2. Computer Aided design¶

Assignment:¶

model (raster, vector, 2D, 3D, render, animate, simulate, ...) a possible final project
compress your images and videos, and post a description with your design files on your class page

2D Modeling¶

Introduction to GIMP

GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a raster image creation and editing software (bitmap images based on pixels).

1.1 Main Features

Free and open-source software

Cross-platform: Windows, Linux, macOS

Large community and many available plugins

Commonly used for:

Digital drawing

Photo editing

Creating logos, badges, and posters

Preparing files for printing or digital fabrication

Installing GIMP

Follow the steps below to install GIMP on your computer:

Open a web browser

Go to the official website: https://www.gimp.org

Click on Download

Download the Windows installer (.exe)

Then:

Double-click the downloaded file

Follow the installation wizard

Click Install, then Finish

Once the software is installed, open GIMP to access the interface.

Learning a new software can be challenging. Don’t worry—GIMP developers have provided very detailed documentation. You can access it here: GIMP Documentation: https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/

Project: Hand-Drawn Badge Design

As a practical project in GIMP, we will create a simple hand-drawn badge, using basic tools available in the software.

Preparing the Workspace

Before drawing, it is essential to properly configure the document to obtain a clean image suitable for printing or digital fabrication.

Launch: Open GIMP and go to File → New

Dimensions: Set the width and height to 1000 px to create a comfortable square format

Quality: In the advanced options, set the resolution to 300 dpi (ideal for printing)

Background: Choose a white background

Creating the Badge Shape

We will now draw the basic structure of the access badge.

At this stage, I encountered some difficulties. Even when I selected different colors, the drawing always appeared gray. This issue was caused by the image being set to Grayscale mode.

⚠️ Important Technical Tip If you can only use shades of gray, your image is probably in Grayscale mode. To fix this, go to Image → Mode → RGB Color.

After switching to RGB mode, try painting or filling the base layer again.

Select the Bucket Fill Tool (paint bucket icon)

Click on the layer you want to fill

Drawing the Badge Body (Rounded Corners)

Select the Rectangle Select Tool

In the tool options, check Rounded corners

Adjust the Radius to obtain smooth curves, typical of modern electronic devices

Draw the rectangle in the center and fill it with white

Adding Depth and Details

To give a more realistic, physical look to the badge, we add shadows and details.

Depth effect: With the shape selected, go to Filters → Light and Shadow → Drop Shadow (or the “Legacy” version if applicable). This immediately creates a depth effect, making the badge appear raised from the background.

System details: Repeat the process with smaller rectangles to create:

A screen (black)

Interaction buttons (blue or red)

Use the Bucket Fill Tool to change the colors of each element.

Experiment with the Rectangle Select Tool and Filters → Repeat Drop Shadow (Legacy) until you obtain the result shown below.

Finalizing with Text

A badge without information is just a piece of plastic—let’s identify it!

Select the Text Tool (A icon)

Click on the desired area (for example, the black screen) and type your text, such as “FAB ACADEMY” or “BADGE LOCK!”

Adjust the font and size to ensure good readability

Click anywhere on the surface where you want to place the text and type it.

🎉 You’re done—congratulations!

Saving Your Work

Congratulations, your visual prototype is complete!

To keep all layers and edit the project later, press Ctrl + S and save the file in .XCF format (GIMP’s native format)

To share your image, go to File → Export As and export it as PNG or JPG

📹 Tutorial video reference: https://youtu.be/kgwb4cnkxfk

Inkscape User Tutorial 1. Introduction to Inkscape 1.1 What is Inkscape?

Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics software. Unlike raster images (pixel-based), vector drawings are based on mathematical shapes, which allows them to be resized without any loss of quality.

This makes Inkscape particularly suitable for:

Laser cutting

Vinyl cutting

CNC machining

Graphic design for digital fabrication

Installing Inkscape

Follow the steps below to install Inkscape:

Open a web browser

Go to the official Inkscape website: https://inkscape.org

Click on Installer.msi

Install the software on your computer

Once installed, launch Inkscape to access the main interface.

Learning a new software can be challenging. Fortunately, Inkscape provides a detailed official documentation to help beginners. You can find it here: Inkscape Documentation https://inkscape.org/fr/apprendre/

Project: Designing a Keychain

The goal of this project is to create a customized keychain, ready for laser cutting or 3D printing.

The white canvas represents our workspace. The keychain has a rectangular shape with dimensions 26 × 58 mm.

Drawing the Base Shape

Select the Rectangle Tool

Draw a rectangle and set its dimensions to 26 mm × 58 mm

Rounding the Corners

Select the Node Tool

Click on the rectangle to display its corner nodes

Select the corner nodes and use the circular handle to round the corners

The circular handle controls the curvature of the corners.

Creating the Keychain Hole

Select the Ellipse Tool

Draw a circle near the top of the rectangle

This circle will be used as the hole for the key ring

Creating a Slot (Notch)

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a notch shape

Then:

Select two shapes at a time

Go to Path → Difference

This operation subtracts one shape from another, creating cutouts in the design.

Vectorizing an Image

You can add a decorative image to your keychain.

Steps:

Open your web browser

Search for the image you want to use

Copy and paste the image into your Inkscape workspace

To convert the image into vector format:

Select the image

Go to Path → Trace Bitmap

Click Apply

Delete the original raster image

Final Result

At the end of the process, you obtain a custom keychain with bird patterns, fully vectorized and ready for fabrication.

3D Modeling¶

1. Creating an Onshape Account¶

Go to https://www.onshape.com

Click on “Create a Student Account”

Fill in the form (First Name, Last Name, Email)

Activate your account using the confirmation email. Set your password and log in. Once completed, you will have access to the Onshape workspace interface.

2. The Workspace Interface¶

After logging in: Click on Create → Document to open a new design workspace

Define the name of your document, then click Create

You will see the main design interface.

Select a Top plane. Click on the Sketch icon in the top-left corner

Use the Rectangle tool to draw your sketch. For this exercise, the dimensions are 100 × 100 mm

To validate the sketch, click the green checkmark in the left panel.

Select your sketch Use the Extrude tool to give thickness to the shape

Select the top face of the extruded shape. Create a new sketch and draw a circle with a diameter of 70 mm

Extrude the circle to a height of 48 mm

Select the Fillet tool. Click on the rectangle edges. Enter a radius value of 20 mm

To complete the exercise: Use the Shell tool.

Select the circular face Set the shell thickness to 3 mm. This operation hollows the part while keeping uniform wall thickness.

Image and Video Compression¶

Image Compression¶

For compressing our images, we chose the software ImageMagick.

ImageMagick is a free, open-source software suite used for editing and manipulating digital images. It can create, edit, compose, and convert bitmap images, and it supports a wide range of file formats including JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and Ultra HDR.

Installation

Go to the following link: https://imagemagick.org/script/download.php#windows. Click on the Windows download option (as shown in the image below).

Once the software is downloaded, open the installer, click Next, then Install.

Compressing Images

Open the folder that contains your images. Right-click inside the folder and select “Open in Terminal”.

Type the following command in the terminal to compress all images in the folder:

magick mogrify -resize 1000x -format webp *.png

Element	Role
`magick`	Launches ImageMagick
`mogrify`	Modifies multiple images at once
`-resize 1000x`	Resizes to 1000px width, height automatic
`-format webp`	Converts images to WebP format
`*.png`	Applies to all PNG images in the folder

Video Compression¶

For compressing our videos, we chose HandBrake.

HandBrake is an open-source tool built by volunteers for converting video from nearly any format into modern, widely supported codecs.