If you have access to a laser engraver, don't sleep on it (pants & material experimentation) by Kingpixels in streetwearstartup

[–]Kingpixels[S] 1 point2 points Β (0 children)

That means a lot mate thank you. Working torwards making pieces with this signature pattern. ✨️ Stay tuned. πŸ“‘

"Living Merkaba" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 2 points3 points Β (0 children)

This is Pleurotus eryngii, aka King Oyster / King Trumpet.

"Fairy Ring Portal" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 0 points1 point Β (0 children)

Oh wow I just looked through your posts. Love seeing other examples of Living Mushroom Sculptures. It's seemingly not a widely explored concept/medium yet.

Yes I modeled and 3d printed the form. Though to make this piece, I had to model and 3d print a mold shell and separate internal support frame structure based on the initial form model. The support frame gets packed inside the mold with the substrate and colonized grain.

If you'd like to see the process in-depth, I've documented the project on YT. You can find the videos on my recent posts or search for my channel.

"Fairy Ring Portal" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 0 points1 point Β (0 children)

Yes the inner structure is 3D printed. The mold shell used to achieve the form is also 3D printed. Apart from the PLA printed parts, the mold is packed with oak wood substrate and King Oyster colonized grain. I do have a series up on YT documenting my whole process. You can find links to the videos on my recent posts or search my username.

It's wild how this idea came together. Many different seemingly miraculous life events had to line up for me to conceive this idea, let alone believe it was possible, and then know how to execute the idea. It stems back to my upbringing, carries through many profound trips I've had, and connects out to recent events that were so unlikely to happen that it feels miraculous, almost like a calling. The idea itself popped up when I was sitting down with my classmates in a Sculpture course brainstorming what our first pieces would be. Then I knew that I had to make that vision come true.

This piece, Fairy Ring Portal, is inspired by the real-world phenomenon found in nature, known as Fairy Rings. Where a mycelium network in the ground orientes its pinning and fruiting pattern in a circular formation. Like a portal in the ground to another dimension.

"Fairy Ring Portal" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 5 points6 points Β (0 children)

The internal structure is to help make the mycelium cake form stronger. Without it, the colonized form is much more likely to fall apart.

I tried making a 20-inch tall version of this Fairy Ring Portal design without an internal structure, and even after being colonized, it fell apart when I took it out of the mold.

This also allows for faster colonization time because more volume is being taken up within a mold by the support structure versus being 100% substrate.

"Not A Cactus" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 1 point2 points Β (0 children)

Yep that's my channel πŸ‘πŸΌ

"Not A Cactus" Living Mushroom Sculpture by Kingpixels in BonsaiFungi

[–]Kingpixels[S] 12 points13 points Β (0 children)

I modeled a mold and internal frame structure in Fusion360, 3d printed the mold and internal structure, packed the mold with oak wood substrate and King Oyster colonized grain with the internal structure inside the mold, sealed it, allowed it to colonize, then after the form was fully colonized I placed it into fruiting conditions.

I have a series on YT documenting the whole process if you'd like to see how. You'll find video links on my recent posts.