You can get surprising results by merging the tangible with the virtual, and combining traditional crafting techniques with 3D printing.

To help you find the best jewelry designers out there, we’ve compiled a list with some of the most inspiring, interesting and forward-thinking creatives in the industry. Follow these influential designers, if not for inspiration, then at least to feast your eyes a little. ;)

Maison203

Maison 203 is an Italy-based brand dedicated to the design, production and distribution of contemporary jewelry made using 3D printing technology. Bracelets, brooches, rings and other pieces of jewelry are created in collaboration with professional designers coming from various cultural backgrounds. Maison 203 offers also a variety of materials such as nylon, PLA, steel and brass for its unique designs.

Instagram: maison203

Twitter: @Maison203

VOJD STUDIOS

VOJD Studios is the cutting-edge design house from Berlin, creating 3D printed accessories and jewelry which challenge the perceptions of tradition and conformity. Together with luxurious brands like Loewe, Alexander McQueen, Ferrary or Carolina Herrera, they combined technological innovations with traditional quality craftsmanship, to redefine the way we think about design.

VojdStudios introduced a new aesthetics to the fashion industry and proved that luxury and progression is a great match.

Instagram: vojdstudios

Twitter: @VOJDStudios

Maria Eife

Maria is a Philadelphia-based jewelry designer and maker who specializes in combining the traditional jewelry making with 3D printing. Her jewelry creations are playful yet elegant, structurally complex and a great example of how new technologies are pushing the boundaries of this artistic discipline. If you are looking for big, bold designs that won’t weigh you down, look no further!

Instagram: mariaeife

Twitter: @mariaeife

Stefania Luchetta

Stefania Lucchetta was born and lives in Italy. After acquiring a good knowledge of stampato jewelry, lost-wax casting, engraving and laser cutting, as well as training in goldsmith art within her family business, she started focusing on 3D software and rapid prototyping machines. Her work is the definition of sophisticated style and visionary design.

Watch the video and see her creative process:

Twitter: @stefania68

Emily Chapman

Emily Chapman is a 3D technical designer, a perfectionist who pushes the limits of technology and jewelry construction techniques. With such a distinct style of strong use of lines and shapes, her page is a treasure trove for all types of creative inspiration. As she says on her site: “A passion for jewelry and its intricacies, an undying love for graphic design, and an undo button, has led to using CAD as her primary form of designing and creating jewelry.”

Instagram: pollysaid

Slice lab

Slice Lab is a think tank based in New York and San Francisco specializing in innovative digital design. Much of their inspiration comes from their architectural background. Their creations are virtual experiments where sculpture, technology and the organic world all crash together to create something new. They combine parametric software techniques and organic geometries with next-generation fabrication methods.

Instagram: slicelab

Twitter: @slicelabs

Archetypez

Unique items for unique people. That’s the slogan of the Archetypez studio in San Diego, California. Archetype Z Studio creates modern and outstanding jewelry for urban people through digital fabrication methods. They specialize in unique 3D printed, laser cut, and handmade pieces for those that seek innovation in design. Discover an entire portfolio of work that is definitely worth to follow.

Instagram: archetypezstudio

Twitter: @ArchetypeZ

ANNXANNXDESIGN

We noticed Han Yin, the founder of ANNXANNXDESIGN on Shapeways. She likes to think of the body as a landscape for jewelry. Han Yin focuses on expressing the elegance of this landscape, and exploring the gesture of each element as it rests on the skin. ANNXANNXDESIGN creates unique and highly intricate “wearable structures” for special occasions and daily life. Be sure to check out her page for plenty of day-to-day inspiration.

Instagram: annxannxdesign

Malinko design

MALINKO Design is an Australian studio focusing on beautiful, yet functional and innovative product design for everyday use. The main philosophy of Malinko is to play and experiment with new and recycled materials and new technologies to achieve unique and functional designs. Malinko creates stunning pieces that are manufactured specifically for each customer.

Insta: malinko_design

Twitter: @Marta_Malinko

Bathsheba Grossman

Looking for some whimsical and eccentric jewelry? Check out Bathsheba’s work. A sculptor thinking about geometry, science, and biomorphic fantasies who created his own authentic style. Whether you’re shopping or just checking out some art, you will enjoy these unique designs.

