One of the things I enjoy doing in my free time is 3D modeling. One of my friends from my hometown, Rafael, owns a 3D printer. When I am on vacation from college, I model some objects and ask him to print them. After that, I pick up the object and finish it with painting and sometimes resin.
Pen holder
The first of these projects was the holder. I wanted a place to store the pen for my drawing tablet in a way that also looked nice. It was an idea I had ever since I started making digital illustrations. I tried a few times years ago with clay, but I did not have a kiln to finish the sculpture.
When I took a 3D modeling elective in college, I saw the opportunity to finally make this project happen.
During my vacation, I sketched different versions of the holder, some similar to my original idea and others very different. I decided to go with the octopus design. At the time, I assumed it would be quite challenging, which made it a good opportunity to practice and learn more about modeling.
Before starting the modeling process, I measured my pen and created a blueprint for the holder to make sure all proportions were correct and that it would work once printed.
I picked up the printed model and a leftover piece of filament from my friend to test paints and see which adhered best. Finally, I painted and finished the holder.
Coaster
The second project was a coaster. As with the other projects, I started by sketching some ideas in my sketchbook. The option I chose was not too difficult to model, but it gave me the chance to work with resin. It was a material I wanted to learn about, and I saw this project as an opportunity to do so.
The idea was to design the object to look like the lid of an aquarium. The shape of the coaster prevents water from cold cups or bottles from dripping onto the table.
In this project, resin not only worked as a waterproof coating but also protected the painting and gave the piece the look of glass or the water surface of the aquarium.
