©Marvel Studios 2018
Whether it’s the Formlabs’ Form 1 cameo in Ant Man or Star Lord’s 3D printed mask in Guardians of the Galaxy, 3D printing has found itself a reoccurring role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whilst fanboys and girls look for timeline anomalies in their favourite franchises to dedicate crowdfunding campaigns to (Google Star Wars: The Last Jedi), I for one am usually fangirling about the quirky prop piece that must have been 3D printed or why that 3D printer “doesn’t work like that” – yes, I am that person.
One of the biggest movies of this year was Black Panther, which for a comic book character little-known to the average movie-goer, became something much bigger than just another superhero instalment by breaking boundaries in terms of box office numbers and diversity in mass media. Black Panther is however no exception to the Marvel 3D printing trend and in fact features one of the most striking applications of the technology we’ve seen in the franchise, so far.
The film centres on the fictional country of Wakanda, a unique civilisation located in Sub-Saharan Africa, which visually fuses together traditional African designs and futuristic elements evident throughout its environment and character costumes designed by Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth E. Carter. In order to bring these styles together, Carter approached Julia Koerner, an inter-disciplinary designer specialised in 3D printed wearables, to collaborate on a collection of cutting-edge accessories fit for Queen Ramonda played by actress, Angela Bassett.
“The director of the movie Ryan Coogler and the costume designer Ruth E. Carter wanted the costume to blend tradition and hypermodernity,” Koerner told TCT. “Inspired by traditional African patterns I developed 3D digital morphologies to transform the traditional craftsmanship into digitally crafted designs. Utilising 3D printing technology was the ultimate goal to achieve a futuristic look for Queen Ramonda’s regal attire.”
Matt Kennedy ©Marvel Studios 2018
Black Panther’s technologically advanced environment is home to several futuristic gadgets such as electromagnetic levitating trains and vehicles controlled by virtual reality. Therefore, it was important for the costumes to reflect that forward-thinking aesthetic rather than a conventional hand-crafted look. Based on Carter’s initial sketches and illustrations from Phillip Boutte, Koerner developed a series of digital patterns and parametrically generated geometries to create a Zulu inspired crown and shoulder mantle. The designer also worked closely with partner, Kais Al-Rawi who specialises in complexity on a large-scale having previously worked on huge architectural projects including stadiums and museums.
To bring the pieces to life, Koerner collaborated with Belgian 3D printing company, Materialise. The two have worked together on various projects across product design and haute couture over the last decade and were able to use their joint expertise to realise Koerner’s vision.
Valérie Vriamont, Business Development Manager at Materialise said: “Julia explained to us that it was a garment that needed to be wearable, but it also needed to deliver an imposing look and effect. Where I think we play an important role is that we have a very diverse material database that we can choose from, combined with the know-how on which material will be best suited for the application.”
The pieces were printed using selective laser sintering (SLS) and after trialling a few different materials at Materialise’s Factory for 3D Printing, Polyamide 12 powder was chosen as the most suitable. The material selection was heavily influenced by the design itself and may seem a little unusual due to PA12’s typically strong and stiff properties. However, a combination of the technology, material and Koerner’s cleverly considered geometries, resulted in finished pieces which were both flexible and comfortably wearable.
“That's really down to Julia’s expertise,” Vriamont added. “Her knowledge of exactly how to design for 3D printing when it comes to garments; her expertise in knowing how to work with the wall thicknesses to achieve the right functionality, which kinds of structures can be 3D printed. That’s really her strength.”
©Marvel Studios ©KwakuAlstonPhotography
The pieces appear several times throughout the film in different iterations including one particular headpiece which was printed in PA12 and dyed black to finish. Materialise believes this final step is a key component in turning a standard 3D printed part into a real wearable product, similar to the company’s work on customised 3D printed frames for spectacles with the likes of Yuniku and Safilo Group.
Vriamont added: “We really see that 3D printing is becoming a standard for these types of applications. It has become part of the technologies portfolio that designers and fashion designers are considering when creating a collection. It’s becoming widely accepted and utilised because we can finish it and make it wearable.”
The project was very top secret and Koerner was given just a codename and very few design indicators when she began working on the pieces. It wasn’t until the products were completed and Marvel began filming around a year before the film’s release in February that Koerner learned more about where her designs would feature on the big screen.
“When I was working on the 3D design of the costume, I did not know much about the movie,” Koerner explained. “Traditional African patterns served as inspiration and I knew they needed to look technologically advanced and required to be produced with 3D printing technology.”
With another six Marvel films scheduled for release before the end of next year alone and many others still untitled in the pipeline, there’s a good chance that 3D printing has already reprised its role in the franchise as these instalments wrap up production. It might be a case where, like Queen Ramonda’s crown, you could spot its intricate geometries from a mile away or perhaps it’s being applied behind the scenes to create prototypes and moulds for the next collection of costumes or props. Either way, there is no denying that 3D technologies, whether 3D printing or carefully considered 3D design, are fast becoming an indispensable tool in the film and fashion worlds alike.
