Being able to create your own 3D models for 3D printing is an impressive feature that many people want to learn how to do. I decided to make an article detailing how you can make your own low poly models for 3D printing.
Keep on reading through this article to learn some useful techniques to create models fast, and even a special generator for taking STL files and converting them to low poly.
How to Create Low Poly 3D Models for 3D Printing
Here are the basic methods of creating low poly 3D models for 3D printing using a free software called Blender:
Box modeling
Edge modeling
Using reference images
I’ll go through each one in more detail below.
Here’s a quick visual example of some low poly 3D models designed with Blender. These STL files are actually purchasable at 3D-Mon.
One of the most common methods of creating low-poly 3D models is box modeling. Box modeling involves transforming the faces of base shapes such as cubes or spheres into low-poly models.
Here are the steps of box modeling a low-poly 3D model for 3D printing with Blender.
Step 1: Make the 3D model’s basic shapes
Press SHIFT + A > Mesh and select from the list of base shapes.
Reduce the number of vertices for base shapes such as cylinders and spheres in the properties menu on the left panel for a low-poly model.
Step 2: Using loop cuts and insetting or extruding faces, add more faces to the base shape.
Enter edit mode by pressing the Tab
Use the Ctrl + R keys on your keyboard to create subsections in the base shape. Use your mouse wheel to adjust the number of subsections.
Right Click to put the subsections in place
Go into edge mode and select the edges of the subsections
Hold down Alt + Left Click to select an edge and Shift + Alt + Left Click to select other edges with it.
You can bevel the model by pressing Ctrl + B
Press “S” on your keyboard to scale the model
Enter face mode, press Shift + right-click on a face to select the face. Press Shift + Alt + Right Click on faces to select multiple faces.
By pressing E on your keyboard, you can extrude selected faces. You can also scale while extruding by pressing S on your keyboard. Press Shift + Z if you don’t want to extrude along the Z axis.
Press I on your keyboard to inset selected faces
To push the faces inward, press E, Right Click, press S, then press Shift + Z and drag your mouse to adjust the depth of the face.
Step 3: Export the model to an STL file for 3D printing
Enter object mode, select the low-poly 3D model, and then select File > Export > STL to save the model as an STL file.
Check out the video below by Stym to see this process in more detail.
Edge Modeling
Another way you can create low-poly 3D models is by edge modeling. Edge modeling is similar to box modeling, but individual points of the 3D model are created and joined.
This gives edge modeling the advantage of better control over the shape of the low-poly model. These are the steps you should take when edge modeling low-poly models with Blender.
Step 1: Create points that represent the vertices of the low-poly model
Press the Tab key to enter edit mode
Enter vertex mode
Create a base shape and select all its vertices by pressing A on your keyboard. The base shape should be highlighted.
Merge the vertices by pressing Alt + M. Select At the center option to merge the vertices at the center of the base shape
Step 2: Connect the points to form the 3D model’s shape
Press E on your keyboard to extrude the merged points
Use your mouse to place the new point. Repeat this process until you get the shape of the 3D model.
Step 3: Insert the Modifier
Then click on the wrench or spanner icon, and add the modifier.
Select Skin Modifier
Select points with a right-click and scale the skin with Ctrl + A
Come out of edit mode and apply the modifier
Add other shapes to parts of the model by pressing Alt + A > Mesh and selecting the shape.
Step 3: Export the model to an STL file for 3D printing
Enter object mode, click the low-poly 3D model, then click on File > Export > STL to export the model to an STL file.
Use Reference Images
If you have images of the object you want to create a low-poly 3D model of, a good method of doing so is to use the reference images to trace out the low-poly models.
This makes it easy to make low-poly models of simple and even complicated objects since different views of the object can be traced out and joined. Here are the steps for using reference images to create low-poly 3D models with Blender.
Step 1: Import the reference image
Delete the default cube with the delete button on your keyboard.
Press N, tick the background image checkbox
Click the Background Images button to display its drop-down menu.
Click Add Image
Click Open to select an image from your computer
Step 2: Change the camera view to a left camera view
On your numeric pad, press 3 or select View > Left Camera View. This makes it easier to work with the model
Step 3: Create a plane and rotate it to align it with the reference image
Press SHIFT + A, select Mesh> Plane to create the plane.
