Did You Know You Can Turn a 2D Photo into a Printable 3D Model?

squ1

There is a new and interesting software on the market for 3D printers. 3D printing authority Sculpteo wrote about a method to turn 2D photos into 3D models in a recent blog post.

According to Sculpteo, anyone interested in turning their 2D photos into 3D printed models will need to have a basic understand of Extrude Tool, MeshMixer, Blender, or SketchUp. They also recommended Smoothie 3D, a free online program capable of converting photos into 3D models. These programs are used to add an additional third dimension to the photo.

3D Print reports:

What if you want to create a 3D model from photos, but you haven’t taken the photos yet? There are some definite things you can do to optimize this process. The trick here is to use photogrammetry, which is a technique that captures a series of points in space from a series of photographs. You simply take photos of an object from many angles and then upload them into photogrammetry software to generate a file to 3D print.

 

A digital singlesqu3 lens reflex camera seems like it will work the best here, since it produces the highest resolution pictures. Also, you want to work with a lighting device to ensure that shadows are reduced so they don’t blur your photographed object’s outline. Finally, a tripod to place you camera on will help keep the photos stabilized, less blurry, and consistent. You should also read

 

Sculpteo’s ten commandments for optimal shooting to create your 3D file here.
Sculpteo also recommends other helpful software programs like 123D Catch, Memento, Photoscan, and Acute 3D to help prepare your 3D file. Once you have your 3D file, you simply need to print it, and Sculpteo recommends printing your model using full-color sandstone material so you can get the best print job possible.

 

Now that we’ve reviewed available software programs and photography techniques for ensuring the best quality photos, you should have a much easier time converting your 2D photos into printable 3D models. Is this a process you are interested in trying out? Discuss in the 2D Photos to 3D Prints forum over at 3DPB.com.

Photo credit: 3D Print.