Preface

Sometimes, 3D printing needs to be precise and practical, and sometimes, it just needs to be fun. Like the wood-cut puzzles your grandpa may have made in his garage, 3D printing lets you make similar toys, but with a whole new dimension. Perhaps more than any other tool available, only Blender provides the combination of organic sculpting and robust geometric shape modeling together that makes such projects possible.

You will begin by learning the basics of designing for modern, economic, home 3D printers. Then, you'll learn what you need to know about the 3D modeling and animation tool, Blender, to get you started. Then, we'll start using Blender's sculpting tools to create a shape with actions as simple as drawing. Finally, we'll use Blender's shape-editing tools to make the basic puzzle shape and combine that with the sculpted model to create the final piece.