From Pixels to Paper: How I Fused 3D & Code to Fold a Whale

TL;DR: I was stuck in tutorial hell trying to make a paper whale. So I switched gears: 1) Modeled it cleanly in Blender, 2) Wrote a Python script to mark fold lines automatically, and 3) Learned that automating precision sets your hands free for the satisfying, tactile work of folding. The process became a perfect ADHD project: short digital sprints followed by deep, physical focus.

---

🎯 The Problem: Tutorials vs. Making

Most paper craft tutorials start with a finished 2D template. You print, cut, and hope. For me, this killed the joy and understanding. I didn’t want to just assemble; I wanted to design the transition from 3D to 2D myself.

My ADHD brain needed:

1. A clear, visual 3D goal (the whale model).
2. A systematic rule to follow (the script’s logic).
3. A tactile, rewarding payoff (the physical folded object).

Step 1: Modeling the Whale in Blender – Keeping It Simple

The key to a good paper model is low polycount and manifold geometry. Every face will become a flap.

• Start Simple: I began with a cube, subdivided and sculpted roughly into a whale shape.
• The Critical Step – Remeshing: I used Blender’s Voxel Remesh modifier to create a clean, uniform quad topology. This is non-negotiable—irregular faces create folding nightmares.
• Decimate (Carefully): Reduced the polycount to the minimum needed to keep the form. Around 200-300 faces is a sweet spot for an A4 sheet.
• Ensure Manifold: Used Mesh > Clean Up > Make Manifold to ensure every edge is shared by exactly two faces. No holes, no internal geometry.

💡 ADHD Focus Tip: I used the Sculpt Mode for the creative, free-form part (fun!), then switched to Edit Mode for the technical cleanup (structured!). This context switching kept me engaged.

Step 2: The “A-Ha” Script – From 3D Faces to 2D Flaps

This is the core. The script doesn’t “unfold” the model (Blender has add-ons for that). Instead, it prepares the 3D model for a clean export by marking seams and adding envelope flaps automatically.

I created a Blender text block and ran this script:

```python import bpy import bmesh

Get the active object (your whale)

obj = bpy.context.active_object mesh = obj.data

Enter Edit Mode and get a bmesh

bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode=’EDIT’) bm = bmesh.from_edit_mesh(mesh)

1. MARK ALL EDGES AS SEAMS (for a clean unwrap later)

for edge in bm.edges: edge.seam = True print(f”Marked {len(bm.edges)} edges as seams.”)

2. CREATE FLAPS (Extrude and scale faces inward)

bpy.ops.mesh.select_all(action=’SELECT’) bpy.ops.mesh.extrude_region_move(TRANSFORM_OT_translate={“value”:(0, 0, 0)}) # Dummy extrude bpy.ops.transform.resize(value=(0.8, 0.8, 0.8)) # Scale new faces to 80% print(“Created inner flaps for gluing.”)

3. SELECT EDGES FOR VALLEY FOLDS (Optional: select sharp edges)

for edge in bm.edges: edge.select = (edge.calc_face_angle() > 30) # Select edges with angle > 30 degrees

Update and return to Object Mode

bmesh.update_edit_mesh(mesh) bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode=’OBJECT’) print(“Script finished. Ready for UV unwrapping.”)