Producing a physical representation of a painting

Abstract

A method for producing a physical mould (4) to be used in a method for producing a physical representation (1) of a painting (2), comprising at least the steps of: accessing a 3d digital model (3) of said painting (2) for which a physical representation (1) is to be produced, producing a physical mould (4) in the form of a negative of said 3d digital model (4) and a method for producing a physical representation (1) of a painting (2), comprising at least the steps of: filling said physical mould (4) with a moulding mass (5), after said moulding mass (5) has hardened, colouring of said hardened moulding mass (5) according to colour information of said 3d digital model (3) in order to obtain said physical representation (1) of said painting (2) the physical mould (4) being provided with at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7) in order to prevent the physical mould (4) from deforming during introduction and / or hardening of said moulding mass (5).

Description

Producing a physical representation of a painting:

[0001] In one aspect the invention is in the field of producing a physical mould to be used in a method for producing a physical representation of a painting.

[0002] In another aspect the invention is in the field of producing a physical representation of a painting using a physical mould.

[0003] In the present disclosure a painting is understood to be the result of applying paint, pigment, colour or another medium to a solid surface, e. g., by use of a brush, a sponge, an airbrush and the like.

[0004] Although a painting seems to be of 2d nature, in reality due to the appliance of the medium to the solid surface, there is an elevation or relief information (such as the structure of a brush stroke) which forms a third dimension of the painting.

[0005] It is known to copy a painting by obtaining a photo of the painting and subsequently printing said photo. In such a method no aspect of the painting regarding the third dimension of the painting, such as, e. g., its elevational structure in the way of applied brush strokes, is reproduced.

[0006] It is also known to create copies of a painting including 3d data:

[0007] In US 4,001,062 A a photographic reproduction representing colour information of an original is joined to a cast representing the elevational structure of the original.

[0008] In US 2003 / 051623 Al an article representing an image is described wherein the article includes a relief layer and a colouring layer directly in contact with the relief layer.

[0009] WO 2009 / 096776 A2 discloses a method for making a 3d reproduction of a relief surface wherein a flat colour copy is put into a mould which has been prepared by a milling machine or 3dprint machine.

[0010] WO 2014 / 024161 A2 describes a method in which a moulding mass is directly applied to an object which is to be replicated. Obviously, such a method cannot be used without exerting unwanted physical influences onto the object.

[0011] In DE 20 65 877 Al, to produce a mould in the form of a negative of a painting which is to be replicated, a plastic mass comprising a transparent hardening material is used as material of the mould. No macroscopic mechanical reinforcement structure is taught but a plastic mass having a specific microscopical chemical composition. This allows only very specific plastic masses to be used.

[0012] In that prior art which uses a moulding mass which is filled into a physical mould, during hardening of said moulding mass, there is a danger of deformation. These deformations limit the achievable quality of the physical representation of said painting.

[0013] It is an object of the invention to provide a method for producing a physical mould to be used in a method for producing a physical representation of a painting which allows the differences between the physical representation and the painting to be smaller than in the prior art.

[0014] It is another object of the invention to provide a method for producing a physical representation of a painting which allows the differences between the physical representation and the painting to be smaller than in the prior art.

[0015] It is another object of the invention to provide a physical mould for use in a method according to the invention.

[0016] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a computer program which, when the program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out a method according to the invention.

[0017] It is still another object of the invention to provide a data carrier signal carrying the computer program of above paragraph or said 3d digital model of the painting for which a physical representation is to be produced.

[0018] Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification and drawings.

[0019] One object of the disclosure relates to a method for producing a physical mould which can be used in a method for producing a physical representation of a painting, comprising at least the steps of: accessing a 3d digital model of said painting for which a physical representation is to be produced, producing a 3d relief model (which is a physical model) in the form of a positive of said 3d digital model, producing a physical mould having one surface in the form of a negative of said 3d digital model by covering said 3d relief model with a plastic mass (such that said one surface of said physical mould is formed which encodes the 3d relief information of said 3d relief model).

[0020] The produced physical mould comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0021] Said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is preferably added to said plastic mass after said one surface encoding said 3d relief information has hardened but before all of the plastic mass hardens.

