Gryphon

thingiverse

Human: A custom-designed gryphon serves as a memento for my robotics team as a giveaway item. How I Created This Masterpiece Designing the STL The original file was severely under-resolved so I had to increase the number of triangles before proceeding. To make it compatible with Autodesk Maya and Mudbox, I converted the STL file into an FBX format using Blender. Importing to Maya and Mudbox I chose Maya as my primary design tool and imported the gryphon model. To simplify sculpting, I retopologized the file, replacing triangles with quads. The revised design is shown below. The initial attempt was not satisfactory; I had overlooked the fact that wings typically do not extend down to the legs. Consequently, I further modified the file to meet my requirements. Printing Issues I attempted 3D printing the gryphon using a Makerbot Rep 5th gen, but it struggled with the small size, resulting in subpar prints. Final Product To overcome these issues, I remixed the entire model and split it into two parts, allowing for future mirroring. The body was designed to resemble a greyhound, as it shared similarities with the desired gryphon appearance. However, looking back, a lion would have been a more fitting choice. I printed the revised file on a Form 1+ to achieve optimal results, and the Makerbot's struggles with the new design were alleviated. To ensure a smooth transition, I cleaned up the mesh, converting it from quads to STL. Image Quality The image is not of the highest quality; I borrowed it from my Instagram account. Current Status It has been over a year since I last worked on the gryphon files. I plan to revisit and refine the design to better capture the essence of a gryphon. Meanwhile, my robotics team and school appreciate the final product, despite its imperfections.