This woman prints gorgeous, wearable 3D armor

What started off as sketches in an artist's notepad became the stunning, detailed pieces of artwork.

New York based artist, Melissa Ng, is a self-taught designer using cutting edge 3D printing technology to bring her "doodles," as she calls them, to life. As Ng writes on her personal site, Lumecluster, she began working with 3D printed art in 2013, but her work exhibits years of talent. 

Although Ng's academic background was in media studies and PR, she held onto her dream of being an artist. In 2012, she founded Lumecluster, where she'd occasionally share some of her sketches and ink drawings. What began as a simple art blog led to experimentation with 3D design and printing. Now, Ng has come into her own as an artist, creating remarkably detailed jewelry, masks, and, her "dream come true" project: the Dreamer's Regalia, worn by actress Felicia Day. 

Here's how the piece came together:  

The Dreamer's Regalia armor was a 228-hour project. It required a mix of 3D modeling and scanning, pattern drawing, video editing, and more. Ng admits that much of the project required skills that she "didn't know how to do."

Ng reveals how she overcame her own fear of failing in order to make the armor. 

In addition to the armor, Ng produces custom-made, 3D printed masks and jewelry. Ng ascribes a "dreamer" theme to her work, saying the intricate, hand-drawn designs are "a visualization of the dream’s beauty, spontaneity, fluidity, and chaos."

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The Dreamer's Regalia was a collaborative effort. Day was 3D modeled for the armor by L.A. based company, Cokreeate. She also worked wth Shapeways, a New York company that allows users to design and order objects which Shapeways itself prints with high-end 3D printers.