Seraph

thingiverse

A Six-Winged Seraph Takes Shape I commissioned a talented Franciscan brother, Rodd Umlauf, to create a drawing of a seraph for me. He delivered an exquisite piece that I was eager to bring to life in three dimensions. After converting the drawing into a 3D model, I attempted to print it using gold-colored ABS filament. However, the result fell short of my expectations. The "gold" color looked more like a cheap imitation than the real thing, so I began exploring other options. Casting the seraph in metal via a foundry was one possibility, but then I stumbled upon a YouTube video that introduced me to the art of gilding. Intrigued by this technique, I decided to give it a try. Using gold leaf, I applied multiple coats to the seraph's surface. The result is nothing short of stunning – the intricate details and patterns are now accentuated in a way that was previously impossible with printing alone. The concentric pattern options within Cura played a significant role in achieving this level of quality. To enhance the appearance further, I applied a coat of acetone to the ABS plastic. This gave it a beautiful sheen and helped fill in some of the imperfections left behind by the printing process. However, sanding down the surface proved to be a double-edged sword – while it did remove some of the rougher areas, it also eliminated too much of the seraph's unique character. This project is still very much a work in progress.