Larger than life displays of nature’s strangest invertebrates
The Idea
In the past century, high-magnification photography has revealed the astonishing level of color, texture, and biomechanical precision on display in the average insect.
What if we could bring the world of insects, fully realized in all its bizarre complexity, into the third dimension?
Using cutting edge 3D imaging technology and film industry manufacturing techniques, all this is possible and more.
We're looking for a partner to help showcase our work bringing this idea to reality, and to work with us in the creation of a new exhibit inviting people to walk among enormous insects.
We believe experiencing the unseen world of insects at this scale has a tremendous capacity to excite imaginations and encourage empathy for the preservation of an endangered world.
Additionally, insects are at the perfect crossroads of many significant themes across natural history:
the conservation of endangered species
the underexamined role of insects as keystone species
the complexity of social hierarchy in ants and bees
the anthropological significance of important insects across world cultures.
Many more educational and thematic possibilities exist, but these are some that excite us the most.
Who we are
Ironhead Studio is a Los Angeles-based art and design firm specializing in the creation of high-quality physical assets for the film industry.
Our work has appeared in some of the most widely seen movies from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and DC Comics.
We believe that the design and manufacturing skillsets that we have cultivated across decades in film translates extremely effectively to the creation of educational and museum displays.
Partnering with us is Dr. Rodger Gwiazdowski, the country's leading conservation biologist for tiger beetles, which are beautiful, ferocious, and highly endangered insects.
His work with these insects discovers new species, creates new populations, and excites curiosity.
Our Methodology
Our goal in creating an enlarged insect model is to take an existing individual insect specimen and perfectly enlarge it. We don’t want to miss any of the detail present originally, but nor do we want to add fake new details not faithful to the real life animal.
Because of this, we have adapted to using Nano-CT imaging as the basis for our work. Using this technology, we are able to non-destructively capture sub-micron resolution 3D scans of both the external and internal anatomy of real insect specimens
With additional reference material from electron micrographs and macro photography, we are able to refine the 3D data delivered by the nano-CT scan into a production-ready digital form.
At this point, our skilled artisans are able to leverage 3D-printing and traditional molding technologies to create durable and true-to-life displays.
Nano-CT scan
Nano-CT scan
Motorized macro photography of actual specimens provides ideal color reference
Motorized macro photography of actual specimens provides ideal color reference
Electron micrographs provide additional texture detail
Electron micrographs provide additional texture detail
Step into the captivating world of the insect, a place where the beautiful meets the bizarre
Contact:
Fernando Favila
Dr. Rodger Gwiazdowski