inspiration

I really wanted to create a fully finished print as this is something I had never done before. My goal was to get familiar with sanding and painting prints. I had just finished "Adventure Time", a popular children's show. I became obsessed with the show and began researching fan art when I stumbled across the picture on the left. BMO, my favorite character, is a small computer that walks and talks. I thought it would be a cool idea to make this 'dead' BMO and make it appear to be overgrown. I have never done any painting or weathering techniques so I was excited to experiment with this idea.

Modelling

I started out by sketching out BMO to get a general idea of the dimensions. I knew I had to fit him on my Crealty CR-10S Pro V2 printer which has a bed width of 300mm (~12in) so that was the maximum height. This felt a bit large so I decided settle with a 7in height and 5in width. I then began sketching the assorted holes and buttons on the main body while playing with the dimensions to see what worked best.

The back was also relatively simple. I started out by making a sketch on the back of the open body and constraining the size. This way, if I decided to change the body size it would dynamically change. I followed my sketch and placed the holes on the back. Using the pattern tool and construction lines, I was able to make 5 slits on the back. This was necessary in the replication but also provided additional light and airflow. Lastly, I created the the hole for the secret compartment described below.

I wanted to create a secret compartment in the back of the BMO. I started out by creating a box a little bit bigger than the hole and extruding into the main body. I then another layer for the glue to hold to ensure that everything was flush. I also filleted the edges to ensure the print was successful. I used a friction fit for the cover. I put a tolerance of 0.01in against the back panel and a tolerance of 0.02in for the actual compartment. I later found out that I did not account for the paint, but the pieces still fir

Preparation

The sanding process was the longest and most involved part of the design. In order to get the print super smooth, I needed to sand with multiple grits. I started out by sanding the entire print with 120 grit. At the end of the sand, you want do not want to be able to feel any print lines with your fingernail I used a sponge to help get to every corner. I then repeated the process with 220, 320, then 400 grit sandpaper. After the print feels smooth to the touch, wash it off and prepare for primer. I used Rust-Oleum Fill and Sandable Primer. This fills in any remaining cracks and prepares the print for painting. After about 4-6 layers of primer, repeat the process stated above. Lastly, sand the entire body with 600 grit wet sandpaper. This will get the entire body perfectly smooth and ready for paint. It is super important to wash off the entire print before painting to get rid of any extra dust and debris. The process is simplified below.

Finishing

After the print was fully sanded, primed and cleaned, I started to paint it. It is really important to ensure the print is fully cleaned before painting. I then glued the compartment onto the back of the back plate. I wanted BMO to look as if he had been sitting in the forest, so it was important to have the paint chipped. I decided the best way to do this was to actually chip the paint. After a lot of research, I stumbled upon a technique that uses mustard to chip paint.

First I painted mustard over all the edges and areas that seemed they would have chipped paint. I then used a hair dryer to dry out all of the mustard to speed the process. If you look at the picture on the right, the lumps are where the mustard was placed. I then spray painted each individual piece. I realized that spraying about a foot away takes longer but the result look way better. I also realized how important it is to ensure you sanding is perfect because the paint really does not fill any holes. After painting, I waited about 3 hours for the paint to dry in the sun. Lastly, I peeled off all of the mustard and the print was really starting to come together. I really like the mustard technique and will definitely use it again.