• Search
  • 🍪 Blender Basics Explore Library Podcast Downloads Collabs Educators: Blender Teaching Guide What's Coming Soon Upgrade your membership
  • Questions & Answers Student Gallery Discord Channel YouTube Channel Paid Membership Perks ✨
  • Kent Trammell Jonathan Lampel Wayne Dixon Paul Caggegi
  • Blog
  • Search
    • Full Library
    free 3d-printingbeginner-projects

    PRINTLAB - Your Guide to 3D Printing with Blender and a Prusa Printer

    Instructor:
    Porter Nielsen
    Start Course
    ☆☆☆☆☆
     ( 5 )

    Bring Your Ideas to Life with 3D Printing

    Join me, Porter Nielsen as we use Blender and PrusaSlicer to design, create, and print anything you can imagine, with step-by-step guidance for all skill levels.

    3D printing is can be used across various industries and is increasingly popular in the hobbyist community—and for good reason. The ability to create almost anything simply, inexpensively, and quickly fuels innovation and creativity.

    PRINTLAB is designed to bridge that gap, offering a comprehensive guide to using Blender and PrusaSlicer for 3D printing. Whether you're new to Blender or an experienced user, our clear and straightforward approach will equip you with the skills needed to create and print various works. The concepts taught are extensive, providing valuable insights for all levels of experience.

    • The course begins with a quick overview of Blender and PrusaSlicer, covering the basics of preparing files for 3D printing.
    • You'll learn how to import, export, scale, correct normals, make objects manifold, add printing supports, and slice files.
    • From there, we delve into creative techniques, such as using modifiers to create artistic effects like low-polygon models and unique vases.
    • You'll explore box modeling, curve modeling, and using SVGs to create intricate printable objects.

    Additionally, the course covers kitbashing—combining different models to create new and original designs—and modifying non-printable files to make them 3D printable. The course concludes with lessons on sculpting and adding unique textures to your models.

    Let's get started! 🍪

    Get Caught Up

    Are you brand new to Blender?

    These courses should help you get up to speed in no time.

    BLENDER BASICS: An Introduction to Blender 3D 4.X

    Free

    PRESS START: Your Simple First Blender Project

    What you will learn in this Blender course

    Chapter 1

    Basic things for 3D Printing

    This chapter covers key steps in 3D printing with Blender, including making models manifold, fixing normals, and scaling accurately. You'll also learn how to prepare and export files with PrusaSlicer, focusing on practical considerations like tolerance and overhangs. The chapter wraps up with a hands-on homework assignment to apply these skills.

    Chapter 2

    Helpful Modifiers

    This chapter explores Blender's modifiers like Decimate for low-poly art, Remesh for a pixelated look, and Wireframe for intricate designs. We cover lattice deformations, Boolean operations, and the Spin tool. The final project combines these techniques to create a unique vase.

    Chapter 3

    Key Modeling Skills

    This chapter covers key modeling skills like extrusions, curves, and SVG imports. You'll practice by modeling a racecar, creating a cat charm, adding text to objects, and designing practical items like a key rack and a card case. Homework: create a useful object for your home.

    Chapter 4

    Let's do some kitbashing

    This chapter covers 3D printing overlapping objects, kitbashing models into new creations, and making non-printable models printable. You'll also learn to add functional joints to a model. Homework: kitbash models and make a posable robot printable, testing joint strength.

    Chapter 5

    Creating a Dinosaur

    This chapter introduces sculpting basics in Blender, focusing on enhancing 3D prints. You'll sculpt a dinosaur, add equipment, and practice with hair and advanced techniques like texturing and radial symmetry. Homework: apply your skills to create and sculpt your model.

    Create, Print, Innovate

    Join a creative community passionate about this stuff.

    Watch the Course
    Awarded upon completion:
    100xp +
    Course Curriculum
    5 Reviews
    • ☆☆☆☆☆
      Josh Usmani(JoshU3D) ·

      First, this course is really incredible. I’ll be referencing back to the things I learned in this course as I progress into 3D printing. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about 3D printing and using Blender for modeling and sculpting.

      The projects are so fun and taught me a lot of general knowledge and specific details. It gave me a lot of new ideas to consider, and made the whole process look like so much fun too.

      One small request: I was hoping to learn how to prepare a model in Blender to 3D print in multiple colors using an AMS unit (both as one model and in pieces for assembly). If there’s any chance that could still be added, I think it would be helpful for others too. Thanks so much!

    • ☆☆☆☆☆
      xavier ortega(xortega) ·

      This course was so much fun! I really enjoyed the play Porter brought into the projects, it really helped spark my imagination. Thank you all so much.

    • ☆☆☆☆☆
      Ewan Thorpe(ewanThorpe) ·

      Having done Make-it i am happy to say this has helped reinforce and teach me new things about modeling for 3d prints enjoyed every moment of this course.
      5 Stars!

    • b
      ☆☆☆☆☆
      Daniel Bridges(blenderbimboi) ·

      This course is incredible. I had so many assumptions about 3D printing that I have had for years, and with this new knowledge, I feel empowered to print even more with better efficiency and understanding. From beginner to advanced, you can learn so much!

    • ☆☆☆☆☆
      Bohdan (deodatus) ·
      Good explanation, a lot of useful information, just need to buy a 3D printer to start experimenting)))