● Mother Earth ● (𝙉𝙊 𝘼𝙈𝙎)

● Ｍａｄｒｅ Ｔｅｒｒａ●

"Ancient roots, wooden womb. From the dark rock rises, flexible, the silhouette of a sacred anticipation. The maple not only bears fiery leaves, but the red breath of the world. Mother becoming a tree, naked in her essence, or dressed in scarlet, silent guardian of the cycle of life."

For this work, I wanted to merge the tradition of bonsai with figurative sculpture, representing a Japanese maple (Maple) with its unmistakable scarlet red leaves. The piece is distinguished by its trunk which takes on an anthropomorphic form, delicately evoking the silhouette of a pregnant woman. This fusion of nature and human figure is the heart of the piece, aptly titled "Madre Terra", to symbolize fertility, life, and the ancestral connection to the natural world.

The model is divided into 4 main parts (trunk, leaves, stones, and pot), facilitating the printing process and allowing experimentation with different materials and colors:

• The Trunk (PLA Matte - Dark brown): A twisted branch that rises from the rocks, developing horizontally. At the top, the wood naturally forms the stylized silhouette of a woman.
• The Stones (PLA Matte - Black): A pile of dark, jagged rocks representing the solid and wild foundations from which life originates.
• The Pot (PLA Galaxy - Nebula): A dark oval base enclosing a bed of immaculate white pebbles, creating a visual contrast that enhances the entire composition. (I used white pebbles for vase decoration; choose small stones not too large, about 3/4mm) they will anchor the pieces once poured into the pot.
• The Leaves (PLA Matte - Red): Vibrant maple leaves carefully scattered on the branches and base, providing a vivid and dramatic chromatic touch.
  (((I recommend using a "blade scraper" like the one made by designer Kong 3D https://makerworld.com/it/models/2272874-bambu-scraper-grip-pro#profileId-2477889, to avoid breakages.)))

Although the sculpture in the photo uses about 40 leaves to achieve a specific visual balance, the set includes a full 62 elements. This choice allows for total customization:

1. Lush Canopy: Using all pieces for a dense and vital effect.
2. Autumn/Winter Design: Leaving the trunk "bare" to emphasize the wooden sculpture and the female silhouette, giving the work a rawer and more minimal tone.
3. Spare Parts: The generous number of leaves ensures extra pieces in case of small errors during assembly or deformation using a heat source, as shown in the following figures:

ASSEMBLY:

	Once all the leaves have been detached from the print bed, using a "blade scraper," with a hairdryer or any other heat source, heat the leaf and shape it as you prefer, after which blow on it: it will harden instantly, retaining the given shape.  ((((Be careful not to burn yourself))))   ► In the version compatible with A1 mini, the leaves are much thinner, and therefore the warmth of your hands is sufficient to shape them and modify their form.
	Once the desired leaf shape is obtained, apply a little glue to the petiole and glue it to the branch. (I recommend starting from the branch ends to facilitate subsequent glueings)

⚠ THE MODEL IS VERY EASY TO PRINT AND THE SUPPORTS ARE REMOVED VERY EASILY, OBVIOUSLY THE BRANCH PART IS THE MOST DELICATE PART, BUT WITH A LITTLE CARE THEY ARE REMOVED WITH EXTREME EASE, FOR ANY DOUBT DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!!!! 

Hoping you enjoyed my work, I look forward to reading your comments and perhaps seeing some of your prints!!! 😊