Computer aided design, built in Blender
CAD has been my hobby since high school, from AutoCAD and Revit to a decade in SketchUp. Today it is all Blender, and the models below are detailed down to the last screw and wire. Load one up and spin it yourself.
From drafting class to Blender
Computer aided design has been a hobby of mine since high school. A drafting class pulled me into AutoCAD and Revit, and right around the same time Google released a new program called SketchUp. It brought 3D design to anyone with a computer: it was free, the interface was simple, and it was easy to learn.
For the next ten years SketchUp was my go‑to. It grew in versatility while keeping that short learning curve, and I was there the whole way, modeling everything from apartment floor plans to spaceships to parts built for 3D printing. That held until October 2018.
Since then I have moved my whole workflow to Blender, and it is a completely different animal. Blender has been used to create effects in feature films, to make entire animated movies, and in a huge number of projects in between. It makes detailed models, animation, and lifelike scenes not just possible but beautiful, once you learn it. It takes longer to get comfortable than SketchUp did, and it is absolutely worth it.
What the switch unlocked
A steeper climb than SketchUp, and far more range once it clicks.
A film‑grade ceiling
The same tool used for feature‑film effects and full animated movies. Whatever I am modeling, I am nowhere near its limits, so the tool is never the thing holding a project back.
Models, motion, and scenes
One program for detailed hard‑surface models, animation, and lifelike rendered scenes, instead of stitching several tools together to get there.
Detail that holds up
Close enough to duplicate a real object down to its screws, wires, and worn materials. The interactive models below let you zoom in as far as you want and check.
Everything on this page is made in Blender, the free and open‑source 3D creation suite. If you are coming from SketchUp, the tutorial series lower down walks the same jump I made.
Interactive models, straight from Blender
Hosted on Sketchfab so anyone can explore the detail. Click to load, then drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, and get as close as you like.
The first one: my 3D printer
The first model I built that was not part of a tutorial was my own 3D printer. I tried to duplicate it in every way, from every screw to the wires that sprawl across the frame.
Then the fine details: a Fitbit Charge 2
Next I pushed on the finer details and rebuilt my Fitbit Charge 2. It hid a lot of small challenges to learn, like the texture of the bands and the little exposed chipset on the back.
The more you do, the more you learn, and that is my favorite part of picking up a new skill. I hope you tag along.
Learning Blender after SketchUp
Making the same jump from SketchUp to Blender? I am writing the series I wish I had, starting with the basics of Blender navigation and building up from there. New guides show up here automatically as they go live.
Want to see the rest?
There is more on my Sketchfab, from full kitchen scenes to gadgets, with more on the way. If you have something you want modeled, or you just want to talk shop, I am glad to hear about it.