Scholars' Rock Reproductions

Direct Dimensions was engaged to 3D scan a scholars’ rock to create two museum quality replicas, one cast in bronze, and one 3D printed with a realistic faux finish. The original artifact belongs to “Scholar Rock,” a biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, MA.

Also referred to as gongshi, spirit stones, or viewing stones, scholars’ rocks are naturally occurring intricately textured or shaped rocks. These stones have become valuable collectible pieces, particularly in Chinese and Japanese cultures, fetching hundreds of thousands, or even upwards of a million dollars at auction. Scholars’ rocks have unusual patterns of erosion and wear, which are believed to reveal inner strength and truth. This capacity of scholars’ rocks to elicit deep insight, and their visual similarity to protein structures, reflect the company’s quest to discover breakthrough medicines and is why the company is called Scholar Rock.

The company decided to relocate the valuable artifact from their headquarters and hired Direct Dimensions to replace it with a bronze replica. A second low-cost plastic replica was commissioned as a temporary stand-in while they waited for the bronze.

Traditionally, making replicas would involve creating a mold of the original, but when an object has high value, owners and collectors are reluctant to do anything that may damage the original. 3D scanning solves this problem by making a “digital mold” without the need to touch the object.

To make the replicas, Direct Dimensions traveled to Cambridge, MA to 3D scan the rock on-site with both laser scanning and photogrammetry. We developed a full-color, high-resolution, digital 3D model that would convey all of the original nuances via 3D printing. The bronze was “lost-wax” cast from a 3D wax print and a plastic 3D print was painted to match the original with the aid of our full color model. We chose not to color match the bronze sculpture as the bronze patina was too beautiful to paint over.

Scholar Rock’s team was elated with the results and they now have two museum quality replicas as well as an online model in vivid color to honor their namesake.