One of the tool that blender 3d beginner user want to know at their early age learning blender is how to cut or make a hole/void on an object. Hopefully this cutting knife project article can answer your problem. This method is quite familiar with boolean modifier. The different is knife project only apply on face object. You later can add solidify or extrude the face, and add bevel to make any sharp part a little bit blunt.

For this practice we will create a cigarette ashtray. By the way, before we start this article course, take a look at my previous post about create a brushed metal material.

Now, on to the main topic. Create a new blender file, name it, and save as on your hard drive. After that create a Cylinder object and right away set its parameter like below:

Change the viewport to top view (numpad 7) and rotate it to 22.5d.

Now our right – left side align to horizontal axis and the top – bottom is align to vertical axis. It will be easier to cut with this adjustment.

Enter to edit mode (Tab), choose face mesh (ctrl+tab), and delete the top face.

Cutting Object Face in Blender 3D:

We want to have voids on each face side of this cigarette object. For that task, we will be using knife project tool to cut off some part of a face.

Change your viewport to front view (numpad 1) and make sure it’s in ortho view as well (numpad 5).

Next create a curve with command Shift + A —> Curve —> Nurbs Circle or Circle. To make the circle object face your view, check the align to view box.

Move the circle up a little bit, so it will look like this:

Select both off circle and cylinder at the same time by Shift + Right Click and enter edit mode. Next click on Knife Project button and make sure the cut through box check, so both side got cut off.

Note: Do not change your viewport during cutting process. You have to always in front ortho view.

Delete that half part of the face.

We still have 1 side of face that we still need to cut off. Repeat the process like I show you above, only this time you have to change viewport to right/left and rotate the circle object to 90d. Sorry, I won’t show you the details instruction, because they basically are the same steps.

Give Thickness and an Obtuse Angle in Blender 3D:

The only thing is missing from this object is its thickness. Add Solidify Modifier and set the parameter like below:

To make an obtuse angle, you need to add Bevel Modifier with details like picture below:

Don’t forget to apply smooth shading on this ashtray. But, sometimes after you smooth it, there are kinda triangle face shadow appear on the object. To fix it, go to Data editor and active Auto Smooth. Set the angle lower until the triangle face disappear.

Here’s my result. Pretty cool, huh?

Tweet me a photo of your render image. Hopefully you can follow this cutting knife project and happy with your result. If this article is useful, please share it with your friends. On next article, we will create the cigarette!. Thank you for reading and happy Easter if you celebrate it!.