Nervous system

Nervous System is a generative design studio that works at the intersection of science, art, and technology. Nervous System offers more than 10 jewelry collections, each inspired by particular natural phenomena or patterns. Dendrite collection mimics the aggregate, branching growth of dendritic crystals and coral. Hyphae collection (see the picture above) was inspired by the vein structures that carry fluids through organisms from the leaves of plants to our own circulatory systems.

Insta: nervous.system

Twitter: @nervous_system

Virtox

A 3D Printing Artist, Designer and Engineer from the Netherlands, letting his imagination run wild! Virtox specializes in applied mathematical and organic generative design and special effects for 3D printing. Using its own versatile voxel engine allows Virtox to grow just about any structure or pattern in full color, both in 2D or 3D. Patterns or forms can be grown inside the volume of an object or only on the surface.

Check out these mind-bending jewelry and other art projects:

Instagram: virtox

Twitter: @VirtoxNet

Became a jewelry artist, too!

Intrigued? Captivated? Inspired? :)

Try transforming your ideas into a jewelry piece with VECTARY!

It’s easy and it only takes minutes. All you need is a good idea and a cup of coffee to get you going! Using our Shapeways plugin you can order your creation in 60+ materials including metal. Check our jewelry 3D modeling tutorials to start with:

Do you know a jewelry artist who should be on this list? Write to us in the comments below.

12+ jewelry designers using 3D printing you should follow was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There was no simpler way to make 3D text. Until now…

While there are a few 3D software out there which offer the option to create 3D text, the features are rather limited, either by their complexity to implement or the lack of a comprehensive font archive. And if you had a few ways to transfer Google Fonts to these CAD-based tools, the process is mostly known to experienced designers only.

At VECTARY, we like to think about everyone. It is one of the reasons why we’ve developed plugins like Google Fonts. We tried to shorten the process as much as possible so that now even if you have no 3D modeling experience, you can easily create and even 3D print Google Fonts’ amazing typography.

Turn effortlessly more than 800 font types into awesome 3D text

Whether you’re a designer or maker of any level, the plugin will enable you to type in any text, in the Google font of your choosing, and instantly turn it into 3D text with a single click. You can also edit the text at any time with our free, yet complete, 3D toolset so that it best suits your overall design.

The fact that you’re doing everything in the 3D editor, without having to switch to other programs or software in order to create and edit the 3D text, allows for a seamless and positive experience which we think you will love. The applications are many, from product logotypes and sign boards, to name tags or business cards, so you can personalize your creations even more.

How to use the plugin

You can use the Google Fonts plugin to create 3D text by itself or to add it to the face of a 3D object. It’s very easy to activate the plugin:

just click +Add plugin on the bottom right corner of the scene, and from My Plugins, select Google Fonts.

In the box that appears, enter the text to be transformed into 3D and it will automatically appear on the scene. If you already have an object on the scene, make sure to select the face on which you want to add the text and then click the Snap to a face button.

Under Font settings, you can choose from hundreds of font types as well as the font weight. In Settings, there are also many options that you can play with such as Quality, Thickness, Size and Segments, until you get to a text visual that you really like.

Try out our Google Fonts plugin for your next modeling project or use it to edit the 3D models you’ve already created. Share them with our community and you might get noticed!

Google Fonts are now in 3D was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The collaboration between VECTARY and MyMiniFactory came about quite naturally, with both companies sharing the same vision of getting more people around the world to 3D model and 3D print. By bringing our communities together we believe that we’re one step closer to making 3D modeling accessible to everyone and slowly, but surely change the face of the 3D industry.

Share your beautiful designs and get recognized

We integrated in the tool’s editor two plugins — one for exporting of 3D models to MyMiniFactory, and the other for import — both of which you can access with just one click to save you plenty of time and let you focus more on 3D modeling.

The Export plugin allows you to share your VECTARY projects with MyMiniFactory’s large audience of designers and 3D printer owners. With lots of companies going there in search for inspiration and solutions, this makes a great opportunity for your work to get featured and noticed. The platform also houses design competitions on a regular basis (we have a surprise for you coming soon!). Besides the consistent prizes that you can win, you can also get recognized by big brands and add value to your portfolio.

