Viktor Kastro is the lead artist for Shamanic Labs, a collective of four people that use modern machines like 3D printers and laser engravers to create unique designs and fine art. These are their creations.
Redefining Art
Living in the 21st century is hard not to notice the technology surrounding us. Shamanic Labs team decided to take advantage of the fact that there are a lot of machines that can do precise and repeatable automated work, such as the ZMorph VX Multitool 3D Printer.
Although here at ZMorph we usually think of industrial applications of our machine, we were stoked to see the steampunk-esque approach and modern art created using ZMorph VX.
Thanks to the relatively small enclosure and versatility, the all-in-one 3D printer is an excellent addition to an art workshop such as Shamanic Labs. It fits on a regular desk and the designs can be 3D printed, laser engraved, or CNC cut, according to one’s needs.
The wide variety of supported materials make ZMorph VX one of the most versatile 3D printers on the market. No wonder people like Viktor Kastro like to work with this machine particularly.
Machined Fine Art and Apparel
“The ZMorph makes my job easier than I ever thought, allowing my creativity to flow,” says Viktor Kastro, the lead artists for Shamanic Labs. He uses the machine to make tangible design prototypes as well as for full production.
Viktor told us he’s happy he doesn’t have to outsource his work to machines he’s not familiar with. He doesn’t have to travel a lot as he can use a 3D printer, CNC milling machine, and laser engraver/cutter from the comfort of his own desk, all in one enclosure. “Your device allows it to be affordable and easy for me to use with the amazing Voxelizer software. My ideas come to life the same day I dream of them. A real game-changer for artists. I recommend your machine to a lot of people!” adds Viktor.
“My work can be described as an infinite world of shapes and figures. A world of my own making and with no rules! Subtractive and additive hardware such as the ZMorph VX allow me to essentially carve/print these manifestations out of the ether. Pretty magical tool in the eyes of a dreamer!”
VIKTOR KASTRO, SHAMANIC LABS
The Workflow
Viktor uses various sources for inspiration. From countless sources, he chooses few elements and shapes that will later be turned into parts of his works. These include hand-drawn patterns, video game assets, publicly shared repositories (such as US Smithsonian), and digitally sculpted elements he creates in Zbrush.
The shapes and elements are later sent to a computer. As a final touch, Viktor uses software like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape to finalize the designs. Ready projects are 3D printed, laser engraved or CNC machined on ZMorph VX, depending on the preferred fabrication method.
ZMorph VX as a Tool for Artmaking
Thanks to the availability of three different workflows and almost 50 compatible manufacturing materials, ZMorph VX is one of the most versatile desktop 3D printers on the market. This fact opens a lot of possibilities in the art world because you can have just one machine instead of three, saving some precious space in your workshop (and money).
Creative people will find a lot of ways to utilize the three workflows as Viktor did. You don’t need to limit yourself just to 3D printing or laser engraving. You can combine them both in one project pushing the boundaries of art and experimenting with multiple materials.
To connect with Shamanic Labs, contact them via social media or visit their webpage.
