Here at Subcon Laser, even though we focus more on technical laser cutting, we appreciate the beauty that laser cutting can produce. A lot of people use laser cutting as a hobby, and make some of the most impressive works that you can find. Through the use of a laser cutting machine, you can create some of the greatest looking laser cut pieces that almost match up to the quality of our work.
For this blog post, we wanted to showcase some of the most interesting and unique laser cut pieces that can be found on the internet. Laser cutting is a very intricate process, and at Subcon Laser, we take the time and effort to create designs that are catered specifically for your needs. People have taken the pinpoint accuracy of laser cutting, and have used it to create interesting items and designs that are a joy to look at.
These items show just how versatile laser cutting is. No other form of production can create items that are so specifically designed. Throughout this blog you’ll see interesting videos, unique costumes and beautiful designs that wouldn’t be possible without laser cutting technology.
Woodoo: A Stop Motion Animation with Laser Cut Wood
This clever 46 second video clip was created by Amsterdam-based director and animator Andre Maat. He creates this animated short by cleverly using laser cut wood and a stop motion filming technique to create the illusion of a malleable substance.
The way that Andre gives the appearance that he is cutting the wood in such a precise way is only due to the fact that laser cutting can be that precise. Laser cutting is a fast way to make impressive designs. By combining this process with stop motion technology, it creates a highly entertaining video. It also highlights just what you can do with laser cutting technologies.
The clever way he makes the piece of wood appear like it is walking is genius. He even uses the laser to give the appearance of smoking wood. The way Andre makes the wood adapt to the laser cutting process shows just how versatile laser cutting can be. It can be used on a vast range of materials to create a well-designed and interesting piece.
Andre Matt is a highly talented filmmaker, creating music videos, animations, viral videos and TV adverts. Check out all of his other work here.
Digital Sundial Tracks the Sun Through a Laser Cut Cube
Sundials are often spoken of as something of the past. They may be impractical when we live in the age where we have the time on our wrists, but this digital sundial cube is one of the most interesting laser cut designs you can find.
A Toronto-based artist, Daniel Voshart created a cube that will tell you the time thanks to the way the sun was shining on it. He spent a month making it for his father’s birthday. There were some big limitations though. It only works for 15 days before and 15 days after his father’s birthday. It could also only be within 100 miles of a specific point on Earth, as well as for only 40 years because of the changing tilt in the Earth’s axis. Despite this, it is still an incredibly well designed item. The thought and process that was incorporated into this design is something to appreciate.
Inspired by a solargraph, he was interested how much exposure the sun has when in the sky every year. Each laser-cut hole was specially calculated on a computer. Sixty separate pieces of material were laser cut to specific measurements so that the modern sundial could work. It’s key to bear in mind that even the smallest of faults could have ruined the sundial, making it unusable.
Laser cutting technology is so precise that it actually made the sundial a useable item. No other design technology would have been able to be anywhere near how precise laser cutting is.
This modern sundial may not have been the perfect way to tell the time, as variables such as cloud cover could affect the results, but it is a great example of how laser cutting can be used in even the most advanced and abstract technologies.
Laser Cut Seaweed for Shushi
When people think of laser cutting, they normally think of certain materials such as wood or metal that is carefully designed. Designer Milk has turned laser cutting on its head, and started to use it for the creation seaweed rolls that are used in sushi.
Umino Hiroyuki was inspired by his grandfather, who had originally collected seaweed for the use in shushi. He saw how there was a gap in the market, with a decline in seaweed consumption within Japan. It didn’t take him long to realise how to fill this gap.
He used specially sourced seaweed that was thicker than standard seaweed. Because of its physical properties, it won’t crumble under the effects of laser cutting. The seaweed also wouldn’t stick to any of the ingredients.
The sushi was carefully laser cut with interesting and unique designs. Word of mouth quickly spread and Umino Hiroyuki quickly became a well known name within the sushi world. The uniqueness of his seaweed helped his business to flourish.
With laser cutting being used to make designs on seaweed, it shows how it is an incredibly adaptable form of design. There aren’t many other technologies that can allow this level of design to be used in food products without a high chance of damage. Laser cutting food is definitely a way to be unique.
Laser Cut Typography
Although we’ve already written about the laser cut sphere that can produce text, it is more of an art piece than a functional piece of typography. Typography is a way to make writing look visually pleasant to admire. People can often spend hour after hour creating a single piece of typography that is aesthetically pleasing.
By using laser cutting as a form of Typography, you can make beautiful designs that look like they’ve had hours put into them, even though the process doesn’t actually take a long time. You can afford to create a more adventurous piece of typography without having to worry about the intricacy involved.
Typography can be quite disconcerting when you are partway through a piece and one mistake can cause you to start all over again. It’s worth bearing in mind that a single letter in typography can take a number of hours, depending on what style you are going for. Because of laser cutting being incredibly accurate and reliable, it can be a preferable technique instead of doing it by hand.
With laser cutting able to work at a constant pace, it’s a lot easier to do a large bulk of typography than you would be able to by hand. If you need a lot of typography work to be completed in a short space of time, one of your only options would be laser cutting.
Some people want typography to be worked into solid materials. This can range from natural stone, to man made metals. Working with a solid material can be a daunting task if you are doing it by hand.
If you make a mistake, then you sometimes don’t have the option to start afresh, or it can be quite expensive to buy the same material. If this material is going to be situated in a place where it has weather conditions working against it, hand-worked typography can easily wash away.
By laser cutting your typography, you are more likely to get a more precise and accurate job done, no matter what the material. Because the laser is actually cutting into the material, it isn’t going to fade away compared to handwritten typography. A lot of plaques are created with the use of laser cutting, as it can look professional with very little room for error.
As you can see from this blog, laser cutting is very adaptable to all sorts of materials. It can be used as a useful tool if you want to create an item to specific measurements, and you want to reduce the chance of human error. You can create an impressive piece of work that can be a joy to look at. Here at Subcon Laser, we have over two decades of experience with laser technologies. We can offer a comprehensive range of laser cutting services, all created to the highest standard and quality. Every single member of our team is committed to providing a service that you can be proud of. If you want to find out more about the services we provide, you can give us a call on 024 7664 2221 or email us at [email protected]. We love to see design ideas that people have, so don’t think twice about getting in contact.
All pictures courtesy of Pinterest