The Import plugin is meant to bring more diversity and inspiration to your design projects. You can choose from over 30,000 3D objects to import from MyMiniFactory to VECTARY. All of the 3D designs are pre-tested and guaranteed for 3D printing so you don’t waste time handling broken files. Once in VECTARY, you can edit their design, customize them to your liking or completely re-shape them, and then you can download the .stl file for your 3D printer or order a 3D print directly from our tool.

How to use the plugins

Export:

Once you’re done and happy with your 3D model in VECTARY, you can share it to MyMiniFactory’s 3D printing platform right from the editor. To activate the plugin, click +Add plugin at the bottom right of the scene and, from My Plugins, select the MyMiniFactory Exporter plugin. In the box that appears, log in to MyMiniFactory and then click Send to MyMiniFactory. This will send the model for approval to be uploaded under your MyMiniFactory profile. Once you receive the email confirmation, click on the link in the email to see your model on the MMF page.

Import:

You can also import thousands of guaranteed 3D printable models from MyMiniFactory directly to our free, online 3D modeling tool. To activate the Import plugin, click +Add plugin at the bottom right of the scene and, from My Plugins, select the MyMiniFactory Import plugin. In the box that appears, log in to MyMiniFactory and then find a model using the keyword search. Choose from the gallery the object that you want and click it to add it to the scene. You can opt to edit it further or 3D print it using our Shapeways plugin.

We made available video tutorials for those of you who would like to put to good use the MyMiniFactory plugins, so go ahead and check them out. Ready to share your 3D models with the world and become a superstar designer?!

VECTARY integrates MyMiniFactory to ease up the sharing of 3D printable designs was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A simple low poly model of a ram door stopper looks amazing in steel, don’t you think?

We asked Tyler a few questions about his first experience with VECTARY and the Shapeways plugin.

Tyler, tell us something about yourself. What do you do for a living?

I am a graphic designer.

Why did you start to use VECTARY?

I have always been into sculptures, working with metal, clay and resin casts. The ability to do the same work virtually, using digital design, has always been appealing. Working and associating with 3D designers and modelers, I have always wanted to pick 3D modeling up, but the programs all seemed rather overwhelming.

Do you have any previous experience with 3D modeling?

I’ve spent some time working in 3ds.

How long did it take to get to learn VECTARY?

Roughly a couple of hours, but it seems like there is always something new to learn in it.

What do you usually create in VECTARY?

I guess I mostly created busts, but replicas, tools, housing accessories have all been in there, too.

Regarding the Shapeways plugin, what have you decided to order and why?

I created a ram head door stopper. I just love the way the horns turned out and how the head rests on a rocky, yet oval platform. It’s a nice geometric representation of a classic animal that symbolizes my hometown.

How long did it take to create such a model?

I based it on my goat head. The goat head took me approximately four hours to complete and the ram head modification was probably an additional three to get it the way I wanted it.

Ok, so you ordered your 3D model, what do you think about the final result?

The final result was amazing! I didn’t think you could 3D print in steel, but the detail and quality are just great. Everyone I showed it to is amazed that it was a custom print from a 3D model.

How do you see the Shapeways integration in our tool, are there any specific features that you like?

The plugin itself is very impressive to me. Not only is it in the application so the transfer of the model to an ordering system is as seamless as hitting a print button, it also features all the material choices, scaling and pricing result right in the app. That makes it foolproof and extremely convenient for such a highly-customized process.

What would you like to order next time?

Can I just say “everything”?! Because now I’m making plans for a sculpture I have been trying to create for a while — the “cog dog.” I’m also planning some ornaments for family gifts. A better iPad stand for my wife. Oh, and possible tool drivers that would cost me a fortune otherwise.

Thanks Tyler,

Visit Tyler's VECTARY profile>

VECTARY makers: Tyler Bowers’ steel door stopper 3D printed with Shapeways was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A seamless 3D modeling experience

Whether you’re a designer or DIY maker of any level, our new integration enables you to easily 3D design an idea online and for free in VECTARY, order a 3D print of your model on Shapeways right from our modeling tool, and comfortably have the physical object delivered to your place within just a few days.

It’s a seamless end-to-end experience to help you quickly get from a simple, original idea and 3D design to an end product, even if you don’t own a 3D printer. You can choose from over 60 different materials and finishes on Shapeways, and their 3D printing pros will ensure you get a high-quality end product, whether it is metal jewelry, functional or decorative parts, scale models or prototypes.

