# Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Modeling a 3D Parachute in Blender


|previous=Simple Vehicle: Some Assembly Required
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## Remove the default cube

![](Blender267DefaultCube.png "Blender267DefaultCube.png"){width="150"}

When you first open blender you will see the default Blender user
interface (UI) layout and the default cube.

Delete the cube by selecting it with 
and then pressing .

## Add a cylinder

![](Blender267CylinderEditMode.png "Blender267CylinderEditMode.png"){width="150"}
Switch to **Side** view ().

Add a Cylinder with → Add→ Mesh→
Cylinder. At the bottom of the Tool Shelf change "Cap Fill Type" to
"Triangle Fan".

Press  to switch to Edit mode. The
cylinder should now look like the picture at right.

## Remove the bottom row of vertices

![](Blender267ParachuteDeleteCylinderBottom.png "Blender267ParachuteDeleteCylinderBottom.png"){width="500"}
Next you will want to delete the bottom row of vertices. To accomplish
this go into side view by pressing .

Ensure that you are in **Vertex select** mode (that the leftmost of the
group of 3 icons
![](Blender-edit-select-modes.png "Blender-edit-select-modes.png") is
selected; click on it if not).

Press  twice to deselect everything.

Press , and box select the bottom row
of vertices, and press  to delete and
then confirm.

Note: you must have limit selection to visible off, the button to the
right of the group of three icons for selection. If you wish to do the
selection with it ON, you will have to change your perspective so as to
be able to select all lower vertices.

Note: Instead of all of the above, you can also just add a circle with
fill type \'triangle fan\'

## Extrude and scale to shape

![](Blender3d_Parachute_select_outer_edges.jpg "Blender3d_Parachute_select_outer_edges.jpg"){width="150"}

Be in **Vertex-select mode** (as above).

Select all the vertices around the outside of the circle. The centre
vertex must not be selected. You can do this conveniently in a number of
ways; why not practise them all:

-   Starting with no vertices selected, use
     to select all vertices, then
     on the centre vertex to
    deselect it. Or

-   Starting with no vertices selected,
     (*loop select*) on one of
    the outside edges or vertices to select the entire loop of them. Or

-       on the centre vertex to select only it, then use
     to invert the selection.

Now switch to edge-select mode by 
and selecting Edges.

![](Blender_Cylinder_Taper_For_Parachute.jpg "Blender_Cylinder_Taper_For_Parachute.jpg"){width="150"}

Press  to extrude (\"region\") the
selection and  to constrain to the Z
axis.

Drag the edges a small ways down then click
 to release.

As this makes a right-angle at the sides and parachutes don't have
straight edges, we need to scale the selection outward.

Press  and move the mouse away from the
model, you will see that the edges get smaller and bigger.

Scale them out a small ways then left click to release. You will want to
practice a little with the scale amounts till you can make a realistic
parachute shape.

![](Blender_Screen_Parachute_shaped_Mesh.jpg "Blender_Screen_Parachute_shaped_Mesh.jpg"){width="150"}
Continue extruding and scaling till you have a shape like the one shown
on the right.

When you\'re done making a nice shape, be sure to select all
( twice), then
 and pick "Remove Doubles".

## Make the top more rounded

150px\|right
Be in **Vertex mode**.

Select the center vertex in the middle of the original top half of the
cylinder, use circle select to get it, otherise you will be
 a number of times to find it, and move
 it up along the
 axis.

Select all , and then
 and Remove Doubles, in case any were
created.

## Extrude the parachute straps

![](Blender_Select_Corners_OnCylinder.jpg "Blender_Select_Corners_OnCylinder.jpg"){width="150"}
Now go into top-view by pressing . Here
you will select \~4 edges at opposite sides of each other.

![](Blender_Pull_Corners_Down.jpg "Blender_Pull_Corners_Down.jpg"){width="150"}
Go back into side-view  and extrude
downward by pressing  and then
.

## Merge it together

![](Blender_Completed_Parachute.jpg "Blender_Completed_Parachute.jpg"){width="151"}
All that remains to finish your parachute is to press
 then choose "At Center" which will
merge all selected vertices.

A alternate way to make the parachute top is to create a UV sphere, and
cut it in half. 