[0022] Due to the presence of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure, said physical mould is prevented from deforming during introduction of (when the moulding mass touches said surface) and / or hardening of moulding mass with which said physical mould is to be filled in order to allow the production of a physical representation of a painting in which information of the painting with respect to the third dimension is reproduced.

[0023] There is no, or almost none (within a certain tolerance), unintentional difference between the physical representation and the painting. Intentional differences can, e. g., be due to rectification of effects of ageing or of other damage of said painting.

[0024] Said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is different from said plastic mass as it is a macroscopic structure and not a microscopic part of said plastic mass, but it forms an integral mechanical part of said physical mould.

[0025] Without at least one mechanical reinforcement structure there will be deformations in directions perpendicular to a thickness of said physical mould, i. e., in directions of planar extension of said physical mould.

[0026] There is no or only a negligible danger of deformation perpendicular to said planar directions, i. e., in a direction of said thickness of said physical mould, due to the small amount of moulding mass in that direction.

[0027] In principle, a mechanical reinforcement structure having only tensile strength, i. e., resistance against deformation in planar directions of said physical mould, such as a structure made of fibre or a chain mail structure, is sufficient because there is no or only a negligible danger of deformation perpendicular to said planar directions (i. e., in a direction along the thickness of said physical mould).

[0028] Nevertheless, a mechanical reinforcement structure having a rigid structure, such as a plane sheet structure, can be used.

[0029] Once said physical mould has been produced, it can be used repeatedly in a method for producing a plurality of physical representations of one and the same painting by repeating the steps of filling said physical mould with a moulding mass and, after said moulding mass has hardened, colouring of said hardened moulding mass according to colour information of said painting.

[0030] The at least one mechanical reinforcement structure ensures that even after repeated use, said one surface of said physical mould encodes a true negative of said 3d digital model.

[0031] Said 3d digital model can be obtained by contactless scanning of the painting in any of the ways known in the art.

[0032] Another object of the disclosure relates to a method for producing a physical representation of a painting, comprising at least the steps of: providing a physical mould which has one surface encoding a 3d relief information of said painting and which comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure; and which preferably was produced by at least the steps of: accessing a 3d digital model of said painting for which a physical representation is to be produced, producing a 3d relief model (a physical model) in the form of a positive of said 3d digital model, producing a physical mould having one surface in the form of a negative of said 3d digital model by covering said 3d relief model with a plastic mass (such that a surface of said physical mould is formed which encodes the 3d relief information of said 3d relief model), wherein said produced physical mould comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure,filling said physical mould (after said plastic mass has hardened) with a moulding mass, after said moulding mass has hardened, colouring of said hardened moulding mass according to colour information of said painting to obtain said physical representation of said painting.

[0033] Said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure prevents said physical mould from deforming during introduction of and / or hardening of a moulding mass which said physical mould is to be filled with.

[0034] It is apparent that said steps of : accessing a 3d digital model of said painting for which a physical representation is to be produced, producing a 3d relief model in the form of a positive of said 3d digital model, producing a physical mould having one surface in the form of a negative of said 3d digital model by covering said 3d relief model with a plastic mass (such that said one surface of said physical mould is formed which encodes the 3d relief information of said 3d relief model), wherein said produced physical mould comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure can be done independently from any steps following thereafter, i. e., a physical mould can be produced using these steps which physical mould can be used at a later time and / or a different place to produce one or more of a physical representation of said painting, the 3d relief information of which is encoded by said physical mould.

[0035] Another object of the disclosure relates to a physical mould for use in such a method wherein said physical mould has one surface encoding a 3d relief information of a painting and comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0036] Said physical mould has another surface which is parallel from said one surface encoding said 3d relief information and which has a distance D from said one surface.

[0037] In some embodiments, said physical mould also has four more surfaces which run perpendicular to said one surface and said second surface and which connect said one surface and said another surface such that in these embodiments said physical mould has an approximate shape of a rectangular block (if the elevational structure of said one surface encoding said 3d relief information is neglected).

