This is illustrated well with “Suzanne”, the Blender test mesh.

This does not hold with 3D Printing, you need to define a complete physical object. Normally, if is hidden from view, there is no point in taking up your time or computer power to deal with it. When using Blender to create a scene or a render, it is common practice to hide unseen details. The 3D Printing Tool highlighted the edges around the eyes that need to be fixed.

Does not come with the default install, but you should find the latest version, along with installation instructions with a search.

Comes with the default install but you may need to turn it on via the menu: File->User Preferences and going to the Add-On tab.There are a couple of add-ons you will need. You can pretty much ignore everything else. You might need to learn the basics of UV unwrapping if you need to 3D print in colour. Master those and a world of possibilities open up for 3D Printing. Blender for 3D Printingīeyond getting to grips with the interface and a quick tour of the software, for 3D Printing purposes, I suggest narrowing your focus down to modelling skills. And keep an eye on BlenderNation for news and inspiration from what others are doing with Blender. There are on-line tutorials to get you started, two of my favourites sources for tutorials are BlenderCookie and BlenderGuru. One of the hurdles new users find is the vast array of functionality and not knowing where to begin. One of the comments I hear often about Blender is its steep learning curve, and there is a valid point here. We have experimented with modelling, creating realistic renders, animation, video sequencing and explored many of the amazing things Blender is capable of.

We have been using Blender for several years as a side-hobby and creative outlet. Blender relies on support from the Blender community, so if you do use it, it would be good form to contribute in some way. Blender is open source software which you can download for free at.

Blender 3d print toolbox