3D prototyping and manufacturing is on the rise with technology becoming ever cheaper to where you can have your own 3D printer in your own home without a huge investment. Copying is not limited to two-dimensional material any longer. Machines are even reaching the stage of self replication. Because of this I wanted to explore self replication and augmentation through 3D scanning and printing.

The process was fairly easy: firstly put a few dozen reflective dots all over your face. Secondly sit completely still and expressionless for about an hour while the 3D scanning operator points a big and menacing, vaguely weapon-like, laser device at your face. Eyes closed please!

The resulting 3D model is, out of the box, unfortunately not entirely usable. Many holes to be patched and a lot of unnecessary garbage, created by not being able to scan hair, needed to be dealt with. After a somewhat longwinded, manual cleaning-up, process through various software, augmentations in shape of antlers were added.

Finally the 3D model was sent off to Shapeways where it was printed in high quality plastic and sent back. As unnerving as a clone of yourself, even one heavily altered, is it is equally as interesting as a snapshot in time. It is much like a three-dimensional photograph of a moment which will never come again.