3D printing allows for forms outside of the regular restrictions of manufacture, which allows experimentation with more natural shapes and textures. I wanted to explore a contrast in forms from the ridges of the whale and the canyons to the soft, undulating waves of the sea to create a design which is visually impactful.

The design was build in CAD on Solidworks, utilising both the surfaces and solid body features to create the complex forms with functional elements. Internals from an existing mouse were measured and built so the model was built to the correct scale with enough tolerances for the specific parts that were to be used.

After amending the CAD model following the tests, more detailed 3D prints were produced using higher definition SLS 3D printing. These parts were used to further test button flexibility and fitting due to a material change. The successful parts were finished using a range of techniques from high gloss spray paint to dyeing the parts to apply a colour (which was beneficial as the tolerances were not affected).