If you’re already a Shapeways user but are unfamiliar with VECTARY, you may find that creating complex shapes and professional-looking 3D models can be done way easier and more quickly than with traditional 3D tools. VECTARY’s parametric plugins also give you the flexibility to change your designs at any time and have more creative freedom.

How the plugin works

Developed to be as intuitive to users as possible, you can find the Shapeways plugin directly in the 3D editor. After you’re done designing your 3D model, all you need to do to activate it is click on +Add plugin in the bottom right corner of the screen and select “Shapeways” from My Plugins.

After a quick geometry check of your model and selecting the desired material, you send it to Shapeways with just one click and continue with your order there.

What’s next

As we constantly update and improve our plugins, in our next iteration we plan to integrate VECTARY business accounts with Shapeways. This will give you the possibility to sell your original work directly on Shapeways so you can start making money.

We will soon release tutorials for those of you who would like to get started with our Shapeways plugin and 3D print the beautiful models you created in VECTARY. Stay tuned for our upcoming videos!

Creating real objects just got easier: VECTARY integrated Shapeways was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Maybe you feel the urge to have a fidget spinner, too. But why buy something that you can create yourself? It’s way more fun!

We interviewed our user Johnnyal who created his own 3D printed fidget spinner with our free 3D modeling tool VECTARY:

What was your inspiration for the fidget spinner design?

There’s plenty of inspiration on the internet (YouTube, Pinterest, Thingiverse). The key was to remember the technological principle, the rest was just my own creativity.

What is the most important thing to consider when creating a fidget spinner?

It’s important to measure the dimension between the axis of rotation and the tip of your thumb, so the spinner can rotate freely. A dimension somewhere between 50 mm to 45 mm can be a universal fit even for smaller hands. Also the size of the bearing matters a lot. I picked a universal bearing from my inline skate (ABEC 5) with a diameter of 22 mm.

What was your very first step after opening the VECTARY 3D modeling editor?

I started 3D modeling a cylinder (using the Draw cylinder tool), because it is a basic element of the fidget spinner.

Which part was trickier?

I don’t think there was any tricky part. However, you should be careful and add more faces when creating the cylinder, so that after smoothing, the final diameter of the circle stays the same.

Some people think VECTARY is more suitable for organic shapes rather than technical ones. What do you think about that?

I think VECTARY is great if you want to 3D model organic shapes. However, technical 3D modeling with specific dimensions is not a problem either (creating a hole, chamfer, radius) you just have to play with it :)

Did you make any preparations for 3D printing in VECTARY?

In this case it wasn’t necessary. I just smoothed the 3D model of the fidget spinner and exported it as stl.

How long did it take to 3D print it?

I printed the fidget spinner on an SLA Formlabs 3D printer. The process takes longer, but the final 3D print is really nice. It took like 4 hours.

Is there anything you’d like to change?

No, it spins perfectly :)

Watch Johnnyal’s 3D modeling tutorial:

An interview with a VECTARY maker: How to make a fidget spinner was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

You’ve probably heard about 3D printing by now, but somehow it still sounds half sci-fi in your mind, never actually thinking that you might use it to create your very own home decor.

Behold, after reading this article you will not only be able to create beautiful 3D printed design, but you’ll found out it’s much cheaper than buying a “designer’s piece” of some famous brand.

With the free 3D modeling tool VECTARY you don’t need years of studying design, just as with 3D printing services such as Shapeways you don’t need to own a 3D printer. All you need is enough passion to create something yourself.

Tools you need:
computer with an internet connection
mouse
free online 3D modeling tool VECTARY

3D printed bonsai tree with moose

Growing up your own bonsai requires years. 3D modeling your own with the help of a little moose can create a similar effect :)

Time spent 3D modeling in VECTARY: 20 minutes
Shapeways price: 15$; Material: Strong and flexible

See the final 3D model>

3D printed lamp with beautiful shade

Home is all about atmosphere and “feel good” moments, and you can easily achieve that with the use of a lamp, a simple but efficient accessory.

Time spent 3D modeling in VECTARY: 5 minutes
Shapeways price: 70$; Material: Strong and flexible

See the final 3D model of the lamp>

Watch the how-to make video:

3D printed vase with perforation

Time spent 3D modeling: 5 minutes
Shapeways price: 60$; Material: Strong and flexible

See the final 3D model of the vase>

Watch the how-to make video:

What do you think, feeling inspired to create a 3D printed home accessory?