[0038] Said physical mould is provided with at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (preferably made of a metal such as aluminium) which can remain inside said physical mould.

[0039] Said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure prevents said physical mould from deforming during introduction of and / or hardening of a moulding mass with which said physical mould is to be filled.

[0040] Without such at least one mechanical reinforcement structure there would be shrinking or swelling of said moulding mass due to deformation of said physical mould such that an intended resolution cannot be achieved.

[0041] Yet another object of the disclosure relates to a computer program which, when the program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to control a production machine to carry out such a method. In this way, all steps of the method can be automatised.

[0042] Still another object of the disclosure relates to a data carrier signal carrying such a computer program or said 3d digital model of said painting for which a physical representation is to be produced.

[0043] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in dependent claims.

[0044] It should be noted that in some embodiments said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure has at least tensile strength already in isolated form (i. e., before it is added to said plastic mass, e. g. because it is a rigid mechanical reinforcement structure), and it can be therefore said that the at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is added to said plastic mass.

[0045] In other embodiments said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure gains at least tensile strength only after said plastic mass has hardened, e. g., if loose fibres or a chain mail structure in the form of a plurality of inter-connected metal loops are added to said plastic mass and the mechanical reinforcement effect results only after said plastic mass has hardened.

[0046] In these latter cases it can be said that said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is formed inside said plastic mass (after adding a precursor mechanical structure which then forms a connection with the hardening plastic mass).

[0047] In some embodiments there is only a single mechanical reinforcement structure present in the produced physical mould.

[0048] In other embodiments there are at least two mechanical reinforcement structures present which:- are arranged in the same portion of thickness of the physical mould (e. g., by way of several plane structures arranged beside each other), and / or- are arranged in different portions of thickness of the physical mould (e. g., by way of several plane structures arranged above or below each other with respect to the thickness of the physical mould)

[0049] In preferred embodiments all of the at least one mechanical reinforcement structures extend only over a part of the thickness of the produced physical mould. In other words, in these embodiments there are portions of thickness of the producedphysical mould where only said plastic mass but no mechanical reinforcement structure is present.

[0050] It is especially preferred that the portion of thickness which abuts the one surface of the physical mould which encodes the 3d relief information is free from mechanical reinforcement structures.

[0051] It is to be understood that the step of accessing colour information of said painting can be performed at any stage of the method before said hardened moulding mass is to be coloured or at the stage of colouring itself.

[0052] In some embodiments said 3d digital model of said painting already includes said colour information such that no extra step of accessing colour information is necessary.

[0053] In other embodiments said colour information is provided separately from said 3d digital model.

[0054] In some embodiments said 3d digital model of said painting for which a physical representation is to be produced:- is provided in a form including 3d colour information of said painting, or- said 3d digital model is provided by combining a 3d scan with separate colour information, preferably in the form of a colour photo

[0055] Colouring of said hardened moulding mass on basis of said colour information can be done by any known process, e. g., by using a printing process.

[0056] In some embodiments producing said physical mould is done with a resolution (with respect to all three dimensions) in the range of some 1 / 10 millimetres (mm), preferably with a resolution in the range of some micrometres.

[0057] While a planar extension of said physical mould will be chosen in dependence of the painting for which a physical representation is to be produced, in some embodiments a range for the thickness of said physical mould from about 10 mm to about 30 mm can be chosen.

[0058] In some embodiments said physical mould is made of silicone (polysiloxane), i. e., said plastic mass is chosen to be silicone.

[0059] Alternatively, said physical mould can be made of a resin (one component system or two component system).

[0060] Silicone is preferred because it is very easy to remove a moulding mass which hardened inside a silicone mould without damaging the hardened moulding mass.

[0061] For material other than silicone it might be advantageous to apply a separating agent such as a grease to said physical mould.

[0062] Before producing said 3d relief model, in some embodiments, modifying of said 3d digital model by image editing of said 3d digital model using any of the software known in the art can be done, e. g., in order to- remove the effects of ageing or other damage of said painting, and / or- add a software marking (e. g., in the form of an alphanumeric sequence or a computer-readable marking) in order to mark a physical representation produced on basis of said 3d digital model as a replica of an original painting, and / or- add 2d colour data to said 3d digital model, and / or- adjust any image information of said 3d digital model.

