Learning Microsoft's 3-D Builder: Coffee Mug Tutorial
Overview
A tutorial to learn the essential elements of Microsoft's 3-D Builder by building a coffee mug. Takes about 7-8 minutes to complete
Below is a step-by-step process of how to create a coffee mug using Microsoft’s 3D Builder. This program is native to all Windows 10 PC’s, and can be downloaded from the Microsoft store.
First, we need to open the Insert menu at the top left of the screen. Then click on Cylinder to drop one in the middle of your work plane.
Click Custom under the Insert menu, and then change the Shape to Torus. Then change the Latitude to 100, the Longitude to 100, and the Radius to 18. Finally click add to drop the custom Torus into your work plane.
Make sure the Move tool at the bottom of your screen is selected, then use the arrows next to your Torus to move it from under your cylinder.
Use the Rotate tool at the bottom of your screen to rotate the torus by 90 degrees until it’s perpendicular with the cylinder. Then use the Move tool to insert your torus halfway into the side of the cylinder: this is your mug handle.
Select the cylinder and press Ctrl+C to copy it, then press Ctrl+V to paste it. Then use the Scale tool at the bottom of the screen to adjust the cylinder to the following settings: X =37, Y=37, Z = 60.
Copy and paste your new cylinder the same way you did in step 5. Now use the Move tool to move one of the long cylinders into the middle of your original cylinder. Make sure the long cylinder is selected, go to the Edit menu at the top of the page and press Subtract. You should now have a large hole in the middle of your mug, press Crtl+Z if you need to undo anything.
Hold down the shift button and then click on your mug and mug handle to select both at the same time. Then go to the top right side of your screen and click the Group button. They are now one combined object.
Click on Paint at the top of the screen, then click on Color, and then change the selected color to white. Mouse over the mug and click on it to change the color to white, do the same to the mug handle. Finally click the color check mark at the top of the screen to apply your color changes.
Use the Move tool to move your last remaining long cylinder into the middle of your mug. Use the Scale tool to make the cylinder’s Z = 30. Use the skills you learned in step 8 to change the cylinder’s color to brown: now you have some coffee in your cup.
Time for finishing touches. With your brown coffee cylinder still selected, click on Material at the top of the screen. Then change the type to Translucent and hit apply; your coffee filling should now be see-through. You can use this same technique to change the mug and handles material to Realistic, and then use the slider at the top to make it glossy. After hitting apply, you’ve finished your 3D Builder coffee mug!
Bonus Points: After finishing, group your coffee filling and mug to have one complete object!