Meet the project that recreates classic 3D paintings for blind people

3D printers really seem to have come to revolutionize the world. We have already published here in Mega Curioso some of the wonders that these equipments have been providing, especially to Medicine. We showed this in the story of the girl who was born without a nose and will receive a prosthesis made in these printers, we also covered the titanium bone prostheses that were implanted in a patient, and even the new drugs that were produced in these machines.

Certainly, there is much to evolve and many other enhancements to make, opening humanity's eyes even further to the wonders that 3D printers can provide. But speaking of eyes, this is another point that can be positively affected by these machines. Not specifically for the organs themselves, but more precisely for those people who have no vision and often, as they say, "see with their hands."

This is the purpose of the Unseen Art Project, created by designer Marc Dillon from Helsinki, Finland. He is using the 3D printer to help blind people learn about classic paintings by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci's eternal Mona Lisa. With three-dimensional images of these works, sand-based printing and incredible quality, these people now have the opportunity to really know and feel the expression that artists have imposed on their great works.

Exhibition of “3D paintings” in art galleries

The high quality of 3D prints can allow this material to be exhibited in art galleries around the world, attracting an audience that does not usually enjoy a visit to this type of place. “It would be a revolution to get blind people to visit art galleries, a place that is often hated by them for having nothing to touch, ” the designer explained.

In a video about the project, the explanation is clear: “Imagine you don't know what Mona Lisa's smile or Van Gogh's sunflowers look like, but you know they exist and keep hearing other people talk about them. This is the reality for thousands of blind people. ” Dillon is raising money to create an online deposit for artists to submit their works in 3D formats. This way, anyone who owns such a printer can have contact with art in three-dimensional format.

According to the Bored Panda website, the appeal of Unseen Art Project is unique but not pioneering in helping blind people with 3D prints. This technology is also being used to print photographs and make moments eternal, as well as allowing blind pregnant women to have contact with their children's three-dimensional ultrasound.

See more images of the works and watch a video showing a woman's reaction to contact with the Mona Lisa's face printed in 3D:

Which feature enabled by the 3D printer do you find the most interesting? Comment on the Mega Curious Forum