[0063] Said 3d relief model can be made of ink, plastic, metal, wood, ceramics or the like.

[0064] Preferably, said 3d relief model is produced by using additive manufacturing (preferred if said 3d relief model is to be made of ink or a thermoplastic) such as 3d printing or elevate printing.

[0065] Alternatively, subtractive manufacturing techniques could be used such as milling or eroding (preferred if said 3d relief model is to be made of plastics, metal, wood, or ceramics).

[0066] A frame can be provided around said 3d relief model which protrudes over said frame in order to prevent spilling of said plastic mass during production of said physical mould. After said plastic mass has hardened said frame can be removed or it can stay in place.

[0067] Alternatively, said 3d relief model can be produced such that no spilling of said plastic mass can occur, e. g., by producing said 3d relief model having a frame.

[0068] Alternatively, possible spilling of said plastic mass during production of said physical mould can be accepted.

[0069] In some embodiments, after hardening of said moulding mass, a carrier is laminated to another surface of said hardened moulding mass (said surface of the hardened moulding mass which does not encode said 3d relief information and is parallel to said one surface encoding said 3d relief information).

[0070] Said carrier can be made of a textile, preferably a cotton textile, or a synthetic textile.

[0071] It is preferred to use a carrier with a square meter weight in a range of about 200 g / m2to about 400 g / m2.

[0072] In some embodiments the procedure of embedding said mechanical reinforcement structure into said physical mould can be eased, e. g., by arranging a plurality of distance pieces on said 3d relief model and placing said mechanical reinforcement structure on said distance pieces.

[0073] In addition, or alternatively, the at least one mechanical reinforcement structure can be suspended from a holder by strings having such a length that said at least one mechanical reinforcement is at a desired position regarding the thickness of said physical mould.

[0074] After production of the physical mould, the portions of the strings protruding from said another surface of said physical mould can be cut and the rest of the strings can remain inside said plastic mass.

[0075] In some embodiments filling of said plastic mass in orderto produce said physical mould can be done in one continuous step.

[0076] Alternatively, a first amount of plastic mass can be provided, then said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure can be added and the rest of said plastic mass can be provided to produce said physical mould.

[0077] In some embodiments it is preferred that said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure covers almost (i. e., possibly leaving a small edge of plastic mass around said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure seen in lateral extension of said physical mould such that said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is completely surrounded by plastic mass) the whole area of lateral extension of said physical mould.

[0078] Preferably, a mechanical reinforcement structure in the form of a plane structure covers almost the whole area of lateral extension of said physical mould.

[0079] In some embodiments said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is arranged in a centre range or a higher range (considering said one surface which encodes said 3d relief information as the lowest range) of the thickness of said physical mould. In this way it is ensured that said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure does not disturb the forming of said one surface which encodes said 3d relief information in case said plastic mass has not yet hardened in the area of the one surface.

[0080] A suitable position can be easily found by way of experiment, but, by way of example, for a physical mould with a thickness of about 20 mm said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure can be placed in a region of about 1 mm to about 5 mm (measured from said one surface of said physical mould).

[0081] In some embodiments a thickness of at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcements structures is chosen to be in a range of about 0,5 mm to about 3 mm.

[0082] In some embodiments said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is provided with openings that allow passing of said plastic mass in order to safely embed said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure in the plastic mass of said physical mould.

[0083] By way of example, at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures is in the form of a perforated metal sheet or a metal grid or a metal mesh.

[0084] Generally speaking, said at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures is chosen in the form of a plane structure and preferably as at least one of the following:- a rigid plane structure, preferably a metal sheet or a metal grid or a metal mesh, or- a plane structure having only tensile strength, preferably a fibre material such as a fibre fabric or a fibre mesh

[0085] In some embodiments, at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures - preferably all of them - is arranged inside said plastic mass of said physical mould in such a way that said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure is completely surrounded by said plastic mass of said physical mould.

