Blender - Tray Tutorial

Blender to Silicone Mold: Design, Print & Cast Home Décor

Welcome to your step-by-step tutorial. In this focused 45-minute course, you will learn how to create and digitally sculpt a decorative tray in Blender, prepare it for 3D printing, finish the printed master, and turn it into a reusable silicone mold.

The course is designed for complete beginners. You do not need previous Blender or digital sculpting experience — simply follow the process from the first shape to the finished cast.

45-minute tutorial Beginner-friendly Step by step Blender is completely free Lifetime access

License & usage:
This course is for personal use only. Sharing, recording, copying, redistributing or reselling the video, page link or course materials is prohibited.

Watch the tutorial

You can pause, rewind and replay the tutorial whenever needed. For the clearest view of Blender’s interface, use full-screen mode and select the highest available video quality.

What you will learn

1. Design & sculpt

Create the tray shape in Blender and sculpt an organic, handmade-looking surface.

2. Prepare for printing

Check the model, export the STL file and prepare the design for your 3D printer.

3. Finish the master

Clean the print and optionally use primer or filler primer to reduce visible layer lines.

4. Make the silicone mold

Mix and pour liquid mold-making silicone to create a flexible, reusable mold.

5. Cast the finished object

Use the mold with polymer plaster, casting plaster, cement, wax or another compatible material.

6. Repeat the workflow

Use the same process to develop your own trays, dishes, candle holders and décor collections.

What you need

A Windows or Mac computer capable of running Blender
Blender 3D — completely free software
An FDM 3D printer and suitable filament
Sandpaper for cleaning and smoothing the printed master
Primer or filler primer — optional, but recommended for a smoother mold surface
Two-part liquid mold-making silicone
A casting material, such as polymer plaster, plaster, cement or wax
Basic safety equipment recommended by the manufacturers of the products you use

Software & useful tools

Download Blender for Windows Official Blender download page — choose the Windows installer. → Download Blender for macOS Official Blender download page — choose the correct version for Intel or Apple Silicon. → Formware Online STL Repair Tool A useful online tool for checking and repairing an STL file before slicing. →

Primers & surface finishing products

Primer is optional, but it can help fill small imperfections and reduce visible 3D-printing layer lines before you pour the silicone.

Mr. Surfacer 1000 Spray A stronger filler primer for more visible print lines and small surface imperfections. → Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 Spray A finer finishing primer for the final smoothing stages. → Tamiya Fine Surface Primer A popular fine primer commonly used for models and detailed surfaces. → Vallejo Surface Primer Spray Another widely used option for priming plastic and 3D-printed surfaces. →

Important: Product availability varies by country. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions, test the primer on a small printed sample, work in a well-ventilated area and allow every coat to dry fully before pouring silicone. Check that the primer, silicone and casting material are mutually compatible.

Before you start

Blender’s interface may look complex at first, but this tutorial uses only the tools needed for this project. Follow the steps in order, pause whenever necessary and save separate versions of your Blender file as you work.

Once you understand the workflow, you can adapt it to your own shapes, dimensions and surface designs — and create molds that are completely unique to your brand.