Decorating your home with unique 3D printed self-made designs is no longer a geek fantasy was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Maker’s Muse

We love Angus’s passion about 3D printing and prototyping, and his down-to-earth approach. Beside the useful information about 3D printing, he’s also sharing his 3D modeling tutorials and brings a lot of inspiration — something that every maker and hobbyist out there will appreciate.

Punished props

Bill & Brittany’s main focus is creating awesome replica props and costumes from video games, TV shows, movies and more! Even if they are not fully focused on 3D printing, from time to time a 3D printing video appears and it’s a nice example that sometimes there might be better techniques to use other than 3D printing. Even if you might not really be into cosplay or similar stuff, it’s fascinating to watch their making process.

XYZAidan

Aidan is a young and enthusiastic maker, and we think his channel deserves more audience. He’s focused on his own DIY projects combining soft robotics, 3D printing and electronics. The way he explains it, everything seems so easy to do :)

Thomas Sanladerer

Thomas is very detailed in covering topics such as 3D printing and making. From useful tips on how to improve your 3D prints, to detailed guides and filament reviews, Thomas’s channel is a must-have subscription if you want to dive into 3D printing more deeply.

3D Printing Nerd

The 3D printing Nerd certainly has a lot of fun and enjoys 3D printing, and his channel is a great inspiration on what you can 3D print once you have a 3D printer. He supports firmly the idea of 3D printing technology being available to kids, something which is apparent in many of his videos.

Make Anything

Devin studied Design and Art and you can see his artistic approach in his videos as well. His intriguing mind always comes up with something interesting. We especially like his optical illusion videos, which are pretty popular on YouTube. He says that his goal is to provide educational content and inspire viewers to exercise their creativity. We can’t agree more.

Press Reset

Skateboards and 3D printing are Preston’s biggest passions and you can find both on his YouTube channel. Preston’s goal is to share the things he has learned and will learn, so that you can go and create your own awesome stuff.

Chep 3D printing

Chuck has his own YouTube Show Filament Friday — he makes various 3D modeling tutorials or downloads interesting 3D models and shows how to print them on low-cost 3D printers.

JAT.MN

Dustin is primarily focused on “budget” filaments and making 3D printers reviews. Great channel if you are trying to decide what 3D printer to buy. Don’t miss his regular live streaming 3D Printing Tonight every Wednesday.

Print that thing

Jwal from “Print that thing” is a funny and passionate guy, always coming up with hilarious making-of projects like the armor for his cat, Bobo. He also has a regular show TueNews Day where he shares everything he finds of interest from the world of 3D printing.

3D maker noob

Joe a.k.a. 3D maker noob is inviting you to join him on his journey to discover the world of 3D printing. What’s great, he reviews 3D printers from a noob’s perspective, so you won’t feel overwhelmed with too much technical info.

Abuzz Designs

There aren’t so many girls in the 3D printing world, so it’s always great to see YouTube channels like Abuzz Designs. She’s mixing 3D printing videos with various DIY projects, so you can learn about filaments, finishing of your 3D printed stuff, as well as lots of practical information. We hope Abuzz Design will get more attention because it’s definitely worth it.

Commando designs

Tony Dave is a hobbyist who can teach you a lot, not only about 3D printing but also finishing of the 3D prints. His area of expertise is airbrushing.

Sexy Cyborg

Naomi Wu is one of a kind. She’s a maker and web developer from Shenzhen, China. Local live videos are mixed with her own DIY projects where she showcases her skills in electronics, programming and 3D printing. Like this 3D-printed “Blinkini” LCD shutter top. Being smart is sexy :)

Simone | FNTSMN

Simone is using 3D printing and 3D modeling to create original props. His channel mainly exhibits real 3D printed projects rather than detailed 3D printing technology reviews.

I like to make stuff

One of the most popular YouTube channels for makers right now is “I like to make stuff”. 3D printing is just one of the many DIY fields they’re covering, together with woodworking, metalworking, electronics and prop making. Bog claims he’s not an expert and what we see on camera is often his first time experience. It’s a great channel even if you are not particularly interested in 3D printing.

