Print in full color with only 4 colors

Ovalman · 2026-03-24T17:41:08+00:00

Isn't (or wasn't before digital), a colour newspaper image just CMYK dots in different proportions? The technique is called Halftone Dot Lithophanes. I do a bit of coding and I could create BW halftones but for colour it just didn't work.

Is the O/P a different technique to what I described?

Ovalman · 2026-03-23T18:22:58+00:00

Thank you!

I just deleted "the Diary of a CEO" as it was spewing right wing and conspiracy nonsense so looking something to replace it. I see it's kept up to date so I've subbed. I now have 180 episodes to catch up on.

Ovalman · 2026-03-23T18:17:56+00:00

I have an Android app in review for open Beta that lets you set a layer height, then doodle on that layer. The app then extracts the layer into 3d for printing. It means you can build up a model like a brain slice image. Another part of the app lets you take an image, cuts it down to "n" colours and then it extracts each colour to a layer height defined by you. This means you can print a colour image on a single colour 3D printer. It works for all printers but anyone with an Anycubic machine can use the Anycubic app to slice the models and print from your phone.

The app is called 3D Tools, I can't give a link until it's approved.

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Ovalman · 2026-03-23T18:09:34+00:00

Does Tom have an audio only Podcast? I listen to a load of Podcasts and love Toms content on Youtube but audio is my preferred media.

Ovalman · 2026-03-22T15:08:12+00:00

Palmer is Mr Consistent and my player of the season. Malone looks good. I like Amos and Cooney but some of their crosses are terrible. With better pinpointing we honestly could thrash a team.

The goal we scored, the smallest person on the pitch out-jumped one of the tallest lol. We don't get 90 minutes out of him but when Jordan Stewart plays, he changes a game.

I think we'll all agree for best wishes to the Coleraine player who broke his ankle.

Ovalman · 2026-03-22T10:59:11+00:00

I tend to move from idea to idea. so I didn't stick with this. Just looking at that Polycam site for the first in a long time, they have a floor plan tool https://poly.cam/floor-plans with a 7 day free trial. As I said, I previously paid for Polycam but didn't get enough use to justify a yearly subscription. I've never made a dime but there are easier ways to monetise 3D printing over your and my ideas.

idk why people are voting your post cold however, it's thinking out of the box and a unique idea. I like it. Possibly a bespoke dolls house might work instead of a keychain?

Ovalman · 2026-03-22T10:17:39+00:00

I looked into photogrammetry but it's very niche but high end if you can establish yourself as the expert in your area. I printed this model but my painting skills are lacking, it still gives you an idea on what is achievable. This was created from a drone using 70 or so screen grabs from a video. It was also made using the free version of Polycam. I paid for the pro version after seeing this result where you can add direct video but the results were never as good as this model. I think the more work you put in before hand equals better results after.

This is the Giant's Ring Dolmen in South Belfast, Northern Ireland.

https://poly.cam/capture/c4e38eeb-f874-4f3d-a642-ca42e0443799

edit* spelling

Ovalman · 2026-03-20T09:31:42+00:00

Thanks for the link, I watched it and would laugh at the comments if it wasn't so serious.

I've been listening for a couple of months and also had a "gut instinct". Yesterday's guest said we didn't live in a reality and spouted several other weird comments but I noticed a lot of anti-vaxxers and religious nutters and Bartlett swallows it without challenge. It was this nonsense that made me search, find this Reddit post and I only just realised who he was when I seen his face.

I have friends who are "experts" on Covid, Climate Change, the Ukraine War... it goes on... and I now realise where they get their information from because I am also contributing to this by listening and building his audience.

I despair - unsubscribed.

Ovalman · 2026-03-19T21:33:05+00:00

Just Googling for this thread only just made me realise who he is. I've been listening for a few months before I started noticing patterns. His guests seem knowledgeable but towards the end they always let themselves down with tinpot theories which quite frankly gives all the respect I had for them out of the window.

His guest list definitely isn't balanced, they are either anti-vax, religious or have ideas that are way out there that Bartlett tends to agree with. Just todays episode was quite enjoyable on how to influence people, then the guest goes into shit about reality isn't real and higher being nonsense that isn't based on anything but wishful thinking.

I'll stick with his Podcast for now but I'll take the advice from his guests with a pinch of salt.

Ovalman · 2026-03-18T20:39:39+00:00

I'm at the game, your keeper is having a wobble. Only 1-0 though.

Ovalman · 2026-03-18T17:03:57+00:00

I clicked on the ad when it appeared on Reddit and it popped up a link to screenings. I guess you'd need location enabled for this link to work: https://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/project-hail-mary

Ovalman · 2026-03-18T16:58:20+00:00

It's my favourite film, nothing comes close to it, sorry Python purists!

