VaseMaker
A browser-based parametric 3D vase designer. Create beautiful vases with 29 cross-section shapes, Bezier profile curves, 13 surface textures, twist, morphing, and more — then export STL files for 3D printing.
Use it now at vasemaker.dcity.org — no download or install required.
Create SVG texture patterns with our companion app PatternMaker — design a pattern there, then apply it as a surface texture on your vase.
3D Printed Examples
Features
- 29 polar cross-section shapes — Circle, Heart, SuperFormula, Gear, Cassini, and more
- Bezier profile curve — sculpt the vase outline with an interactive curve editor
- Shape morphing — smoothly blend between two shapes from bottom to top
- 13 surface textures — Fluting, Voronoi, Simplex noise, Basket Weave, Stipple, SVG patterns, and more
- Texture cutout — punch holes through the wall for lattice/perforated designs
- Twist & Sway — custom Bezier twist, wave twist, and XY offset curves
- Smooth zones — suppress textures near base/rim for clean edges
- Shell mode — wall thickness, smooth inner wall, flat/rounded rim
- Foot & maker's mark — a recessed foot ring, and your own mark (a drawing, picture or text) impressed or raised on the bottom of the piece; it carries onto the molds too
- Image capture — save viewport screenshots as PNG/JPG at any resolution
- STL export — watertight mesh ready for slicing
- Save/Load — JSON design files, tiny and forward-compatible
- 50-step undo/redo — Cmd+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z
- Real-time preview — instant feedback as you adjust parameters
Also in the app, each on its own page:
- MoldMaker — turns your vase into 3D-printable parts for a plaster slip-casting mold (Pour 3-Pc, Split Halves, Split Thirds)
- HandleMaker — design a mug or vase handle and print the parts for its two-part plaster mold
- SprigMaker — turn an SVG, a PNG/JPG picture, or text into a small raised decoration (a sprig) and print its one-piece plaster mold, in standard box sizes; its Mark tab designs your maker's mark for the bottom of a piece
- See the finished piece — the vase, handle and sprig pages can each show the vase in 3-D with the handle and sprigs on it (sprigs drape over any texture)
Getting Started
git clone https://github.com/dcityorg/vasemaker.git
cd vasemaker
npm install
npm run dev
Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.
Tech Stack
Project Structure
src/
├── engine/ # Pure math — mesh generation, shapes, STL export
├── components/
│ ├── editor/ # Main layout, sidebar, help panel
│ ├── parameters/ # All parameter UI controls (split by section)
│ └── viewport/ # 3D canvas, capture overlay/renderer
├── config/ # Slider ranges, colors, presets, viewport settings
├── store/ # Zustand stores (params + undo history)
├── presets/ # Default parameters and preset definitions
├── hooks/ # React hooks (mesh generation bridge)
├── content/ # Help panel text content
└── lib/ # Utilities (math, download helpers)
How It Works
User adjusts slider → Zustand store → useVaseMesh hook →
generateMesh() → Float32Array positions/normals + indices →
VaseMesh.tsx updates BufferGeometry → Three.js renders
The engine uses polar cross-section shapes swept along a Bezier vertical profile. Each vertex is computed from: shape function × profile radius + texture offsets, then converted from polar to cartesian coordinates with twist rotation applied.
Acknowledgements
MoldMaker and HandleMaker were inspired by Kent at
shapecastmolds.com — thank you for showing what a
well-made plaster slip-casting mold system looks like.
License
MIT
How this project is maintained
This is a hobby project. I read issues and discussions about once a week and reply when I can. Feature requests are welcome, and I'll build the ones that fit the app well. Pull requests are welcome too, but I may decline ones that don't fit.
Questions go in Discussions → Q&A, bugs in Issues.
