When you're making a digital 3D model that you want to make into a papercraft model with Pepakura Designer, it's important to plan ahead.
In this case, you can see how I'm breaking up the dragon plume of the Black Knight LEGO minifig into separate parts, to make it easier to build out of paper later on.
It's not difficult to see the main shape: the dragon body. And then basically, all the parts that are thinner (the beak, the tip and spines on the tail) or thicker (the wings) will be separate parts that you can easily glue on after assembling them separately.
Because I think if you'd try to make the dragon plume as one hollow shell, it would be almost impossible to build...!
For the same reason, I also exaggerated the grooves and spiral of the wings. It looks good I think, but the parts will still be quite thin, so it will be very important to thoroughly score the fold lines so you can easily make sharp, crisp folds. ;o)
Stay tuned!
can you make tutorial how to draw 3D model for papercraft with sketchup :)
ReplyDeletethank's
I'm afraid making a separate step-by-step tutorial would take me too much time; but you can read my "work in progress" posts to see some tips and how I do it.
DeleteEspecially about my papercraft LEGO minifigs, because I made the 3D models for them specifically with Sketchup: http://ninjatoes.blogspot.nl/search/label/LEGO )
Sketchup is a really easy program to learn, and there are already a lot of good tutorials about it (on the official website http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/training/videos.html itself, but on lots of Sketchup fanforums and fansites too! ;o)
The only difference is, that you have to try and plan ahead to make the shapes out of paper later, and how to do that is different for everybody: what I think is a good way, is not necessarily what somebody else thinks is a good way too... ;o)
But I think you will find out your best way if you simply play around and make some fun models of your own; the more you do it, the easier it gets. ;o)
Some general tips that I always try to do are, to always try to break down complex shapes into separate, closed shapes that are easier to build than completely hollow "shells".
If you can, try to get good images from all sides from whichever model you want to make (I simply scanned a real LEGO minifig with a 2D scanner). You can import them in Sketchup and use them as guides to get the shapes right (but you can also make an original model of course! ;o)
Try to imagine breaking down the model and unfolding it in your head right from the start, so you can make the 3D model to fit your ideas: Pepakura Designer is really only an unfolding tool, if you don't plan ahead on the 3D model, you won't be able to unfold it the way you want!
Try out your paper models (test build them) and don't be afraid to go back and change things if you come up with a good new idea. The more you play around with the programs and try out new ideas, the easier it will get.
And most importantly: take your time (don't try to make very complex models in one day) and have fun! ;o)