Barnacules Nerdgasm

Barnacules is a former Senior Software Developer from Microsoft who’s been producing video content for over six years now. His videos are tons of fun, and he definitely wins the prize for the most awesome Man Cave ever built. In his projects you can find everything from 3D printing, software, hardware, nerd and geek culture, virtual reality (VR), simulations, robotics and much, much more.

XRobots

James Bruton’s XRobots projects are mind blowing. He’s not only playing with 3D printing, but combining virtual, augmented reality, robotics and engineering. His electronics is mostly Arduino-based and you can feel his excitement and passion for making from each of his videos.

3D Print — Tech Design

Anton’s YouTube channel abounds in 3D printer and filament reviews, and pretty much anything else related to 3D. It’s definitely worth watching for every 3D printing enthusiast!

That 3D Print Guy

Perth is not taking 3D printing too seriously and thanks to that his videos are fun to watch even for non-professionals. 3D modeling tutorials combined with fun projects will get you easily hooked.

Follow our VECTARY channel to get more of your 3D printer

3D printing is more fun when you know how to turn your ideas into 3D models. Don’t forget to follow our VECTARY YouTube channel where we add new 3D modeling tutorials every week.

Do you know a YouTube channel that should definitely be on this list? Write us below in comments.

15+ YouTubers you should follow if you want to learn more about 3D printing was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

All the jewelry models were 3D printed on a Formlabs 1+ 3D printer, but you can use professional 3D printing services like Shapeways to get a proper end product.

The instructions below apply to VECTARY, the free, online 3D modeling tool. To enter the 3D engine, just sign in to VECTARY and click on the “Start creating” button.

1. Triangular-shaped bracelet

How we made it:

1. Create a cylinder with 12 segments.

2. Remove caps — planar surfaces.

3. Select every second edge and then weld — this will create a triangular surface.

4. Randomly select some faces, use the bevel faces and then delete the selection — this will create holes.

5. Select all faces, switch to local gizmo and then extend to add some thickness to the structure.

6. Select all edges and use the small bevel to make them sharper.

7. Smooth the object and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

8. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the geometry bracelet >

2. Garland ring

How we made it:

1. Create a box with 2 segments and scale down the ends.

2. Bevel the edges.

3. Use the Array plugin — radial and play with the angle and the number of

copies to make it look good.

4. Turn on the modifier and select the last object in Array. Scale it up a bit and rotate to make it look more dynamic.

5. Bake Array.

6. Use Mirroring and the mirror baked array to create the second half of it.

7. Bake mirroring, smooth object and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

8. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the garland ring>

3. Wave ring

How we made it:

1. Create a tube with 8 segments.

2. Select the opposite edges and move them up to make a sort of a wave silhouette.

3. Bevel the edges.

4. Use radial array, make 3 copies and then rotate it.

5. Turn on the modifier, select the last object and then move it up.

6. Bake array and smooth object.

7. Choose the color and material you want to be applied.

8. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the garland ring>

4. Lowpoly ring

How we made it:

1. Create a torus.

2. Select all points and bevel them to maximum.

3. Select random faces and scale them up.

4. Select all edges and bevel them a bit.

5. Smooth object and then choose the color and material you want to be applied.

6. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the lowpoly ring>

5. Twisted ring

How we made it:

1. Draw a tube.

2. Delete half of it.

3. Use the Bridge tool and select Twist in the jog to create a twisted effect.

4. Bevel the edges.

5. Smooth and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

6. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the twisted ring>

6. Cubic ring

How we made it:

1. Make a polyhedron and one subdivide.

2. Delete the faces from the top, bottom and sides.

3. Select all faces.

4. Change the gizmo to local and extrude the faces to add thickness.

5. Select all the edges and bevel them to create a low poly look.

6. Smooth and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

7. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the cubic ring>

7. Stone ring

How we made it:

1. Make a tube.

2. Bevel the edges.

3. Draw a box and bevel the edges.

4. Use the box with radial array.

5. Set the angle to 120 degrees and +/- 30 copies.

6. Play with the jitter settings in Array to make it look random.

7. Bake array.

8. Use Boolean to join the tube and array together and then bake.

9. Smooth and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

10. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the stone ring>

8. Parametric necklace pendant

How we made it:

1. Draw half of the pattern with the Draw tool.

2. Mirror it and adjust the shape and proportion.

3. Draw an outline with the Draw tool and “Snap to grid” activated.

4. Use the Joints and Wires plugin to transform the 2D drawing into a 3D object.

5. Bake Joints and Wires.

6. Smooth and choose the color and material you want to be applied.

7. Export the .stl file.

See the final 3D model of the parametric necklace>

Bonus: a necklace with inseparable 3D printed hearts.

