As well as the subtractive method of CNC carving, it’s also possible top create sculptural objects using a range of additive techniques collectively known as 3D printing. By breaking digital models down into layers and laying them atop one another, forms can be built up in various materials ranging from solidified liquid photopolymers to melted extruded thermoplastics and consolidated powders. With these techniques it’s possible to produce configurations that can’t be manufactured any other way, since there’s no necessity for a tool to be able to reach every part of the surface. One particularly exciting development is the ability to cover a piece with photographic imagery that’s integral to the part and produced at the same time. 3D printing opens up many potential avenues for sculpture that have barely begun to be explored.