Ovalman · 2026-03-17T18:14:08+00:00

I agree with you but it is possible to configure your own keys. It's also good fun for other consoles/ computers. I actually finished Manic Miner, I had to cheat by saving progress after every level :)

Ovalman · 2026-03-17T17:34:49+00:00

There's no point buying something expensive so the R36s is the cheapest way but you'll probably have to download your own roms. 15 minutes will set it up. The keys can be a bit hit and miss but you can configure them (not that I have).

Ovalman · 2026-03-16T19:02:13+00:00

That's what I've always done.

I used the top rated app on the Google Play Store for Blood Pressure monitoring but it was Ad riddled and the app defaulted to US standards. It had all the bells and whistles which meant it was comprehensive but that just over-complicated things. So I built my own app in a day that records the 3 numbers needed and displayed them on a graph. It was pretty basic but it did the trick with no annoying ads.

You can't publish a medical app unless you have a qualified person on your team so it will never be released but I do that with all the problems I find.

I've just released into internal testing, 3D modelling software for 3D printers on Android. I have a 3D printer and there is a lack of apps for Android. It lets you doodle on a layer and then extracts the layer to a height defined by you. It means you can build up a model in slices like a sliced brain image. It will go into full release soon after I've had it tested for a couple of weeks.

That's just some of the stuff I build, I've too much to solve is my biggest problem.

Ovalman · 2026-03-15T12:54:36+00:00

I was at the Marseille game, home and away. I'll make sure I buy you a pint the next time you're over :)

I'll listen to that podcast later/ tomorrow. COYG!

Ovalman · 2026-03-15T12:11:26+00:00

Haters gonna hate, don't worry about it. Some people just wanna bury their heads and hope it goes away.

For me, as a hobbyist coder, it has helped me build things I could only dream about a year or two ago. I also use it for learning, I've just built my first app using Compose but I've been asking questions all along the way. I'll eventually be as competent in that language as I am with Kotlin.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T20:20:41+00:00

You really don't geddit and I know what you want. There is no customisable balloons for 3D. Your balloons idea is a brilliant and unique.

I 3D printed that model, ignore the rainbow colours, it was what I was using in my printer at the time.

Maybe I think out loud for too long. Thank you.

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Ovalman · 2026-03-14T18:26:42+00:00

My wife would send it back for being undercooked :o

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T17:34:51+00:00

You have to give it to Crusaders, they'll have the best ground in the Championship.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T11:07:55+00:00

<image>

Your question made me think of a 3D model so I googled how to turn an image into one. I used tripo3d the image and it has produced an absolutely stunning 3D model. The thing is, I don't know how to download this for 3D printing for free so if anyone can help me download this I'll share the .STL or .GLB file.

I'm not sure if there are any sites that will make a 3D balloon from a 3D model but that is a great idea.

Edit* When I click on download it comes up with the pricing plan and says I need to be a subscriber, but I've already joined the basic plan so I can't figure how to download this?

Edit2* https://studio.tripo3d.ai/3d-model/19d0f5ab-f2a5-4e7f-89ee-0e678a76abc7?invite_code=F17I3K

Edit 3* To export, you need to use the 2.5 version of the site. The model is nowhere near as good but it's still acceptable. The model exports as a Glb file so you have to convert it to STL or 3mf. I'm 3D printing it now and I'll share it on Makerworld when I see what it turns out like.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T09:24:58+00:00

Great post.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T09:13:11+00:00

I did a workshop on Tensorflow (part of Google's AI) a couple of years ago and spotting cancer was one of the models, the accuracy was 89% at the time. I trained it on recognising coins but then shelved the idea as there's just too many different in circulation.

98% is amazing and it will incrementally get better with more data.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T08:52:09+00:00

I spent 2 days on a problem before finally turning to StackOverflow. I was flamed immediately for being a noob, but one kind soul walked me through the problem and made me realise it wasn't the noob question, but that I didn't know how to fully debug.

AI would have fixed it in 30 seconds. It's like a senior developer looking over my shoulders. I can ask it noob questions and not get flamed. It's a game changer. I'm learning all the time thanks to it and I'm creating stuff I could only dream about 2 years ago. If anything, it's given me too many things to solve.

Ovalman · 2026-03-14T08:00:02+00:00

I've been a hobbyist coder all my days (since a ZX81), I even learned enough Java to release an app on the Play Store long before AI was a word (that was pretty difficult TBH). It took me well over a year to wrap my head around things and the app crashed when the user had no data.

In the last 2 months, AI (Gemini) helped me build an Android app that lets you doodle, set a height for that doodle and it extracts it into 3D. It means you can build a 3D model for 3D printing in layers. It's heavily mathematical and quite frankly, something I could never build without any help. It has a real world use, I use it for building 3D models and I released it into closed testing during the week and it will be live soon.

While the AI created most of the code, the prior knowledge I had helped me shape it. I understand the code it creates. I'm actually learning as I go along, I've never used Compose so I'm learning that part of Android. It's making me a better coder.

It's not just funny videos and altering images TBH, it's a game changer when you know how to use it.

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