In this workshop, Maarten Verhoeven demonstrates how to create three different key designs for 3D printing and how to perform reliable boolean operations in ZBrush. By walking through a clear workflow, slicing the model, inserting appropriate key types, adding tolerance through controlled inflation, and organizing boolean folders, he shows how to produce complex, printable files that assemble cleanly with minimal post-processing. The square boolean method is highlighted as the preferred approach due to its superior structural and alignment properties compared to tapered alternatives.

Duration: 6m 39s

In this lesson, Maarten starts on the meticulous, time-intensive process of preparing his 3D model for printing. Organization, strategic polygon reduction, and thorough technical cleanup are key at this stage. By methodically working through each component, decimating meshes, backfilling gaps, ensuring watertight geometry, and planning connection points, Maarten ensures his sculpture meets production ready standards which can be cast successfully and assembled properly.

Duration: 33m

In this lesson, Maarten exercises patience, systematic thinking, and creative problem-solving when it comes to his 3D printing preparation. Each model and its subsequent parts present unique challenges that demand careful visual assessment and adaptable solutions. Some of Maarten's best advice for working through this aspect of preparation is to simply find "the right music" to work to, and "enjoy the ride", while still maintaining attention to detail.

Duration: 38m 40s

In this lesson, Maarten shows how to properly prepare and apply keys to a fully finalized model. He emphasizes the importance of meticulous organization, patience, and constant visual verification throughout the process. By maintaining clean folder structures, creating appropriate duplicates, and systematically applying Boolean operations while checking for errors, Maarten demonstrates how even complex multi-part models can be prepared with precise interlocking keys that ensure reliable assembly after 3D printing.

Duration: 29m 29s

n this lesson, Maarten introduces the Scale Master plug-in in ZBrush, an essential tool for 3D printing workflows. Using a bounding box approach, he shows how artists can accurately maintain proportions and real-world dimensions across all components before exporting for physical production. This step is also critical groundwork for the next phase, hollowing the model, before Maarten moves on to the 3D printing stage.

Duration: 2m 58s

In this lesson, Maarten uses MeshMixer combined with ZBrush tto hollow out the model. This stage is important as the initial preparation as successful resin printing depends not just on technical fixes, but on understanding the physics of the process, avoiding vacuum traps, managing material costs, and maintaining structural integrity. Meticulous file organization throughout the workflow is equally essential to prevent costly mistakes during the engineering phase.

Duration: 7m 33s

In this lesson, Maarten demonstrates the drain hole preparation required for successful resin 3D printing in ZBrush. He emphasizes how checking files multiple times is essential for preventing any mix-ups in the import/export process. Strategically placing drain holes on each part of the model, and paying careful attention to internal geometry, along with thorough file verification at each stage are critical steps that separate successful prints from failed ones.

Duration: 14m 48s

In this lesson, Maarten works in PreForm, the slicing tool for Formlabs printers, to prepare his model for printing. He emphasizes that poor orientation and inadequate support placement can lead to print failures and wasted effort. By carefully orienting the model, manually refining support structures, and prioritizing surface detail over automated convenience, artists can produce high-quality prints that preserve the integrity of their sculpted work.

Duration: 26m 39s

In this final lesson, Maarten showcases the tools and cleanup process he uses once a model has been printed. By following proper safety protocols when working with IPA, strategically removing supports, thoroughly washing and drying the print, and applying appropriate UV curing, he demonstrates how to achieve clean results without the need for reprints. The final outcome highlights how 3D prints serve as tangible prototypes that greatly enhance presentations and support clearer discussions about the model as a whole.

Duration: 6m 24s