In the subtropical greenhouse of the Siberian Botanical Garden of Tomsk State University, there appeared 3D printed sculptures of mythological characters — elves, a winged cat, and a baby dragon.
The idea was to create moisture-resistant photogenic sculptures that would complement the exposition of greenhouse plants and draw the attention of visitors to the mythical creatures of the world cultural heritage. 3D models of the sculptures were designed and printed on a 3D printer, being then polished and painted to look like stone.
A pixie and Puck are characters from English mythology. Pixies are red-haired and snub-nosed elves wearing pointed hats. For the most part, they are quite friendly, but can go mischievous and lead travelers astray. Pixies are known to tend abandoned graves and leave flowers on them. Sometimes they help around the house, but quickly get bored of such work, leaving it at the first opportunity. It was believed that a pixie could be driven away by turning a jacket inside out or showing them an iron cross.
Puck is the keeper of woods and fields, his appearance is similar to that of a pixie, with pointed ears, sometimes horns, and a smile from ear to ear. He can be found in the hills playing the flute for dancing fairies. Traveling through time and space, Puck could teleport a man to any era. According to Norse mythology, Puck is a forest spirit that scares people to protect woods and its inhabitants. On the other hand, he can help human beings for a reward: legend says if you leave him food, he can help you around the house. You can make Puck go away by offering him any wardrobe item — he will happily run with the gift. According to fairy tales, the creatures walked naked and were glad to have new clothes.
Winged cats are heavy and seemingly slow creatures, with silent steps yet swift run. Memory of the past, peace, and freedom are the three most valuable things to them. The mention of winged cats is found in the mythology of different peoples. For example, in Egypt, goddess-protector Pasht, the patroness of the hearth, was depicted in the form of a cat. Native Americans called the owl the "flying cat". According to legends, when an owl screams, the soul leaves the body, and the cat, being a mediator between shadows and death, escorts the soul to the afterlife. The white angel cat symbolizes peace, tranquility, and protection.
The dragonling, or baby dragon, is the first stage of dragon development. Hatched dragons remain in the nest for some time under the protection of their mother. During this time, they develop sharp teeth and hooked claws. They are extremely voracious, hunting small animals and differing from other creatures in intelligence and agility. Babies, like adult dragons, can breathe small flames. Since dragons are somewhat reminiscent of dinosaurs, the new sculpture was placed in the Evolution of Plants exhibition, which showcases ancient plant groups that existed during the age of dinosaurs — ginkgo, cycads, horsetails, clubmosses, and ferns.
It has not been mentioned what printer was used to make these marvelous creatures. Large-format devices like the Raise3D Pro2 Plus are perfect for printing sizable models such as a winged cat. For an object to look really impressive, it is important that the printer be able to deliver a high level of detail and provide the item with a smooth exterior surface.