[0086] In some embodiments, said physical mould is filled:- with a moulding mass in the form of a two-component system (e. g., epoxide resin, PUR resin, vinyl resin) which is hardened by curing, or- in the form of a one-component system (e. g., gypsum, chalk, pigment, or any combination of those, possibly mixed with a binder such as water) which is hardened by drying

[0087] In some embodiments, said 3d digital model of the painting for which a physical representation is to be produced is provided by scanning said painting with a 3d scanning device which includes 3d colour information or by combining a 3d scan with separate colour information, e. g., a 2d colour photo.

[0088] Using 3d colour information can be preferred because in this case no adaptation of 2d colour data to said 3d digital model is necessary.

[0089] 3d scanning devices which can produce 3d scans with or without colour information without having to contact the painting and having a resolution in the range of micrometres in all three dimensions are known in the art.

[0090] By way of example, they can comprise lidar scanners or stereographic cameras which can be combined with an optical camera for producing a colour photo.

[0091] In some embodiments, after accessing said 3d digital model of the painting for which a physical representation is to be produced, said 3d digital model is modified to remove the effects of ageing or other damage of said painting.

[0092] In these embodiments said physical representation is an exact replica of the painting in its original state rather than in its present state.

[0093] In some embodiments after hardening of said moulding mass, a carrier is laminated to said hardened moulding mass.

[0094] In some embodiments, said physical representation is an exact replica of said painting, possibly with the exception of the effects of ageing or other damage of said painting which have been removed in the 3d digital model, and are therefore missing in the physical representation.

[0095] In these embodiments, an exact replica is a physical representation of a painting which is an exact copy with respect to texture (i. e., elevational information), colour, and degree of gloss.

[0096] Texture of a physical representation can be checked using photometric stereo technology where a surface normal is estimated by observing said surface in different lighting conditions. This technology is based on the fact that an amount of light reflected from a surface depends on an orientation of said surface relative to a source of light and relative to an observer. By measuring the amount of light reflected into a camera it is possible to limit the space of possible surface orientations. Provided there are enough light sources illuminating with different angles, said possible surface orientations can be restricted to one single possible orientation. Using this technology, it is possible to scan a surface with a resolution in a range of about 0,001 mm.

[0097] With respect to texture a copy is understood to be exact if differences are in a range about or below about 0,05 mm, preferably below about or below 0,01 mm.

[0098] Colour of a physical representation can be checked using a spectrophotometer which measures radiant energy transmitted or reflected by a surface as a function of wavelength using a standardised illumination which allows to determine a colour position of a probe. A CRI / RA-value which lies between 0 and 100 is a quantity for quality of colour reproduction of light sources. Said standardised illumination has a CRI / RA-value of 100.

[0099] With respect to colour a copy is understood to be exact if CRI / Ra > 90, preferably if CRI / Ra > 95.

[0100] Gloss of a physical representation can be checked using a reflectometer. Gloss of a surface is understood to be a proportion between incident radiation and radiation reflected by said surface in an angle of specular reflection.

[0101] With respect to degree of gloss a copy is understood to be exact if gloss of the original painting and said copy match to a degree better than at least 90 %, preferably better than at least 95 %.

[0102] In some embodiments, said physical representation is coded to mark it as a replica of said painting.

[0103] By way of example, in these embodiments it is possible to add a code carrier (such as an NFC chip) before laminating a carrier to said hardened moulding mass.

[0104] Alternatively, such a code carrier could be introduced into said moulding mass before hardening. As another example, a code carrier could be provided in the form of a marking (e. g., by printing, or lasering, or adhering a label).

[0105] Embodiments of the invention are discussed making use of the enclosed figures.

[0106] It is to be noted that in all figures the 3d elevational structure of a painting and the corresponding 3d relief information is massively exaggerated. All other dimensions are to scale.

[0107] Figure 1 shows how a 3d digital model of a painting for which a physical representation is to be produced is obtained by scanning said painting.

[0108] Figure 2A shows a cut through a physical reproduction.

[0109] Figure 2B shows a cut through a physical reproduction.

[0110] Figure 3A shows a coloured hardened moulding mass.

