I have a 3D printer that prints clay and made this little vase. I want to sell it on Etsy and thought it would be nice to make an animated GIF to show it off on all sides. Etsy, though, does not allow animated Gifs (maybe it is a good idea to limit there use). Facebook also seams to limit the use of animated GIFs. So, I am putting it here to see if it works.

And it works.

If you would like to see the vase look take a look at my Etsy shop.
The Vase: Copper Green and Blue Vase with dla
Gary's Shop of Neat Things


The pattern on the outside is based on a very simple diffusion limited aggregation algorithm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion-limited_aggregation) and created with a program that I wrote. Diffusion-limited_aggregation can be found in a variety of natural systems including mineral growth and electrical discharge, as well as others. The organic forms created may look like some types of seaweed or coral.

I was inspired by some other example of diffusion limited aggregation.
Bit Player is a blog by Brian Hayes that I like to check now and again. He has a bunch of interesting articles on math and science and new ways of looking at things. The banner at the top of the page is based on the DLA pattern.
Bit Player: An amateur’s outlook on computation and mathematics

Nervous Systems is a generative design studio creating, and selling some pretty amazing things based on algorithmically designed products and art. I think they are an example of the direction 3D printing can do a really good job. They have applications that allow customers to generate absolutely unique custom jewelry.
Nervous Systems