In this project, I set out to 3D model a chair from scratch, following a tutorial series by Blender Guru on YouTube titled “Blender Beginner Modeling Tutorial - Parts 1-9.” Throughout my time modeling the Soborg chair, I learned valuable lessons in modifiers, such as the subsurface modifier, which allows you to convert a low-poly object into a faux high-poly one. Instead of actually adding more edges, faces, and vertices, it calculates the median curvature between two points, creating a rounded edge.

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Up until this point, I had only improperly modeled a Star Wars ship interior by almost exclusively pressing the extrude button with all my vertices, resulting in a super blocky scene. The subsurface modifier allowed me to create beveled edges and other complex curvatures. The Subsurface Modifier in Blender smooths and refines 3D models by subdividing their surfaces. It simulates the effect of light interacting with complex geometry, enhancing realism. Users can control the subdivision levels, resulting in smoother surfaces without significantly increasing the polygon count, which is ideal for organic shapes.

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This project also helped me understand the importance of keeping my mesh symmetrical. To assist with this, I would use the mirror modifier with clipping enabled over the Z plane and model one side of the object in an isometric view or the four-window isometric viewer using Ctrl+Alt+4.

Using all these techniques together resulted in a massive quality jump to an object that was now entirely realistic. References helped keep my measurements accurate. The subsurface modifier allowed me to model complex shapes that involved curvature. Learning about edge loops made it possible to further sculpt an object with the subsurface modifier applied to it. And the mirror modifier helped speed it all up and keep a symmetrical and tidy mesh.

After I completed this project, I decided this would be the perfect thing to try 3D printing. Who wouldn't want their own miniature Soborg chair? I discovered that Blender has an option to export your model as an STL, which is the filetype required in Cura, a 3D printing software. After a quick export and import as an STL, a scale-up to 3 by 3 inches, my chair was ready for printing. I printed my chair at WMU’s 3D printing lab, and after a week, I had a physical version of the chair I had modeled in Blender!

The Soborg Chair