3D Scanning Works of Art

Recently here at Arrival 3D we were commissioned to scan a beer tap. This was no ordinary beer tap. This particular tap was hand carved in Tijuana with a traditional Dia de los Muertos skull and beautiful marigolds, leaves and vines cascading the sides. The juxtaposition of the beautifully carved tap and the use of 3D technologies really got us excited because 3D scanning and printing services have a lot to offer to the arts. With the use of 3D technologies, were able to display works virtually, forever preserve works of art digitally, create digital 3D animations, and display the hard to view aspects and details of the artwork for closer inspection.

Scanning to Preserve the Arts

3D scanning can help us and other art patrons understand art and sculpture on a deeper level than strictly viewing it in an musem. 3D scanning allows us to breakdown the artwork, or sculpture, and see how it was created. Typically, this has been done with a microscope. But with 3D scanning, we can see the entire work of art an all of its intricacies including engraving marks and incisions made by the person who made it; weather it be a contemporary artist, or one from ancient Greece. 3D scanning helps in the preservation of art as well. As we all know, most artworks are fragile and prone to erosion over time (depending on the conditions). 3D scanning allows us to capture the artwork in 3D for inspection rather than transporting the artwork to specialized inspection facilities. With the power of 3D scanning, we hope to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for these beautiful works of art.