This week we are highlighting a long-time Shapeways shop owner Wesley Günter! Wesley visited Shapeways three years ago, inspired by technology, art and design. FabMe Jewelry is his main focus now, experimenting with organic and geometric shapes to create a fabulous line of jewelry that we’ve been gawking at for quite some time now.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? Where are you located?
Hi I’m Wesley Günter, 27 years old coming from Bergen op Zoom, NL. I work in a high tech metal factory as a welding robot programmer and I design the welding fixtures. In my spare time (all of it) I work for FabMe Jewelry. I love technology, design, fashion, music and anything else that is creative.
What’s the story behind your designs? What inspires you?
As I’ve mentioned above I work with high tech looking machines and together with those machines I make very diverse products for many different companies, all having their own way of designing things. Seeing so many different shapes makes me really appreciate the structures that support everything we build, I try to take the structures I see in manmade objects and those produced by nature and intertwine them with another wearable shape.
What brought you to 3D printing with Shapeways?
Really my love for technology and I like everything that looks cool (this was my first thought when I visited Shapeways for the first time three years ago). Being able to make an object that really feels like a product you have never seen before is awesome. I could never imagine this 5 years ago and am really thankful for having the opportunity to make FabMe Jewelry a real business. I love fashion and everything that comes with it and this is giving me the opportunity to work with amazing people and businesses.
How did you learn how to design in 3D?
At my day job, I design welding fixtures in 3D so the operator can place the parts of a product in exact the same position every time for the robot to weld the pieces together. Later on I began experimenting with designing futuristic fireplaces and artsy stuff that could be laser cut at my work then made by myself from stainless steel. When that stage was over I became interested in jewelry for women and created a shop: Günter Art & Design. At the beginning my design skills were limited so I couldn’t really create the shapes and structures that I love. But in the first year that all changed quickly and I learned to create new designs that were nothing like the first collection; I needed a new name for my new stuff and FabMe Jewelry was born.
How do you promote your work?
By social media: mostly Instagram. Also Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Also by sending sample kits to bloggers and fabulous people. The photo shoot we do every year really helps to put out the image we would like to set for our brand, as well.
Who are your favorite designers or artists? Who in the Shapeways community has served as an inspiration to you?
I have made it my mission to follow everything about design, technology and fashion and now I’m at the point where when I have to come up with a great design. I instantly see so many great things that it’s impossible to choose the best one. But if I have to choose one I would go for Nervous System, their coding skills are so amazing it goes way beyond design.
If you weren’t limited by current technologies, what would you want to make using 3D printing?
If I wasn’t limited by todays technology, I would love to create jewelry that can morph into different patterns/forms… like uploading a new design and the product adapts to it!
Anything else you want to share?
Be creative not only in design but in marketing and running your personal brand, try to keep things as fun as possible. Do things because you like to do them and just go with the flow!
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS SHOP:
- Amazing, fun photography that showcases both product and overall brand feel
- Great shop sections for easy navigating
- Great experimentation with materials — especially mix of metals with plastics!
- Fun, engaging social presence
Thank you, Wesley! Keep making all the pretty things. Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Can’t wait to see the next photo shoot! To be featured, email aimee @ shapeways.com.
Great feature, I love the idea of jewelry that can morph into different patterns or forms.
Hey man, great site and videos! I just seattrd using C4D and I got to say its by far the easiest 3D program I’ve used.I have a small problem when using CSTOOLS, Im currently running C4D version 11.5 and all of the CSTOOLS show up fine, but they dont necessarily work properly. for example, if I drag easycam, some of the properties that allow you to lock a camera do not show up. Or if I use one of the lights, the scale, rotation and other parameters do not work at all.I’ve followed your tutorial on how to install CSTOOLS, but I cannot get them to work properly. any help would be appreciated !!