{"id":29520,"date":"2017-02-28T03:00:53","date_gmt":"2017-02-28T08:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=29520"},"modified":"2017-05-22T17:59:21","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T21:59:21","slug":"tutorial-tuesday-6-making-your-designs-customizable-with-custommaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/tutorial-tuesday-6-making-your-designs-customizable-with-custommaker","title":{"rendered":"Tutorial Tuesday 6: Making Your Designs Customizable with CustomMaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"0-coverimage-custom_jewelry\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the most powerful things about 3D printing is the ability to create customized, one-of-a-kind objects. You could choose to make many different personalized jewelry pieces from one ring or pendant design by making modifications on a case-by-case basis in your own design software. Or, you can use Shapeways\u2019 CustomMaker<\/a> tool to make your shop designs personalizable with just the click of a mouse, enabling yourself or your customers to add their own text or images to parts of your designs. This week on Tutorial Tuesday, we\u2019ll talk about how you can turn your existing designs into easily personalizable, one-of-a-kind pieces.<\/p>\n

Getting Started with CustomMaker<\/h3>\n

CustomMaker<\/a> runs on Shapeways\u2019 own Javascript voxel-based design language ShapeJS<\/a>, but you don\u2019t need to know anything about that to apply it to your designs. Using CustomMaker to add customizable text and image fields is as easy as dragging and clicking with your mouse.<\/p>\n

So how does it work? Suppose you have an existing design on Shapeways that you want to make personalizable. Start by going to the \u201cCustomization\u201d section of the product edit page for that design and activate the \u201cCustomMaker\u201d radio button.<\/p>\n

Then, select either \u201cAdd Text Box\u201d or \u201cAdd Image Box\u201d and click somewhere on your object to make the text or image box appear. You can drag to move or re-size the text or image box however you like. The tool will even automatically curve your text or image around rounded parts of your design! Choose whether you want the text or image to be \u201cembossed\u201d (protruding out from your model) or \u201cengraved\u201d (carved into your model), set the detail depth and font parameters, and click \u201cPreview\u201d to see an example of how the customized text or image would appear on your design.<\/p>\n

\"2-screenshot_custommaker\"<\/p>\n

You can change settings while in the Preview mode and the design will automatically update. To change the placement of text\/image box again, press \u201cEdit\u201d to exit the Preview mode. To add a second customizable feature, first \u201cSave Changes\u201d and then return to the Customization menu and preview. You can add up to one text box, one image box, or one of each type of box.<\/p>\n

CustomMaker Resources<\/h3>\n

For a video overview, check out Lauren Slowik\u2019s tutorial How to Use CustomMaker<\/a>:<\/p>\n