Mermaids, Vampires, Werewolves, and Unicorns are all creatures of our imaginations. For centuries these creatures have existed only in fairy tales, myths, and other stories. Many individuals, do however, believe that at one time many of these creatures actually did exist. There are those people out there, who believe that the stories of these creatures outlasted the actual evidence of their existence.

One man, named Brian Richardson, has taken the stories behind many of these creatures, and used 3D printing to bring them into reality. Richardson, Founder and Designer of Mythic Articulations has designed dozens of skeletons of some of the most popular mythical creatures and cryptids that are still talked about today.

“About a year and a half ago I decided I wanted a bird skeleton, for no particular reason,” Richardson told 3DPrint.com. “I had just learned about 3D printing, so I learned 3D modeling over the next few months and printed one. After that, I made a few other ‘real’ animal skulls and a few plants, and then decided to make a Chupacabra Skeleton. I’ve always had an interest in cryptozoology, and mythology, so that’s where the idea came from.”

The idea ended up expanding into much more than a couple 3D printed animal skulls and plants. Richardson, now has well over three dozen skeletons of these creatures listed forsale in his Etsy shop. They are some of the most unique articulations that you could ever come across, and since they are priced starting at $45, they are certainly something that just about anyone with a fascination in mythology could afford.

“I use the program ZBrush to sculpt each one,” Richardson told us. “I start from a virtual ball of clay, and push, pull, cut, and move it around until it looks like whatever part I’m making. I use lots of reference photos of actual animal skeletons. I’m to the point where a lot of the parts for new creatures are already made (skulls, wings, spines, etc.) and I can just mix and match them with a few adjustments to have a new skeleton.”

When Richardson first started creating these skeletons, it would take him a day or two to design just one. Now, with the experience he has, he is able to come up with a new design in as little as a couple of hours. After the design is finished, he uses Shapeways to have them 3D printed. It takes approximately a week from the time he submits his design until the skeleton is complete.

Some of the popular 3D prints that he offers include a Vampire, El Chupacabra, Mongolian Death Worm, Wetland Fairy, Mermaid, Grey Alien, Jackalope, Pegasus, Unicorn, Werewolf, Cerberus, Asian Dragon, Jersey Devil, Lizard Man, and an Imp. He is constantly working to bring new ideas to fruition, and is currently working on an Ozark Howler, and ‘The Griffin’. “My latest and currently most popular piece is the “Chupacabra in a Can”, a poseable version of the original Chupacabra, in a can,” said Richardson. ” “I’m planning on making a few other skeletons poseable. The next up is the Werewolf.”

So far, this hobby has been quite lucrative for Richardson. Although he admits that he doesn’t sell quite enough to live off of the proceeds yet, he does sell enough to fund making and testing new skeletons, which can add up quickly.

This is just one example of how artists are utilizing 3D printing to create interesting, unique, and innovative designs that you probably would never find anywhere else in the world….. unless you happen to come across the remains of a vampire in the woods behind your house……..

What do you think about these incredibly unique 3D printable skeletons? Would you spend $45 to own one? Discuss in the 3D Printed Mythical Creatures forum thread on 3DPB.com.

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