This will be a two part tutorial on creating a paper model banana using the open source 3D program Blender. You can download Blender for free from their website and follow along at home.
Download and save the Banana picture here.
Add the picture as a background image. There is a tutorial here explaining how.
Make sure that the background image Axis is set to Left then click View at the bottom left of the window and set the view to Left as well.
The banana shape is made up from a series of pentagons joined together. To create a pentagon in Blender we create a circle and set its number of sides to five(!)
Start by clicking <shift> A then choosing Circle from the menu.
Set the number of vertices to 5. The circle is shown edge on so it looks like an orange straight line in this view.
We're going to start the construction of the banana from the middle. Using a combination of G to grab the circle, S to scale the circle and R to rotate it move the circle so that it fits neatly across the middle of the banana.
To create the next section we're going to extrude from the first section. Press the E key. A new pentagon connected to the first one will be created. Move the mouse to see clearly how it works. Use a combination of G, S & R to position it higher up on the banana. Click the mouse to fix its position.
Repeat the process of using E to extrude and G, S & R for Grab, Scale & Rotate to position the segments until you are at the top of the banana stalk.
Use <alt> <click> and drag to change the view point. As you move away from the left view the background image will disappear. Notice that in the above image the top most pentagon is selected hence the orange lines. Before finishing off the banana we need to deselect these. First press A to select everything - press A again and everything will be deselected including the previously selected stalk.
<Alt> <click> and drag the view round so that you can see the open base of the banana. Select the five points of the pentagon using the lasso select tool. <Ctrl> <click> and drag.
Make sure that you set the view to Left before proceeding.
Once done repeat the process of E to Extrude, G, S & R to move until you have completed the banana shape.
<Alt> <click>drag to admire your handy work!
Save the file under a suitable name. 'Banana' would do nicely. In the next tutorial I'll show you how to convert the 3D computer model into a paper model.
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New ---The first, un-peeled banana is now available for everybody to download for free. The complete file with both peeled and unpeeled banana is free for members to download.
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Two different paper bananas for you to download and make. The banana was designed with the aid of the 3D program Blender. I'm planning on creating a tutorial of some sort showing how it was done shortly.
If you are a member you can download the parts for the usual places for free. Thanks for signing up!
There are two different designs, each one in colour and line only. Print out the pages of your choice onto thin card. (230 gsm / 230 micron) Score along the dotted lines and carefully cut out the pieces.
Unpeeled Banana
Fold up and glue together the end.
Glue together the five strips that make up the main body of the banana starting at the bottom end. The parts are number 1-5. Glue them together so that the numbers go 5,4,3,2,1 running left to right.
Loop round and glue together the strips 1 and 5 to make a tube.
Glue the body of the banana into the banana end. Use the two dots for alignment.
Work your way up the banana gluing together one row at a time.
Complete the banana by gluing together the stalk.
Peeled Banana
Glue together the base in the same way as with the unpeeled banana.
Glue together the five strips of peel in descending order 5-1 left to right.
Glue together the five strips that make up the banana inner. Start at the base by gluing together the strips this time in ascending order 1-5, left to right.
Work your way up the banana body gluing together one row at a time.
Roll round and close the peel into a loop.
Glue the peel to the base using the dots for alignment. Curve the peel over so that the peel hangs downwards.
Fold up the tabs on the banana body and apply glue to the back of the tabs.
Glue the banana body into the peel to complete the model.
Make sure you don't leave your banana peel on the floor, you don't want anyone to slip!
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Six hundredth blog post! Bananas seemed to be an appropriate topic. I'm really beginning to get the hand of modelling in Blender. So - here for your delight, I present, 3D rendition of a banana above and the paper version printed out using the Blender Unwrap tool.
I'll reveal the secrets of the design and supply a file for you to make your own (!) shortly but it is getting late. Time for a hot choc I think.
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