Tips to 'Get Good' at design plz

MakerWorld
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Hey,

If you consider yourself a successful designer of 3d models on this platform would you be kind enough to share tips or your story on how you got to where you are?

I just got a second hand ipad and put nomad on it, and I put fusion on my PC.
It’s genuinely SO MUCH harder than I thought, and when I think I did good I show it to someone the next day and I realise how awful it looks.

I’m wondering if there’s any point uploading my terrible depictions of dogs and christmas decorations when, looking at the competition there’s SO MUCH good stuff out there. When you started, did you upload everything, or wait until you had something good?

How long did it take you until you felt your uplaods start to get traction and popularity? I’m thinking of focusing on either geometric ornaments (fusion on PC) and animals (nomad on ipad on the train).

Thanks for your thoughts

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I highly recommend watching drugfreedave on youtube for nomad sculpt tutorials. He has 500+ videos dedicated to nomad sculpt on this playlist alone https://youtu.be/YTYXh2UqLBM?si=9XQe35rhRc5AYM3J

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Just start with what you know and simple ideas. Consider each idea a lesson in problem solving. Analyse and “take apart” other models to see how they are done. Keep making things and build upon what you learned previously. The ideas will get bigger as your abilities improve. I’m more of a dimensional modeler and like to build things with precision. Others are more sculptural or artistic with their modeling. I still have yet to learn true 3D modeling software, but I’ve used Adobe Illustrator for decades and a comfortable starting my creations from there. Everyone is different.

Here is a picture of my very first model from 2 years ago and a more recent and complex one. There are at least 100 models or so in between. It takes time but keep at it and enjoy the ride!

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IMG_34051170×897 219 KB

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IMG_34061170×1546 730 KB

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Practice, then practice some more.

Pick something you can build and work through the problems and you will learn as you go.

Do not get discouraged, no one started great, every one of use started somewhere and we are on a journey to where we end up.

You will look back on things you design today and laugh at how you made it, but we ALL do that as we constantly learn.

Google your problem, find the YouTube video where someone walks you through it and do it a few times.

You will progress faster than you think.

I always found that having a project is far better than following simple things. A project focuses you on the tasks required to solve it.

I did the same thing each time I learned a new programming language and then 3D design.

Be realistic, try to match the project to new skills you can learn, but make it practical.

The first model I created was to be used in my conservatory to replace an air vent where plastic had petrified over time. The new one works well, I printed six, three to install and three spare.

I shared it here and despite it being a specific set of dimensions, many have downloaded it.

This is something you need to enjoy, so keep thinking positively.

Your friends and family will soon start asking you to solve problems for them.

I have created cogs for an industrial ice cream machine, drain covers to stop a blind dog from falling into it, an extension to a portable air conditioner so it could be mounted into a window securely. I haven’t shared any of those as they were very specific for friends.

I began my 3D designing journey at the start of 2024 and I have shared over 850 models on MakerWorld with another 20 queued up to share when I am able.

I had zero 3D design experience when I started and had no training.

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Fantastic thank you so much you talented people! It sounds like I am on the tracks so just need to keep going :slight_smile:

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