Rotate the plane to align it with the reference image by pressing R + Y + 90 on your keyboard.
Step 4: Select the plane and go into wireframe mode
To enter wire frame mode, press Z
Step 5: Go into edit mode of the plane and drag the point of the plane into place, using the reference image as a guide.
To enter edit mode, press Tab on your keyboard
Select the vertices of the plane by right-clicking on them
Use your mouse to drag the vertices of the plane around to shape the plane.
Step 6: Make loop cuts in the plane to trace subsections of the reference image
Select the plane and press Ctrl + R on your keyboard to make a loop cut in the plane. Repeat this step until the image is fully traced out with the plane. Turn off wire frame mode by pressing Z
Step 7: Extrude the plane and smooth out the 3D model’s edges
Rotate the Camera View by pressing 4 on your numpad. This puts the plane in side view.
Select the faces with Shift + Right Click
Press E on the keyboard and drag your mouse to extrude the face
Add a mirror modifier to the model by clicking Modifier > Mirror if you want a symmetrical look
Step 8: Save the low-poly 3D model as an STL file for printing
Enter object mode, click the low-poly 3D model, and click on File > Export > STL to export the model to an STL file
Check out the process in the video below by Grant Abbitt on creating low poly animals in Blender using reference images.
How to Convert STL to a Low Poly Model
It’s possible to take an STL file which is the 3D model, then make it low-poly using these methods:
Use decimate modifier
Use a low poly generator
Use Decimate Modifier
You can reduce the polygon count of an STL file by applying a decimate modifier to it through Blender.
Step 1: Import the STL file
Click on File > Import > .STL to import the STL file
Step 2: Click on “modifier” and select the “decimate” modifier
Select Decimate Modifier from the Add Modifier menu
Step 3: Adjust the Decimate Modifier Ratio
In the right panel menu on the screen, change the Decimate Modifier Ratio
Step 4: Optimize the model for 3D printing
Check for holes or gaps in the low poly model, as these may render the model unprintable because your slicer will not recognize it as a solid object
Select the hole vertices and cover them
If you are looking for a faster way of optimizing the model, one user has achieved great results with ZBrush. He said that by merging all subtools and using dynamesh in ZBrush, you’ll get a manifold closed mesh in no time and can then export the file to STL.
Step 5: Save the model
Enter object mode, select the low poly 3D model, and then select File > Export > STL to save the model as an STL file
Check out the video below by Andrew Sink on converting STL to low poly models for 3D printing.
You can also do this on another free software called Meshmixer.
Step 1: Import the STL file
Select the Import option
Select your file and press the Open button
Step 2: Fill in the model’s gaps
Switch to front view to work more easily on the model.
On the left side of the screen, click Select and draw a line above the gap to highlight the gap you want to fill.
Go to Edit > Erase and Fill. On the dropdown box select Flat Remesh
Click Accept, then click Clear Selection to effect the edit
Step 3: Decimate the model
On the tool panel, click Select, then click any part of the model.
Click Modify > Select All (to modify the entire model) or draw a line with your mouse to select a portion of the model
Select Edit > Reduce
Select Shape Preserving for Reduced Type to keep the 3D model’s overall appearance.
Use the percentage slider to increase or decrease the 3D model’s polygon count.
Click Accept
Repeat this process until you get your desired low poly design
Step 4: Flatten the model’s base and export it to STL
Select and flatten the model’s base with Plane Cut
From the left menu bar, select Export. From the Choose a location for your file drop-down list, select STL and click Save
Andrew Sink also has a great video on converting STL to low poly models with Meshmixer.
Use a Low Poly Generator
One of the easiest ways of converting STLs to low poly models is by using a low poly generator like LowPoly3D.
Michael Dwamena is the founder of 3D Printerly, a platform dedicated to simplifying 3D printing for hobbyists and professionals alike. Owns over 20 3D printers (filament and resin) and has plenty experience 3D printing. Michael has authored over 900 articles, helping millions navigate the exciting world of 3D printing.
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