As an older person with zero history in designing, painting, photoshop… anything that might be considered previous experience for using Blender or any other program, is AI any good in designing prints that I could then tinker with… with the long term plan in teaching myself how to create something to print?
As I progress I typically pick things up pretty quick but I am yet to find any basic guide that makes sense but then I look at the AI programs and I need to learn how to use that too…
I can make my miniatures by hand using many different materials… but I am looking for any tips to help an older lady that really wants to learn how to make her own designs!
Ideally I would eventually love to print my own designs and take them to the markets to sell or use them in the disability sector when people can come and print a design and then paint it.
I have been using TinkerCad to design all of my creations. I am retired and have had zero CAD experience but I found TinkerCAD to be easy to learn. There are some good instructional videos on YT to help you get going.
I just recently started using Fusion 360 to make the rounded edges on my designs. You can export from TinkerCad directly into Fusion 360.
Take a look at MakerLab, it is part of MakerWorld.
There are many tools available that are free or their usage is in exchange for credits, which are given to you or you can exchange some points for them.
You can create little miniatures ready to be printed by supplying an image and the model is turned into a 3D version.
You can create sculptures or busts, light boxes (requires LED strips to be installed to benefit from them) and lots more.
I string recommend spending some time exploring all the features and model variations available. It costs nothing to try them on screen.
I’ve been a visual artist for over 45 year, and used Maya 3D/ZBrush/Blender for the last 16 years for 3D design, and now exploring CAD systems.
I can not recommend this enough: Step back and look at the fundamentals of design. Topics like the Golden Ratio, Symmetry, and motion are critical to visual design and doubly so for 3D design. There are thousands of YT University videos about these topics, and once you’re tipped of to their ideas, it will almost break your concepts of reality with the amount of joy it brings as you begin to see how they surround our daily live.
Congratulation’s on starting your new adventure. And remember to design like a child, it’s not work, it’s fun.
Good idea… I have actually played around a little bit with Makerlab and I sort of forgot about it so I will go in and check it out again. I have done Lithopanes and enjoyed making those…