Check out these cool “brain specimen coasters” bet you could do some cool cross sections on clear acrylic stacked up(or even maybe glass).
Could look even better if you can do 3D engraves with greyscale to each layer of acrylic. Even better yet if you have some hand artistic skill, you could pain the linside of each engrave, I have no hand artistic skill but I’m sure I’ll try this and then dying the inside of engrave, maybe dry brushing or using different thinkness ink would leave more/less of a relief so you could quickly/easily get a multi-coloured(not rainboiw!, well now I mention it, rainbow!) design on the inside.
Cross sectioned body, or your favourite video game monster anyone?
Wow, awesome links. Glad people like “my” idea, thought it had traction and can’t wait to do it myself. I need to make some hand artistic friends to take full advantage of this idea. It amazes me what is possible when you start to think in pieces, sheets and layers, there is so much you can achieve. I most commonly get asked why on earth did I order a laser cutter… what possible use could I have for one and what am I going to make. I already have like 50+ completely different ideas.
Jack, you could replicate these with some decal paper, http://www.decalpaper.com/category-s/2.htm. But, I fear, it probably wouldn’t work well with engraving them. Metal leaf on engraved pieces might be another interesting thing to try, or perhaps some of that faux stained glass paint.
Well I would have thought some interesting inverses could be made by engrave then decal on smooth side. Imagine adding LED strip lights! I like the sound of the fake stained glass, what’s this metal leaf stuff look like(I’ve seen gold and chrome but haven’t seen uses for the rest. Looked diddly to work with, bit beyond me)
I hadn’t thought of that…I was thinking of trying to apply the decal to the engraved portion, which might work if not engraved too deeply. LED lights, you could engrave channels for wiring or conductive ink and make a space for a button cell battery. The metal foil is fussy work, but they make many different types, copper, brass, even variegated. You can apply many different patinas as well.
I’m learning so many interesting things from this forum!
Use the LED side lighting approach from the signs thread, along with the layers idea from this thread, and you can have a laser and LED only full color painting with depth (and self-illumination)
. I’d be down for some future collaboration.