Clay & glaze, 3D printing, acrylic paint

Exploring two opposite materials, and attempting to make them work together.

Ceramics and 3D printing both revolve around the same concept, creating a 3-dimensional object. One material ages to the beginning of human-kind, the other, has only been around as of the 21st century. I wanted to figure out a way that I could mesh these two very different materials, that interact rather poorly with each other, together. I knew my 3D printed component had to be separate from the clay, as the plastic would melt during firing. Clay doesn’t adhere well to plastic surfaces anyways. I decided to create a vending machine, the perfect opportunity to print small objects to be placed inside. This way, both components could act as separate entities.

Process:

I ran into many issues pertaining to the structural integrity of the vending machine. Clay, when dried or fired, shrinks and never looks how it did the day before. Therefore, the exterior walls bent and folded over night, causing the clay to dry abnormally.