Is Your Face 3D Art? It Could Be.

New Technology Renders More Realism 

People looking for a truly unique alternative to Facebook may want to consider a visit to Thatsmyface.com where visitors can submit standard 2D photos that are converted into 3D models in a matter of an hour or so for free.  If you like the results, you can have the models transformed into statues, faceplates, glass cubes or even a key chain.

A face preserved for all time in 3D.

Users upload two photos - one full-face and the other in profile - and the site’s proprietary software extrapolates the images into a three-dimensional model that can modify facial features to reflect a variety of ethnicities, a different gender or to create a caricature.  It also identifies asymmetries of the face and provides an attractiveness rating.  Not bad for free, unless of course the attractiveness rating isn’t what was expected.  I prefer self-delusion, but others may feel differently.

The site is the brainchild of Marc Cardle, 31, who developed the custom software with multiple other developers to run on a series of Linux servers.  Thatsmyface.com offers a broad spectrum of 3D statues that range in price from $29 to $2,000 that can be delivered in two weeks or less.  The image can also be transferred to apparel, mouse pads, coffee mugs and other products along with your custom messages for as little as $2.95. 

The outcome of the final product is somewhat dependent upon the quality of the images provided, although some modifications can be made later.  It’s best to have pictures taken at a 90-degree angle to the lens with a flash to even the lighting.  The expression in both shots should be the same and while grins are fine, pictures that show teeth are slightly more difficult and therefore not recommended.

Some users provide low-resolution images that have worked well, but again, higher quality originals ensure a better outcome.  It partially depends upon the output desired.  If the goal is a realistic statue, it’s probably better to get a higher-grade set of photos, whereas output to a hat may not need meticulous care.

This is certainly a watershed moment in technology.  As a former 3D animator who started working on a computer with a 486 processor that could take weeks to render a simple 10-second animation, this type of output and variety in such a short timeframe is somewhat miraculous.

Moreover, it takes photography as memorabilia to an entirely new plateau.  Imagine for example, having a series of three-dimensional plastic facemasks of a child as he or she progresses through the developmental years forever immortalized in shapes that will always be possible to touch. 

This is new - this is different.