Living up at Michigan Tech has taught me that it is important to have hobbies. It is really easy to get in this cycle of class, work, sleep, repeat. Last fall, I began a new hobby and I want to report a little on what I’ve learned.
Last fall, I began trying to 3D model using a free program called Blender. I had little to no experience in 3D modeling and just wanted to see if I liked it. Recently, the program had a huge update to the interface, making it a lot more friendly. Back when I started it was intimidating, to say the least.
Every model in Blender begins with a blank 6 sided cube, from there it is up to you. Usually, you just delete the cube and add in some other shape, other times you bend, twist and delete parts of that base cube to make any number of scenes and shapes.
The first thing I made was a very basic little game piece of sorts. Little more than a sphere on top of a cone, but it was something! I then started watching who knows how many hours of YouTube tutorials. I learned tons of stuff not only about 3D modeling but graphic design in general.
I learned about color combinations, how to make realistic reflections, even how to light a scene and play with depth of field. I even briefly tried to sell some posters. Above everything else, I just enjoyed it. Being someone who’s never been great at drawing but has always had an interest in art was frustrating until I tried 3D modeling.
I think in an engineering school it is easy to believe you have to either be a stoic-by-the-numbers type or some art school free spirit. I think this is absolutely false, though. I think at least trying a creative outlet can have huge benefits to not only your mental health but your entire way of thinking.
I run into problems in class I’ve already faced that I never would have seen without my artistic hobbies. For example, in thermo–fluid dynamics we covered flow in ductwork, fan strength and humidity. I thought it was cool to learn about this in class because just the week prior I had set up an air purification system for my resin 3D printer.
If I had never bothered with Blender, I wouldn’t have an interest in printing my 3D models and would never have this real-world engineering connection. I guess what I’m trying to say is that everything we do is connected. It doesn’t matter if it’s seeing the art in architecture or understanding the optical properties of paint.
We all live in one big world. Sure, us egghead engineers may make that world work, but few people would do calculus problems on their own for fun. So next time you’re feeling bored after class, maybe pick up a pencil and doodle or find some free creative program and a YouTube tutorial. You’ll be surprised where it takes you.
