Designer Spotlight: Edrice Waliyar - Shapeways Blog

Designer Spotlight: Edrice Waliyar

June 1, 2015

This week, as we early celebrate Father’s Day, we are highlighting designer dad Edrice Waliyar. Edrice is a freelance artist living in France with his wife and daughter. His shop is full of wonderful designs, from jewelry to memes and artwork.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? Where are you located?

I’m a freelance 3D artist and designer from France. I mostly do characters for indie games and 3D printing, and as time goes by the amount of work shifts more and more towards the latter. This allows me to work from home, and to take care of my two year old daughter; it’s a privilege to be able to do your dream job and watch your kid grow, something I can do thanks to the support of my wife.

What’s the story behind your designs? What inspires you?

I’m a child of the 80’s, and I grew up on pop culture and like a lot of people I wanted to have things from those cultural influences, things that don’t actually exist and that you can’t actually buy. But with 3D printing, that actually changes. I can make those things that I think would be cool, and make them real. If I think it’s cool, chances are someone else will think so too—and that’s where Shapeways comes in. I like to make some design challenges as well, I try to take a shape and make something out of it, solving the design problems to make it work along the way. Like turning a letter or an emote into a ring, not just by putting it on a band, but using the shape of the letter or emote as part of the band. Inspiration is everywhere if you take the time sit and try to do something with it.

What brought you to 3D printing with Shapeways?

Four years ago I started looking into 3D printers, as it was no longer a gimmick but a real thing. It was was still a costly thing though, but doing some research on 3D printing, Shapeways kept coming up. I decided to give it a try, and it was a life changer. Buying a costly printer was no longer a necessity.

If you weren’t limited by current technologies, what would you want to make using 3D printing?

I’d love to make huge prints and multi materials prints. A life size size bust using a mixture of a porcelain like material and gold, that’s the dream the Designer Diva in me wishes to do in my lifetime.

Anything else you want to share?

It’s a great time to start 3D printing, everything is fresh and new and exciting and I encourage everyone to get on board now and participate in this technological renaissance. Print, create, enjoy.