3D Modelling- Inquiring And Analysing

3D Modelling- Inquiring And Analysing

In this unit , we’re doing 3D modelling. We started this unit with exploring different 3D modelling softwares.

3D Modelling Software Review

Sketchup:

The above is what I made when I started playing around and messing with Sketchup. Some kind of future house.

First we tried Sketchup which is a 3D software for engineers and architects because it lets you make geometric shapes and there are a lot of measuring tools and scales to help users make their models accurate. You can draw a surface and use one of the tools to drag it up as a 3D shape. You can draw lines and Sketchup helps you seal them into a surface. You can colour what you make and tune the transparency. This is a really cool programme, and I like it very much.

Sculptris:

The above is an alien I made that has tentacles and parts swinging and hanging around

The second 3D programme we tried is Sculptris. It is for artists because it's for sculpting on the computer. You start a sphere and you use different tools to shape it as it is a clay on the computer. You can, crease it (the sphere/ your sculpture), inflate it, smoothen it, flatten it; You can choose materials of your sculpture; You can choose the colour of it; You can choose to make it symmetrical or not (but it is typically a one way operation). You can use your computer to sculpt an artwork and print it as a 3D model or use it as a gam character, isn't that cool? You don't have to get messy, you can undo or redo when there's a mistake, it's easy to use that you'll feel like a pro by only using it for a while. However, you need something like a stick or pillar to support hanging parts to make it printable. Which is not the software's fault. It also has built-in tutorials for users.

Meshmixer:

I was trying to make a key chain with my name on it.

The third one we tried is Meshmixer. It’s for artists too because you can put body parts, and words, and it lets you do things like what sculptris do too. You can import like spheres and plates and animals. Then you can put on body parts, letters, and inflate, flatten, drag… This is a bit more difficult to use because there are more functions and is more complicated. However, I think it’s going to be a very nice and useful programme after I get used to it. (It is the new version that can be downloaded now so it is hard to find tutorials)

Tinkercad:

The above is a "building" I made, kind of like a shop, in tinkercad.

The forth one we tried is tinkercad. It is a software for making and creating and designing. It is a really good software that lets you do and make a wide range of things. In here, there are: geometric shapes, letters, numbers There are numbers and letters and geometric shapes, symbols, and extras (rabbit ear, chicken foot...) for you to drag to your working plane. It lets you change height, size, positions, and angles in a simple way- You can use arrows and just drag it around. It shows you the measurements of an object when you move it around or change it sizes. Also, if you are the kind of person that is lazy to find out tutorials, this may be the software you like, because it has built-in tutorials which are real and it forces you to go through it.

123d Design on iPad

Weird looking object out of robot parts and geometric 3D shapes

This is my second favourite 3D modelling programme for now (the first one is sketchup). In this software, you can basically get different pieces, change their sizes and put them together. This software is for making anything- robots, transportations and vehicles, decorations, furnitures... Many things! You can even make organic shapes and going into details.  You can do almost anything. Another good thing is, you can work on a same project on you mac and you iPad as you can save it in your icloud. The above is a picture of a weird looking thing I made. At first, I wanted to make a train but I thought it would give you more of an idea of what you can do in 123d design, so I mixed things up.

Here I will tell you the functions of 123d design. You may not want to read it, but it should give you a better idea of the functions

So first of all you can choose from the four "choices" on the left: It says "Primitives", "Glider", "Robots", and "Model Houses". You can click on one and there is going to be a lot of options of 3D models for you to choose.

• Primitives: Sphere, cube, cone...
• Glider: Canard, Fuselage, Straight Wings...
• Robots: Different Ears, Eyes, Completed Heads, Radar, Arms and dozens of them
• Model Houses: Deck, Joist, Steps, Walls, Railing...

You can combine parts together with some tools in the bottom, you can check informations...

• It is really easy to use
• You can change view with one or two fingers
• You can select a part or an object with only touching/ clicking on it
• You can undo and redo

IN THE PHOTO, there's a bar of tools on the right side which was suppose to be on the left. You select one of those tools by clicking and you can start using.

• In that bar, you can MOVE thing around "x, y, or z" axis with arrows
• You can ROTATE the object in all three axis
• You can CHANGE SIZES and height
• You can tap two faces and SNAP them together
• You can APPLY COLOUR to an object.

This software is totally awesome and I like it very much.

I'm going to show a video in order to give you a clearer idea of the software- 123d design:

(For the video if you watched it, you can drag MODEL HOUSES, GLIDERS and ROBOTS too of course. I'm using primitives as an example as it's more simple)

123d Make:

The above is what you get when you choose a car from "open example shape"

Menu Bar of 123d make

Menu Bar of 123d make

123d make-> Custom-> Material Size

123d make is basically a software that helps you make the 3D model you imported into slices. So you can print it out in a normal printer, cut out the shapes of each layer, stick it to the cardboards, cut the cardboards too, and put or stick or fold them together to get your model. It has quite a few construction techniques for you, and it has a lot of functions to help make your model perfect.