See the final 3D model >

VECTARY and MyMiniFactory design competition

Now that you’ve learned how to create your own jewelry, how about you give our and MyMiniFactory’s new design competition a try? You could take home many prizes, including the main one, an M-Jewelry 3D printer from MakeX worth $3,600!

To participate in our design competition, all you need to do is create a project on any of the given themes, including jewelry. Use the MyMiniFactory Exporter plugin to send your project to MyMiniFactory (to do so, click + Add plugin and select MyMiniFactory Exporter), and then publish your work on VECTARY.

Ready to take up the challenge?! ;)

Here’s how literally anyone can create unique custom jewelry was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The “I designed it myself” feeling is gaining momentum

There’s no doubt we like to feel special. Whether it’s about the clothes we wear or the accessories we use, we want to believe that the choices we’ve made are distinctive and define best our uniqueness.

Luckily, the mass customization era is here to help us achieve just that. People are starting to express interest in personalizing products or creating their own custom made items. What seemed like science fiction 10–15 years ago, can now be easily done online, from the comfort of your home or anywhere else. This so-called “I designed it myself” feeling is empowering more and more people to create unique, special things that better express their needs and personalities.

3D modeling a unique wedding ring is easier than you think

Using a 3D design tool to create your own jewelry may sound too complicated, but the technology is already here and it’s getting easier and easier to utilize. The simplest way to create a wedding ring is to choose a 3D model from an online gallery and then send the file for 3D printing. While this can certainly be an option if you don’t want to put much effort into it, there’s no real customization in it.

The best way to personalize your wedding ring is to design it yourself and add your personal touch to its features. And it’s easier than you might think. With the free, online 3D tool VECTARY you can create beautiful 3D models without the need of having any prior design or 3D modeling experience. You simply open a browser, sign in to VECTARY and click START CREATING. No software downloads are needed, everything is done online and your work is saved in the cloud.

If you’re a beginner to 3D, there are plenty of videos and step-by-step tutorials on the site to get you immediately started with 3D modeling. You can also access these from the engine or use Interactive Help to have each tool function explained to you in detail as you 3D model.

It is always helpful, right before starting to 3D model, to have at least a basic idea about how your ring should look like and then take it further from there. Probably your best bet on finding some great inspiration is Pinterest, with its huge collection of photos which allows for a preferential search.

3D printing your wedding ring

Once you’re done with 3D modeling the wedding ring in VECTARY, you can send the 3D file to an online professional printing service. It is more difficult to 3D print proper jewelry at home since it usually requires more complex, industrial 3D printers. We recommend that you use 3D printing services like Shapeways or iMaterialise for a good-looking end product.

The most common and affordable way these printing services use 3D printers for jewelry is to make wax or resin moulds of the models you created in VECTARY. Then, through a process called lost-wax casting, these moulds are placed into a cast and poured over with molten metal (you choose what metal you want the ring to be). This dissolves the wax and leaves behind the solid metal object.

What are the benefits?

You might think that 3D printing is not as creative as traditional handmade jewelry manufacturing, but you can use the VECTARY 3D software as an artistic tool. The parametric design allows you to create many different versions of a particular 3D model until you get to that special one that you (both) really like.

Here are some of the benefits that come with designing and 3D printing your own wedding ring:

• Unique and special design
• Reflects your personality and values
• Expresses more accurately your feelings towards each other
• You’ll create your own wedding ring story to last through the years
• You have complete control over your design at all times
• Any creative decision is yours and will reflect in your design
• Design is for free, and you only pay for the materials and 3D printing the ring

And if you ever, by some weird circumstances, get to lose your wedding ring, fear no more, we’ve got your back! With your 3D file saved in the cloud, you can always send it to a 3D printing service and have the ring printed out before your better half notices. How does that sound for a backup plan? ;)

Get inspired by our 3D modeling tutorials:

How to use the 3D printing technology to create a custom wedding ring was originally published in VECTARY blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.