How did you print the scabbards? Are they hollow inside and functional? I’ve always been perplexed on printing hollow parts since there are always supports inside them.
Hello,
the katana’s scabbards aren’t fully hollowed because no needed in this sculpture. But will be easily to be print hollowed and funcitonal without supports inside: that means to orient the part correctly in PreForm software. Also the suction effect against the resin tank’s silicon layer won’t be a problem because the reduced size of the central hole (“cup” issue).
About internal supports, in general: they aren’t a real problem if you don’t print thin walls objects that make the external surface barely trasparent and not a problem if you no need to make functional or need to fill with somehting the internal volume.
In these cases the solutions are two: orient the parts corrrectly in order to avoid the internal structure and/or cut the part (if too complex) into different pieces printable without internal supports. The removing of the inner supports from complex shapes is quite hard achievement if the prints have quite articulated volumes.
Bests,
Mattia
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very cooool !
Mattia,
Thank you for your feedback. I actually managed to print a completely hallowed and working scabbard. I reoriented the scabbard upside down. Initially, PreForm had the “cup” warning but then I created a small hole at the tip of the scabbard. After that it printed successfully. Thank you for your feedback and comments.
What did you use to coat and varnish it with? I’ve printed thin parts before and I can’t get anything to seal it or coat it well…looks amazing.
Hello jacobkemper,
I’ve coated it with acrylic grey color, then varnished with matte varnish (aerosol bottle, like Lukas varnish). A stronger coating could be done directly with varnish colors, painting with an airbrush.
Mainly I give 2 or 3 layers of acrylic, then varnish it with semimatte or matte spray varnish, Acrylic coats fine and are quite easy to use, but not strong and scratches resistant. So varnish is required.
If you needvery strong finishing (impact resistant and waterproof and with UV filter), I suggest dedicated varnishing, like the one used for cars/bikes customization (usually they are bi-components products).
If yyou need somehting very strong and don’t care the glossy surface, I’ve sucessfully tryed with a trasparent resins. Something like the ones used to create water effects or for mold-casting in resin. Also these are 2-components products to mix and catalizye.
Hope helps and sorry for the delay of this answer,
Mattia
This is mindblowingly awesome!!! You have some SERIOUS talent. Thank you for sharing! 
Thanks to you!
M.
Nice, it is like our Terra Cotta Warriors of Qing Dynasty. 3D printing develops really fast in recently years, color parts is more and more popular.
www.pintuu.com
This print and artwork are awesome on many different levels.
It captures both action and emotion… to me the guys expression is one of half crazed, blood lust adrenaline high… like he just killed 20 and is looking for one more. I hope I never meet him 
The images from the previous posts have disappeared. If interested, they are reposted here:
Samurai sculpted by digital artist Dan Ulirch: https://www.artstation.com/danulrich