Make Gir (from "Invader Zim") Using 123D Design

Gir is one of my favorite characters of all time! It doesn't matter if it's the worst sidekick ever, but "Invader Zim" wouldn't be the same without this burritos lover and mayhem maker.

I always wanted to build a Gir. Maybe one day I will make it with trash. But first, I built it using 123D Design and the Objet Connex 500 3D printer.I wanted to experiment with some character development, trying to design a statue the most similar possible to the real one.

At end, I printed two Girs: a bigger one (made with VeroWhite and TangoBlack) and a smaller one (made with VeroClear and VeroBlue). And I found two interesting tips about materials:

1. See the big one. The "zebra" coloration is not a Photoshop alteration or a problem with the lights. It happened because I choose the automatic mode in Objet Studio, that allows the 3D printer to manage the materials for completing the print. There was a small amount of VeroWhite and enough TangoBlack, so Gir was printed on diferent materials layers.

2. The smaller one: The 3D printer gives you two finish options: Mate and Glossy. I chose Glossy. But there is a problem: a glossy finish only works on simple proyotypes that have only a thin and uniform support material layer. On uneven pieces, where complete parts are covered with support material, the ultraviolet light won't cure uniformly the piece's surface, so at end, you will have a piece with glossy patches and mate patches. Then you will have to polish or use sand paper.

This design is not so complicated. Even, you can try to do it on the 123D Design app for iPad.

http://www.123dapp.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/1579983

For the legs, I used two cones, using non-uniform scale for modifying the height.

For the main body, I used a basic box, modified with Fillet. I used Tweak on the legs, for a better attachment to the body. The neck is a simple cylinder

This was my first attempt to make the big head, using a sphere and a cylinder. (On Step 6, I change the design to a better one. This one looks more like Bart Simpson's head)

I didn't want Gir looked straight as a pole, so I modified the angle of body and head.

The shoulders were made with spheres. I used cylinders for the eyes. In some time of the design, I made one of the eyes bigger, for giving more expression.

As I said on Step 3, I was not happy with the head. So, I changed the cylinder for a cutted cone. For head's top, I used a low height cylinder, of the same radius of the cone's bottom, and I filleted the border.

I wanted to make a screaming Gir. I took a filleted box, then I extruded it negatively, in the area where the mouth had to be.

For the arms, I used cylinders of the same radius of the neck.

On the front of the body, I put a box, like some kind of door to the circuits.

I changed the color of eyes, shoulders, and front door. (Later, I will do the same with the wrists.)

I made the wrists using spheres. For the hands, I made two "eggs" (spheres with non-uniform scale on the height). I extruded negatively the small egg through the bigger egg, making the hands.

The antenna, on top of the head, is a high cone with a sphere at the end.

I printed the bigger one, with the strange zebra pattern I talked about. If you need more information about how to print a prototype in an Objet Connex 500, you can read my guide.

The prototype is awesome, but has some problems:

1. The figure can stand alone, but any movement can make it fall
2. The head is to big and heavy, and any small hit can broke the neck.

So, I had to think in any solution. I didn't want a beheaded Gir.

So, I made a base. I used some cylinders for the basic pedestal, and then I used other solids for making the Irken (invader alien race) logo.

I had a problem trying to print the base in two diferent materials (and colors). So, I made the base in two pieces. The idea was to print each as separate pieces, and then, assemble the base.

I used VeroClear for the Irken face, and VeroBlue for the rest of the base. When I printed it, I assembled it and attached to big Gir using superglue.

I printed the small Gir, with the base already attached and assembled. The green parts in the design and the base, were printed in VeroBlue. The rest of the body was printed in VeroClear.