Most of my articles focus on the gritty, hands-on world of terrain painting and scenery building – but here’s a little secret: I actually spend far more of my time in Blender, designing 3D prints.
It’s one of those behind-the-scenes parts of the hobby that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but today, I want to pull back the curtain and share a few tips that’ll make designing your own printable models a whole lot easier.
1. Start with Real-World Inspiration
Before you dive into software, start with your eyes. Want to model mud? Go outside and look at some mud. Want to design cyberpunk crates? Go search “cyberpunk crates” online and absorb the shapes, colours, and construction.
The key is: if you don’t know what it looks like, you won’t model it well.
But let’s draw a line here – copying real-world textures and ideas? Totally fine. Copying someone else’s 3D model? Not so much. Use your references to inspire new designs, not clone existing ones.
2. Choose a 3D Design Programme That Suits You
I personally use Blender. It’s powerful, free and looks intimidating at first glance. While there are loads of tutorials and help guides, they’re not always geared towards 3D printing, which can make it feel like a maze.
If Blender doesn’t suit you, try Fusion 360. It’s a great choice if you have a CAD background. Ultimately, the best tool is the one that makes sense to you. Once you’ve found your match, it all comes down to putting in the time. Practise, practise, practise.
3. Understand Your Printer’s Limitations
Let’s talk tolerances. If your printer has a 0.4mm nozzle, designing anything thinner than that just won’t work.
Also, pay attention to overhangs. If you’re adding balconies, ridges, or details that stick out – like the top lip of a crate – you’ll either need to add bevels or plan for support structures. Supports can be messy and tricky to get right, so minimising the need for them can really clean up your final print.
And don’t forget about bridging – those gaps between two raised areas. How well your printer handles bridging depends on your filament, printer model and layer height, so do a few tests before designing around them.
4. Block Before You Add Detail
It’s tempting to jump straight into detailing but trust me – start simple. Use cubes, cylinders and basic shapes to rough out your design before you go wild with bevels and intricate features.
If you change your mind later, undoing complex details can be a pain. It’s better to get the overall form right first, then start adding your personal flair.
5. Details Make the Difference
Details aren’t just for style – they’re functional. They can hide printing artefacts, minimise the appearance of layer lines and guide the viewer’s eye across the model.
Designing a flat sci-fi wall? Throw in a vent or a panel. Need to distract from minor print issues? A concrete texture or surface rippling can work wonders.
Details are also your opportunity to personalise the model and give it some identity. Go with clean and sleek? Or weathered and grimdark? The choice is yours.
6. Reuse Your Work
Save time and build consistency by reusing assets.
I reuse a tonne of previously built pieces – terminals, screens, door locks, clip holes – dragging them into new projects as needed. It saves time and helps everything feel like it belongs in the same universe.
For example, I use the same clip hole cutter for all my crates. I know it prints well, so why reinvent it every time?
7. Make Sure It Actually Prints
Nothing’s more frustrating than spending hours on a model that won’t slice correctly. That’s why it’s important to design manifold meshes (that means no holes or disconnected geometry).
Even then, boolean operations can sometimes create little issues, so I run my models through Formware.co to catch and fix those errors before printing. It’s a huge help.
Still, the best fix is proactive design. Check for gaps and odd geometry as you go. It’ll save you a tonne of troubleshooting later.
These are just the essentials. There’s a whole world of nuance and technique behind each of these tips – plenty of material for future articles.
I’ll also be diving into these topics (and more) in upcoming posts, especially as I launch my new Kickstarter project, The Training Grounds. It’s going live soon, and you can pre-sign at the link here:
👉 The Training Grounds on Kickstarter