Picture 1 is what you get when you open 123d make and choose open a car example shape. On the right side and tools for changing view like grab the object, or change the angle of view, zoom in and out... and all these simple tools.


Picture 2 shows the bar on the left:

• The sign below the eye on the top is to flip the model 90º
• The import button is to import 3D models of course.
• The software actually allows you to see the information about each piece that has been sliced, so you can choose the unit you want, and the size of the object
• So under Construction Technique, you click select and you'll end up with what you're seeing, different way to slice the model into layers. In my class, we're focusing on "stacked slices" and "interlocked slices". And I'll show you stacked slices as an example

Stacked slices:

• Picture 3, When you click the box that says "custom" on the top, and click on one of the options, this will appear below:
• Picture 4, As mentioned, you can change units, and size, and here is the cool part- you can change the thickness of the cardboard for a higher resolution.

The above is the stacked slices construction technique with quite high resolution due to thin thickness of cardboard

The Three Ideas

We have to think of three projects and choose one of them to do. It has to be very different and using different softwares. These are my ideas of what I want to do:

Idea 1

Make a medium-size desk out of cardboard: 

In details (the software are possibilities of what softwares to use):

I will make a basic model of the desk with maybe sketchup, then I may import it to other 3D modelling softwares to add details and decorations, then I will import it to 123d make and fix it to what I want, and print it out. I would probably do some artwork afterwards. It would have a lot of detail and decorations, with containers and stuff. It will a usable one that is for myself. I have a desk in my room, but I thought it would be cool to have a small separate table to put stuff or take it around.

Feedbacks:

It is awesome. The table is going to be something useful. It may be time-consuming to cut and stick the pieces, but it will be a very interesting to get it into use, it is a practical idea.

Idea 2

Make a plastic model of my family and I and my friends:

In details (the software are possibilities of what softwares to use):

I would use 123d catch to take photos of myself and my family and my friends and turn it into a 3D model. Then, I may use 3D tin or maybe mesh-mixer to add decorations or whatever to make it better, then I will print it. The model will be for me and my family as something to remember my friends, and something to look after some time as a souvenir of childhood, possibly.

Feedbacks:

It is awesome. The idea is really good and cool and unique. It is a really neat and special idea to have your whole family in a 3D model. It is a great idea because later it can be looked at as a memory of childhood. It is a clever idea!

Idea 3

Make an animation with a character I created:

In details (the software are possibilities of what softwares to use):

I will use Sculptris to create a character then use blender to animate it, it would be cartoon. The animation is just for entertainment, and because it is fun to create characters. That may be the best part of the project.

Feedback:

It is awesome.

It gives an opportunity of trying a variety of softwares, and it can be shared to different people to watch for entertainment and enjoy.

Final choice and justification

My final choice is to make a medium size desk. It is because I have been wanting a separate desk apart from the one that is one with my bed. I also wanted a unique one that is specially designed for me in what I like- the size, style, decoration, containers...  And I want a desk that is light (cardboard is the only way to get my 3D desk, and the cardboard desk will be light) because I think would be awesome to move the desk around. I always put thoughts into it by imagining, and I have been really excited about this and put a lot more thought into it since I knew we are doing 3D modelling for this unit for design class. I thought this 3D modelling project is just the nice and perfect place, to get my favourite desk and to use and show my creativity, and knowledge maybe- Like how to make it stand and support properly. It is difficult to have it standing and supporting properly. But that's the interesting and challenging part! It can also be a huge researching part on this project. And as my dad has experience in making things and my mum is good in math, they may know how to make it supportable, so I can learn from them. These are the reason I chose this idea- making a (medium-sized) desk, and I am really thrilled about it.

I didn't choose the second one because it is not challenging and is too simple. And that is not something I really wanted, not as much as the table. And even if I want it, I can do it other times at school.

I didn't choose the third one because I don't really like animating that much, not as much as having something physical that is useful, not for now. I am not interested and I also think making physical things might be a better way to express MY creativity. And it seems a little too challenging, so I think it might be better to stay stable.

Guiding Questions

We have to do 5-8 guiding questions to help us organise our plan.

1. What softwares should I use to do this project?
2. What should the table have?
3. Where will I put the table (affecting how big and how should it fit) and what's the size of it?
4. How can I/ What techniques can I use to make the table stand?
5. What style will I like the table to be (ocean, forest, flames, spalshes...)?
6. What shape should the table be in?
7. What construction technique should I use?
8. How should I organise my time? With making the model on the computer and cutting pieces and putting them together.