If you thought 3D printing was just for medical ingenuity and machine part manufacturing, you’re wrong. You can also make really, really creepy dolls or exceptionally cute, jointed robots, and Sonia Verdu is there to help.
Verdu is an artist who specializes traditional sculpture and digital art, but has a particular interest in sultry, slightly erotic dolls she creates using resin and polymer clay. They’re extremely realistic, from the fingertips to the creases on the bottom of the feet, and she puts as much detail into their clothing as she does their features. Recently, however, she turned to 3D printing, taking a hiatus from her naughty doll designs to make something less disturbing for everyone. Meet ‘Jointed Robot’, an adorable robot with moveable joints.
The robot is constructed much like other well known wooden models (or action figures), achieving joint mobility through a serious of ball-joint constructs. 3mm elastic cord is fed through each piece, holding the figure together and allowing movement in all the standard locations. I would prefer something like this for reference, as opposed to those old wooden mannequins. Those, for the record, are completely unrealistic in their articulation. Here’s how she constructed the robot after printing.
The files are open-source and available at Thingiverse. It’s unique in that is entirely 3D printed and held together with the elastic cord, no screws. It has also gone through some revision over the last year with the feedback from the Thingiverse community. Now, wouldn’t this just be the perfect addition to your desk?
‘Jointed Robot’ was here first printed bot. From there she went on to create a more feminine, anatomically correct jointed robot woman named ‘Robotica’. It’s available for download on Thingiverse here.
Most recently, she has create another jointed robot, this time with a less generic name, BeQui, as part of a tutorial for learning site DIWO. “I tried to reduce the number of parts to print, eliminating knees and elbows without losing range of motion. I also made two head designs and have yet to make another design, because I promised my son an Iron Giant style design.” (We’re looking forward to that one.) The Blender model files and .stl files are available with the tutorial and a video is provided for the complete step-by-step process for creating your own.
If instead, you are seriously creeped out by more traditional life-like dolls (and enjoy it), check out Verdu’s website – Fetish Headquarters Anonymous. Below are just a few examples of her other sculpt work. How would you like to see these printed?
