The capturing technique is called photogrammetry, and requires taking many overlapping photographs from multiple vantage points. A typical capture requires three complete revolutions around the object at varying heights, with each revolution consisting of between 20 to 40 photographs depending on the scale and detail of the object (sometimes fewer, sometimes many more).
After the photographs are taken they are sharpened and color corrected (unless I'm being lazy). The edited photos are then run through special photogrammetry software that calculates the camera positions based on common features between the photographs (wow such maths), after which a 3D model can be generated, which may take several hours to process in the software.
The final output of the photogrammetry software is a highly detailed 3D object and color image texture. The 3D model is then edited further in general 3D editing software, where it is cleaned up and the polygon count is reduced to a more usable level.
The first step is to create an extremely simplified version of the 3d model. This is a bit of trial and error, but I try to create something that I think would be fairly simple to construct, while also still maintaining an interesting shape and points of interest in the model.
The next step is to "bake" the textures from the high resolution model to the new simplified model. After this is done, I generally do a bit of clean up on the newly generated texture fixing any issues that make have been created from going.
Finally, the model and image texture are brought into a papercraft software program, where the model is laid out onto standard paper sizes and glue tabs are added.
The cleaned up model is exported and brought into a 3D slicer program used for creating files that a 3D printer can interpret. Even a small model can take up to a few hours to print depending on the level of detail needed. After printing the physical models are cleaned up, sanded, then primed and painted if desired.
I'll let you know when I figure it out. Right now, it consists of Trial and Error.
Depends.
First ask the universe, if no response is given within 24 hours DM me on instagram @ichabodcole.art.