"Getting started with 3D printing?" Topic

So, I am about to dive into 3D sculpting and printing. I'm going to invest in a copy of zbrush. I've dabbled with other free software like Blender and others, but zbrush seems to have everything I need.. plus the other sculptors I've been working with all use it.

The thing I worry about most is making stuff look right, like proportions especially. I think I can handle the detail work, but the figure still has to be the right size. Does anyone know if there's places were you can download "starter" figures? Like a mostly nekkid male and female just standing up straight, and you sculpt the clothing and stuff onto them, then pose it? I think something like that would be a great start and really speed things up for me, but the only things I've been able to find are more like for video games or movies… I want something good for miniatures and 3D printing.

Anyone know any good resources out there that will help me learn the ropes? Not just how the program works but 3D sculpting in general?

(Edit: I meant to make the title "Getting started with 3D sculpting, not printing, oops :) )

I can't speak for Zbrush (being too cheap to shell out $800 USD or whatever it costs!), but I know that most other design suites have libraries that you can download things from. Sketchup has what they call the 3D Warehouse, where users can upload their designs for other users to download. I'm sure if you check out the Zbrush forums, you might be able to find something similar.

Part of the process is learning how to design for the actual printing process. We have large numbers of students who can design 3D models, but then their prints fail for a variety of reasons. Knowing what kind printer that you're going to use, the materials that you will be working with, etc., need to be accounted for the in the design process.

I have tried most of the free programs, and I can not say I am very please with any of them.
"FreeCad" has nice tools to create and modify mechanical elements, but is crippled by limited viewing tools. And prone to errors that crash the program or make unworkable items.

"Sketchup" is easy to start with but uses a propitiatory file type. And I am having difficulty getting beyond simple mechanical objects.

"AutoDesk 123D Design" is the best for me, that I have worked out. Nice, easy, and intuitive viewing, reasonable number of tools, that do most of what I want. But again limited file types

<<I do not have my notes here so this is an incomplete and inaccurate accounting>>

For organic forms, one needs an completely different set of programs.
"Meshmixer" another from the Autodesk 123D people is the only one I have had any luck with. And that was limited. But at least it is compatible with the better mechanical object builder.

I too would love to here from folks who have actually made things work.

pm sent.

I've used sketch-up to design artillery and other bits of equipment, what would often be referred to as "straight line" work. Its probably the simplest program to get to grips with and get results relatively quickly. It can export designs as OBJs which are fairly widespread in terms of compatibility.

I doubt you could use it easily for figure sculpting though, and I agree Z-Brush is probably the way to go for that, but as mentioned its much more complex and not cheap. Plus you'd get the most from it with a graphics pad (I get on fine with sketch-up with a mouse).

Yes, an error of commenting with out my notes. Yes, .OBJ and .STL are the most common file types. It is what most 3D printer will take as input.

I know "Blender 3D" is rather popular, and can clearly do organic forms, but I could not even get started with the complicated interface and it is really designed for animation work. Cool but too difficult for my needs.

I do not recall the name of the one I am thinking of, but it allowed 4 views at once (X,Y,Z, and orbiting or isometric) and did well from going from a three view sketch to a 3D object.

I know that my input device is poor for these applications.
Any direction on a "How To" guide page?

Yeah I've dabbled with Blender. I tried the sculpting tools and made some things for fun, but I would rather go with zbrush. I already have a bunch of zbrush files from other sculptors I've worked with, like a file full of different guns we use for my minis. I just thought it would be cool if I could start off with an already-sculpted guy or girl model that's anatomically correct to save a lot of time, and then alter that for whatever sculpt I need weather it's a person or a monster. Once I buy the program I plan to sign up for some online sculpting class videos, so I might be able to get some good source files to build off of from there.

I'd also like to do some terrain pieces, so I was thinking for those I'd start with Sketchup or something that can do more precision kind of measurements so everything will fit together properly and get the basic look down, and then bring it into zbrush to add detail.

I totally agree with clibinarium; Sketchup struggles with organic shapes. It can be done, but it is time-consuming, often with having to connect individual vertices to close holes where two shapes failed to mesh well.

However, everything I've made has been with the free version of Sketchup:

javelin98.blogspot.com

link

(Okay, yes, now I'm just showing off.)

Hello, i made a basic tool kit for exactly this kind of needs:

There are a dwarf, human/elf, goblinoid, orcoid and "super human" T posed models. Also i made what i call "protobits" they are like primitive weapons shapes to work from.

Also some basic animals: horse, boar, elephant, "feline body" and "canyne" body plus wings basic mesh to sculpt or substract from.

They are "low" poly, i say "low" because they do have thousands of polys, but you can have up to millons in one object in Zbrush thanks to how it is designed.

I have sculpted and printed many miniatures, onl the 1st model had a proportiosn problem, that i never again faced becuase i now work with a GRID.

What you have to is SET a GRID with X amount of squares, and you mentally say "ok, each square represents 1mm"

From there, i know if a details is 1mm, 0,5mm, 3mm etc.

That is really helpfull with weapons edges, hands/fingers and facial details , for example, i know i have to make eyes at least 0,5mm "tall", otherwise they wont be observable.

The problem with digital sculpting is that you can see it very closely, and think that some details is big enough.. NO, you see ti big because you can zoom, but in real life it might not be apreciated.

SORRY ABOUT MY ENGLISH.

I will send PM to you.

Wow, nice work! Tempts me to invest in Zbrush.

One good feature in Sketchup is that you can draw a measuring line between two points, which grows and shrinks as you scale up the model. Here's an example:

Can I ask a couple of questions about this I know nothing about 3D printing:

1. Can I import a 2D picture and turn it into a 3D file?

2. What I want done is a low relief panel like below how difficult is it?

3. Can I scale the 3D file to whatever size I need it printed at?

4. Is there someone or somelace that would do this commercially for me and then I could get it printed?

These re panels to add to a larger model

I am sorry if this info has already been provided but you can also look up "base male mesh" and find some free base human models to start with inside of zbrush. Then use the 3d printing export option inside of zbrushs zplugs.

Also, the Dynamesh feature is what you should use for sculpting on these base models. Check out Dynamesh tutorials on youtube. Heres a recent undead archer I did in zbrush on twitch using dynamesh.

twitch.tv/grigzzy/v/24196864