Using blender 3d to create stl for CW pattern

[oscarl48]

I had a request to show how I sometimes go about doing 2.5d patterns using blender.

The main difference is the 2.5d model is not meant to be 3d from the very start. You are aiming for a specific image and perspective that will not be able to be rotated in 3d space for other views or at least not normally.

Did a free hand model drawing with the grease pencil as a reference and then built a 4 layer model that I could port into CW. Sorry my screen capture software does not capture the cursor so can be a little difficult to follow completely but should have all the key points on there.

As can be seen in the video there are 4 different pieces at different levels/layers that create depth in the pattern. Each is separate but since the perspective is hiding this fact it all works out.

The pattern is not meant to be anything good other than showing the completed pattern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soly...ature=youtu.be

[oscarl48]

I hope every blender user is being inspired by Alan Malmstrom's latest patterns (I was). Sculpt painting is incredibly versatile and the process is also really easy. I say the process only because creating patterns like Alan's are not easy since they are all about his artistic skill.

But it is doable!

Open a plane. Go to edit mode. Subdivide 8 to 10 times (depends on what your computer can handle). Go to sculpt mode. Start sculpting. Blender now has metacap materials that really helps see what you are doing.

I have about an hour into the bull rider sculpt. Good patterns take time (hours to days). Take your time and slowly build up your detail.

[oscarl48]

Not super clean but I only spent about 2 hours on it. Good enough for a practice piece. Recommend height of 500 and small draft for this one.

pattern of the bull rider enclosed.

[dbemus]

Impressive work Oscarl48!

[oscarl48]

pure luck.

[normrichards]

As usual, really nice.

[oscarl48]

About 10 hours of 3d modeling and I think 11 separate models. I still have some tweaking to do on the 3d model and I'm not sure if I will throw into the pattern depot or keep for my personal library. What you will notice is there is only about 80% original models. Once you build a model and its in your library you can reuse with a new model or composition.

Use the append button.

Go to your library where your bend files are located and open the bend file you want. The bend file is actually a file container with all the piece parts that create the 3d model.

Select the Object folder.

In that folder you will have the geometry saved plus your lighting and camera. Select all the geometry only. You can select the lights and camera but you will have to delete them from your scene when opened.

By selecting the geometry and hitting the append button it will open that geometry into your new scene.

You now have the old saved model available to use in a new composition.

Nerded out on the model. Its hard to see because of the resolution but there are some steampunk gears as part of the model.

[oscarl48]

Showing off another pattern finished with blender. Another 10 hours straight of modeling.

This one drove me nuts. In the end the mesh was messed up because I did really sloppy techniques with switching normals and ngons and tris all over the place because I was too lazy to retopologize. Designer refused to port it. But I had the bas relief node on an older blender version that saved the day. It is not perfect since I ported it with an image. An stl would have been a lot cleaner if I could have managed it but I just could not get it to port and I am unsure what is causing the failure. The stl is running around 80 megs so that should not be the issue so it has to be the mesh.

Hopefully it can give a small amount of inspiration to get into the blender software and start cranking out some masterpiece patterns.

[normrichards]

As usual, real nice oscar

[oscarl48]

Norm, thanks.

Completely screwed the pattern up though. I have to keep relearning modeling techniques. I realized near the end of the model build that the different levels of the model were all over the place and it was so complex with switch backs there was no fixing it unless I deleted half of it. (10 hours was enough!) Thank goodness for the bas relief node add-on I had. It did a really good crisp port of the pattern.

The cool part is once you have the model you can keep playing with it. I have really been trying to learn the other side of 3d modeling and creating art with it. Applied a crystal material to the model and then rendered with different colored lights.