube is one of the most beautiful in this city. I like to cross bridges, on foot or by car, and watch the river.’’ Contemporary Souvenir shop approached Silvia to design and produce a souvenir of Bratislava. She immediately responded with a very interesting idea: to blend her passion for design with her love for capturing the view of the Danube in a 3D printing object.
A functional object with a personal touch
This type of design is characterized by wave-like vases in which a designer works with a particular shape, extruding and shaping it. But with The Vase Wave, it’s a different story: “The final shape of the vase really evokes it, but it is not quite like that. The starting point for me was to combine my hand drawing with 3D modeling. The vase is drawn with wavy lines in plain view. The side view is then hand drawn and these drawings are modified by 3D modeling to the final form. However, the organic hand-drawn wavy lines were very important to me personally.”
Capturing the water movement
‘’I always have the concept worked out beforehand. I may not see the final shape at the beginning, but I always know what idea I’m working on. This was also the case with this product. I wanted to represent the impermanence and changeability of water in the object of the vase, and at the same time I wanted the object itself to emulate water.’’ So when Silvia was designing this product, she focused not only on its visual appeal but also on its ability to convey a deeper message. “The drawings are made with a purpose, but at the same time, I try to retain as much freedom of movement of the hand and all their inaccuracies as possible.‘’
3D printing is a journey, not a destination
For Silvia, the way of creating and printing an object should be enjoyable. “The process is very important for me because it’s during this time that the final shape crystallizes. I always have a clear idea, but I rarely have a clear form of it at the beginning. This is usually created in the process, as I often use a trial-and-error approach during modeling or printing. It is this part of the process that I enjoy.”
The creative process and its challenges
Silvia models in Rhino for 3D modeling and then prepare her designs for printing. All of her Vase Waves were printed on the Prusa i3 MK3S+. Despite having a clear vision for her designs, she often encounters unexpected obstacles during the printing process. ‘’Nothing ever goes according to plan, at least not in my practice. There have been many trials involving various wave shapes. I spent a lot of time fine-tuning the final shape so that I wouldn’t have any material dips or defects, since the whole vase in the print is just a single 0.8 mm wall thickness.’’ Another amazing feature of the usage of the 0.8 mm wall thickness is that the uninterrupted spiral print line makes the vases waterproof.
Tip - Keep it simple
We asked Silvia what is the one thing that she recommends to other makers that would make the whole designing process easier and more enjoyable. ‘’For me, the purity of the process and the natural flow of the technique is very important in 3D printing. I don’t force the printer into anything. I don’t print complicated shapes, but rather simple, final prints that stand on their own as objects of the moment.’’ Prioritizing simplicity and embracing the natural qualities of the technique enables her to create a design that feels organic and authentic.
“I am in dialogue with the printer”
Silvia’s approach to FFF printing involves a lot of test prints and errors, as she is constantly exploring new techniques and materials. She sees each design as an opportunity to learn and improve her skills. ‘’I am in dialogue with the printer. Over the years I’ve been doing experimental FFF prints. I’ve found ways that I can continue developing; it’s a skill of reinvention and research for me. 3D printing is a vehicle for me to keep creating.’’
Unique designs require unique color combinations
For her latest creation, Silvia used Fillamentum PLA Crystal Clear high-quality material that is optically the clearest PLA and still easy to work with. The Vase Wave comes in three different colors: Clystar Clear, Iceland Blue’, and ‘Amethyst Purple’. ‘’I have good experiences with Crystal Clear. Now I want to make use of their beautiful colors and great printability.’’
Used Materials
Follow Silvia
What can you read in the blog?
- Project description
- A Special Souvenir for Bratislava
- A functional object with a personal touch
- Capturing the Water Movement
- 3D printing is a journey, not a destination
- The creative process and its challenges
- Tip – keep it simple
- I am in dialogue with the printer
- Unique designs require unique color combinations
- Used Materials
- Follow Silvia
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