See that painting right there? It’s fake as hell, but you might never know the difference. And you can get your very own Van Faux for $US200, max, thanks to a Russian startup called Prixel. No one will ever know the difference (probably).
Prixel has developed a technique that perfectly mimics the artist’s brushstrokes in 3D-printed form. Yes, other companies have used similar tech, and 3D-printed fakes are not exactly a novel concept. But none are as affordable as Prixel. And the best part? You can actually buy these fakes — Matisses, Van Goghs, Picassos, etc — right here, right now for sometimes less than 100 bucks.
Prixe’s tech works by using a wide-format ultraviolet printers that can interpret both the nuances of brushstrokes as well as very specific details like the paint’s colour and how it shines. That way, the unique nature of an artist’s style is not lost, like the exact contours of his or her strokes, for example.
These cheap, albeit quality, fakes are printed in five to six layers. And while they’re supposedly indistinguishable from the originals, if you’re willing to spend a little more cash, you can get a fake printed with 20 or more layers for a heightened accuracy and detail. So maybe no one will believe that you actually have Starry Night hanging in your apartment, but you can closer than ever before without having to shell out a fortune. [Prixel via RBTH]
