Elephant_STL_DEAR_ZOO_TACTILEPICTUREBOOKSPROCJET_CU_BOULDER

thingiverse

I DECIDED TO CREATE A HIGH QUALITY ELEPHANT FOR THE "DEAR ZOO" MODELING PROJECT AT TACTILE PICTURE BOOKS PROJECT, CU BOULDER. I OUTLINED THE ELEPHANT FROM THE BEGINNING, INCLUDING ITS EXTERIOR SILHOUETTE AND INTERIOR LINES LIKE LEGS, MOUTH, AND EYES. THEN I ADDED A PLANE ON TOP OF IT AND SUBDIVIDED IT MANY TIMES TO GET A HIGH POLY MESH. I USED THE SCULPT TOOL TO DRAW THE ELEPHANT, WHICH HAS DIFFERENT BRUSHES. I KEPT SWITCHING BETWEEN THE "DRAW" BRUSH, WHICH MOVES VERTICES FORWARD ALONG THEIR NORMALS, OR BACKWARDS BY HOLDING THE SHIFT KEY. THE SECOND MOST USED BRUSH WAS THE "SMOOTH" BRUSH, WHICH GUESS WHAT IT SMOOTHENS. THIS APPROACH HAS A FEW ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. ADVANTAGES: IN COMPARISON TO OTHER TECHNIQUES, THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO CREATE A HIGH POLY MESH. IT IS ALSO LESS TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE IT'S SIMILAR TO WORKING WITH CLAY. THE REASON FOR THAT IS I'M BASICALLY BULGING 2D PICTURES INTO 3D ONES, AND THAT'S WHAT THE SCULPT TOOL IS MEANT TO DO (IN A WAY). IT'S GREAT AT DOING IT. SINCE USING THE SCULPT TOOL IS LIKE WORKING WITH CLAY, THIS TECHNIQUE IS LESS STRESSFUL FOR MY BRAIN (COMPARABLE TO OTHER TECHNIQUES I'VE USED FOR THE BOOK). DISADVANTAGES: BECAUSE I'M MOVING MULTIPLE VERTICES AT ONCE, THAT LEAVES ME LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE MODEL. THIS RESULTS IN MULTIPLE ISSUES. IF INTERSECTING TRIANGLES HAPPEN, THEN IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO BACK AND FIX THE MODEL. THE MODEL WILL BULGE OVER THE OUTLINES I CREATED EARLY ON. IT'S CHALLENGING TO CREATE SHARP EDGES.