[0111] Figure 3B shows a hardened moulding mass before colouring.

[0112] Figure 4A shows a part of a 3d digital model of a painting.

[0113] Figure 4B shows a different part of a 3d digital model of a painting.

[0114] Figure 4C shows a part of a 3d digital model obtained by overlapping the parts shown in Figures 4A and 4B.

[0115] Figure 5A shows a partial cut view of a physical mould.

[0116] Figure 5B shows another partial cut view of the physical mould of Figure 5A.

[0117] Figure 5C shows another partial cut view of the physical mould of Figures 5A and 5B.

[0118] Figure 6A shows a top view of a partially produced physical mould.

[0119] Figure 6B shows a cut view along a centre line of the physical mould of Figure 6A.

[0120] Figure 7A shows a possible mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0121] Figure 7B shows another possible mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0122] Figure 8A shows a cut view along a centre line of a physical mould.

[0123] Figure 8B shows a possible mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0124] Figure 8C shows a cut view along a centre line of the mechanical reinforcement structure of Figure 8B.

[0125] Figure 9A shows a possible mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0126] Figure 9C shows a cut view along a centre line of the mechanical reinforcement structure of Figure 9A.

[0127] Figure 9B shows a possible mechanical reinforcement structure.

[0128] Figure 9D shows a cut view along a centre line of the mechanical reinforcement structure of Figure 9B.

[0129] In Figure 1 a 3d digital model 3 of a painting 2 for which a physical representation 1 is to be produced is obtained by 3d scanning said painting 2 using a 3d scanning device 8.

[0130] Figures 2A and 2B show the details of a physical representation 1 produced according to the invention in which elevational structure of said physical representation 1 can be seen.

[0131] Figures 3A and 3B show how hardened mould mass 5 is coloured to obtain said physical representation 1 of said painting 2.

[0132] In Figures 4A, 4B and 4C it is shown that scan regions which form part of the same 3d digital model 3 can be combined in order to increase quality of said 3d digital model 3.

[0133] In Figures 5A, 5B and 5C a physical mould 4 comprising a first embodiment of a mechanical reinforcement structure 7 is shown in a partial cut view.

[0134] Figures 6A and 6B show an arrangement of a 3d relief model 9, a frame 10 and a physical mould 4 which was formed by hardening a plastic mass filled into the space created by said 3d relief model 9 and said frame 10.

[0135] Four mechanical reinforcement structures 7 run parallel to each other in planar extension of said physical mould 4 with distances d2.

[0136] Said physical mould 4 has one surface 11 encoding 3d information of painting which is a negative of said 3d relief model 9 and which encodes the 3d relief information and another surface 12 which runs parallel to said one surface 11 in a distance equal to a thickness D of said physical mould 4.

[0137] It can be seen that over a distance P from said one surface 11 of said physical mould 4 which encodes 3d information of said painting 2 there is a region free from mechanical reinforcement structures 7.

[0138] As can be seen in Figure 6A, in case of more than one mechanical reinforcement structures 7 in the form of fibre fabrics, these fibre fabrics can be arranged such that a running direction of fibres differs from one mechanical reinforcement structure 7 to the next one.

[0139] Figure 7A shows a mechanical reinforcement structure 7 in the form of a fibre mesh.

[0140] Figure 7B shows a mechanical precursorto a mechanical reinforcement structure 7 in the form of loose short fibres.

[0141] Figure 8A shows the same embodiment like Figure 6B with the only difference that there is a single mechanical reinforcement structure 7 in the form of a perforated metal sheet extending along a part of thickness di of the thickness D of said physical mould 4 in which said perforations form openings to allow plastic mass to pass through.

[0142] Figures 9A and 9C show a mechanical reinforcement structure 7 in the form of a punched metal sheet.

