This thesis aims to create tactile relief reproductions of artworks, with a specific focus on adapting etchings by the renowned artist Rembrandt for the blind and visually impaired. In collaboration with the National gallery of Ljubljana, we have recreated Rembrandt's artistic work titled “Bearded Man in a Velvet Cap with a Jewel Clasp” in a three-dimensional form. We have generated a diverse range of models to provide multiple perspectives for experiencing the same artwork. Each interpretation of the original piece offers people additional information about the original artwork through differing visual and tactile experiences.
The theoretical part delves into the techniques used in tactile reproductions, the technology of 3D printing, the artistic graphic technique of etching, and research on adapting artworks for vulnerable groups. The practical section will demonstrate the image capture process and its conversion from 2D to 3D space. The work details the modeling procedures using the 3D modeling software called Blender. Each step outlines how we arrived at the final result for each model before printing, and it delves into the technical details we needed to consider in the design process. The artworks were then printed utilizing the technologies of thermoplastic extrusion and stereolithography. Following the creation of relief reproductions, we defined a post-processing procedure to enhance the tactile experience.
The thesis provides guidelines for the creation of tactile reproductions of artworks designed for the benefit of the blind and visually impaired. Simultaneously, through our work we aim to raise awareness about the potential of 3D technologies, both in printing and in the design of similar projects.
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