3D Made Real!
San Francisco artist Christina Mei Ngook Westbrook creates what she calls, “Steampunk for Everyday”… jewelry, iPhone cases and other everyday items manufactured using 3-D printer technology. 
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The medium – and Westbrook’s style – combines a Steampunk aesthetic with technology that’s about as modern – or perhaps futuristic – as one can get. 3D Printing, also known as Additive Fabrication or Rapid Prototyping, is not used by many artists yet… but it seems to be picking up steam. Christina says, “It’s an ideal balance of craft and technology… more or less it’s virtual sculpting and then the sculpture gets created by printing the shape layer by layer out of various materials. I sketch an object, model it to scale in my computer using 3D software, upload it to one of the very few websites who caters to individual artists like me and if sketching and modeling only takes a couple days I get my pieces delivered to me as real objects 2-3 weeks later in laser sintered polyamide (nylon), stainless steel or gold plated stainless steel.
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I then add Swarovski crystals to many pieces by hand via industrial strength glue or traditional wire wrapping, hand dye what needs dying and depending on the piece put a final varnish on for extra durability”.
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Christina makes a variety of items including jewelry, keychains, cell phone charms, hair ornaments, napkin rings and has some new designs in the works for stylized fans and pocket watches; she sells them on her Etsy site and through her website, C Westbrook Designs: 3D Made Real. Her iPhone 4 cases have started getting a bit of attention;
My favorite is this lovely Victorian filigree case with a kitty in the center of it! Here’s a [review of the iPhone cases from intomobile.com].
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Christina Westbrook will be showing and selling her 3D printed wearables and accessories in our Mezzanine-level Vendor Hall 2, in the Bayshore Room. See you there!
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