[0143] Figures 9B and 9D show a mechanical reinforcement structure 7 in the form of a metal grid in which the net structure forms openings to allow plastic mass to pass through.List of Reference numbers:1 physical representation of a painting2 painting3 3d digital model of a painting4 physical mould5 moulding mass6 carrier7 mechanical reinforcement structure8 3d scanning device9 3d relief model10 frame11 one surface of physical mould encoding 3d information of painting12 another surface of physical mould di part of thickness of physical mould over which mechanical reinforcement structure extends d2 distance between two mechanical reinforcement structuresD thickness of physical mouldP distance of mechanical reinforcement structure from that surface of physical mould which encodes 3d information of painting

Claims

Claims:

1. Method for producing a physical mould (4), which can be used in a method for producing a physical representation (1) of a painting (2), comprising at least the steps of: accessing a 3d digital model (3) of said painting (2) for which a physical representation (1) is to be produced, producing a 3d relief model (9) in the form of a positive of said 3d digital model (3), producing a physical mould (4) having one surface (11) in the form of a negative of said 3d digital model (3) by covering said 3d relief model (9) with a plastic mass, wherein said produced physical mould (4) comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7).

2. Method according to the preceding claim wherein at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) is: added to said plastic mass, or formed inside said plastic mass3. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) is chosen provided with openings that allow passing of said plastic mass in order to safely embed said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7) in said plastic mass of said physical mould (4).

4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) is chosen in the form of a plane structure, in particular in the form of:a rigid plane structure; preferably a metal sheet or a metal grid or a metal mesh a plane structure having only tensile strength; preferably a fibre material or chain mail structure5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) - preferably all of them - is arranged inside said plastic mass of said physical mould (4) in such a way that said at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) is completely surrounded by said plastic mass of said physical mould (4).

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7) - preferably a mechanical reinforcement structure (7) in the form of a plane structure - covers almost the whole area of lateral extension of said physical mould (4).

7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein said physical mould (4) comprises at least two mechanical reinforcement structures (7) which are arranged: in the same part (di) of thickness (D) of said physical mould (4), and / or in different parts of thickness (D) of said physical mould (4) having a distance (dz) between each other8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein all of the at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) each extend only over a part (di) of said thickness (D) of said produced physical mould (4); and particularly wherein that part (P) of thickness (D) which abuts said one surface (11) of said physical mould (4) which encodes the 3d relief is free from mechanical reinforcement structures (7).

9. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein said plastic mass for producing said physical mould (4) is chosen to be silicone.

10. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein after accessing said 3d digital model (3) of said painting (2) said 3d digital model (3) is modified.

11. A method for producing a physical representation (1) of a painting (2), comprising at least the steps of: providing a physical mould (4) which has one surface (11) encoding a 3d relief information of said painting (2) and which comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7); and which preferably was produced using a method according to at least one of the preceding claims; filling said physical mould (4) with a moulding mass (5), after said moulding mass (5) has hardened, colouring of said hardened moulding mass (5) according to colour information of said painting (2) to obtain said physical representation (1) of said painting (2).

12. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein a physical representation (1) is understood to be an exact copy of a painting (2) if: with respect to texture differences between said physical representation (1) and said painting (2) are in a range about or below about 0,05 mm, preferably below about or below 0,01 mm, and / or with respect to colour CRI / Ra > 90, preferably if CRI / Ra > 95, and / or with respect to gloss, gloss of said painting (2) and gloss of said physical representation (1) match to a degree better than at least 90 %, preferably better than at least 95 %13. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims wherein said 3d digital model (3) and / or said physical representation (1) is coded to mark said physical representation (1) as a replica of said painting (2).

14. A physical mould (4), in particular for use in a method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said physical mould (4) has one surface (11) encoding a 3d relief information of a painting (2) and comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement structure (7), preferably provided with openings; and preferably said physical mould (4) is made of silicone.

15. Physical mould (4) according to the preceding claim wherein at least one of said at least one mechanical reinforcement structures (7) is a plane structure and, preferably is: a rigid plane structure; preferably a metal sheet or a metal grid or a metal mesh, or a plane structure having only tensile strength; preferably a fibre material such as a fibre fabric or a fibre mesh16. Computer program which, when the program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to control a production machine to carry out a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 13.

17. A data carrier signal carrying the computer program of the preceding claim or said 3d digital model (3) of said painting (2) for which a physical representation (1) is to be produced.

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