Tutorial

Using BSurfaces with Blender

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What is it?

BSurfaces is a is a Blender add-on modeling tool that combines freehand strokes, beziér curves and loose edges to generate polygonal surfaces.



What's the tutorial?

BSurfaces
  1. If you don't have Blender installed, download it from blender.org and install it.

  2. Download BSurfaces_v15_for_blender_263.zip

  3. Open Blender

  4. Open User Preferences



  5. Navigate to Addons


  6. If you have BSurfaces GPL Edition vo.9 active, deactivate it


  7. Click Install Addon... to install the BSurfaces.py

  8. Navigate to Editing

  9. Disable the option Smooth strokes if it is enabled.


  10. Click on Save As Default


  11. Create a New Document (File>New Document)

    12. To find the BSurfaces panel, select a mesh object, go to Edit Mode, and navigate to the bottom of the 3D view toolshelf:


  12. Press X and click on Delete to delete the default cube


  13. Press SHIFT+A to add a mesh plane


  14. Click on Object Modifiers


  15. Click on Add Modifier and add a Subdivision modifier


  16. Set View to 2:


    • Add a second viewport by dragging the upper right corner over to the left.
    • Toggle off the Toolshelf by pressing T.
    • Set the left side to Top Ortho (7,5)
    • Set the right viewport to Right Ortho (3,5)



  18. In Top Ortho view add a Curve>Beziér CircleSHIFT+A


  19. Your circle will be slightly larger than your plane. Press S and scale the circle to fit the plane


  20. Press Tab to go to Edit Mode


  21. Press SHIFT+D to duplicate the curve. Then press G and Z to move the duplicated curve up. Then press S to scale the curve


  22. Continue to duplicate, move and scale as desired:


  23. Press Tab to go to Object Mode


  24. You want to add the plane to the curve. RIGHT+click on the plane


  25. Press Tab to go to Edit Mode


  26. Navigate to the Bsurface panel and select Add Surface


  27. In the new panel that appears enable Cyclic Follow


  28. In the new panel that appears adjust the Cross and the Follow values


  29. Press Tab to go to Object Mode


  30. Click on Object Modifiers


  31. Click on Add Modifier and add a Solidify modifier


  32. Adjust the parameters of the modifier


  33. To export the model as an STL, select the model then choose File>Export>STL(stl).


  34. Give the file a name with the .stl extension and save.

  35. Slice and print. You will need to scale the model up in ReplicatorG or MakerWare in order to get a decent vase.



Now what?

  1. Upload your vase to Thingiverse
  2. Come back tomorrow for more information and inspiration!