One of the simplest kinds of 3D models starts from a simple drawing. Starting with pen and paper, a precise, professionally designed graphic or anything in between, you can quickly make a 3D-printable model. Logos and cookie cutters are some common 3D prints that are made from 2D graphics. In this chapter, we'll create a useful household object, starting from a simple hand-drawn sketch.
For this exercise, let's start with something useful, and somewhat simple. But since we're going to 3D print it, we'll make a fun design.
I started by making a pen and paper sketch of my initial concept—a hook-shaped, low-resolution version of a seahorse. I then scanned the image into a JPEG file and saved it to my computer. As you can see in the following figure, it's not a great drawing, but rather a starting point:
