hmelenok Fullstack Adventures Blog

Wrapping 3D Patterns Around a Cylinder in Blender

December 15, 2025

When you need to wrap a pattern around a cylinder in Blender, you want real geometry - not just shader displacement. This matters for 3D printing, booleans, embossing, and debossing where you need actual mesh topology.

This workflow is based on Rod Deweese’s YouTube tutorial and refined through production use. It produces clean 360° wraps with stable topology.

What You’ll Get

  • Real mesh wrapped 360° around a cylinder
  • Topology stable enough for booleans and 3D printing
  • Emboss/deboss ready geometry (not just visual displacement)
  • Minimal cleanup required

Prerequisites

  • Blender 3.0+ (works with most recent versions)
  • Inkscape (for SVG preparation)
  • Basic Blender modifier knowledge

Step 1: Prepare Pattern in Inkscape

If you’re starting from a raster image (PNG, JPG), you need to convert it to vector format first.

Converting Raster to SVG

  1. Open your image in Inkscape
  2. Select the image
  3. Go to Path → Trace Bitmap
  4. Adjust Threshold slider until you get a clean silhouette
  5. Click OK
  6. Delete the original raster image
  7. Save as Plain SVG (not Inkscape SVG)

Pro tip: Patterns with lots of micro-spikes and fine details create messy geometry. Cleaner, bolder silhouettes work better for this workflow.

Design Considerations

  • Seamless edges - Make sure left/right edges will tile seamlessly
  • Appropriate detail level - Too much fine detail = slow rendering
  • Consistent thickness - Uniform line weights convert better to 3D

Step 2: Set Up Reference Geometry

Before importing the pattern, create guide objects to wrap around.

Create Reference Cylinder

  1. Shift+A → Mesh → Cylinder
  2. Set properties in the operator panel:
    • Radius: 0.5
    • Depth: 3
    • Vertices: 96 (higher = smoother)
  3. Hide it (H) for now

Create Wrap Curve

  1. Shift+A → Curve → Circle
  2. Set properties:
    • Radius: 0.5 (match cylinder exactly)
    • Resolution: 30+ (higher = smoother wrapping)
  3. Hide it (H) for now

Why separate objects? The cylinder is your visual reference. The curve is what actually bends the pattern. Keeping them separate gives you more control.

Step 3: Import and Extrude SVG

Now bring your pattern into Blender.

Import Process

  1. File → Import → Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg)
  2. Select your SVG file
  3. Right-click the imported curve → Set Origin → Origin to Geometry
  4. Shift+S → Selection to Cursor (centers it)
  5. Rotate upright if needed (usually R X 90)
  6. Scale to roughly match cylinder dimensions (S)
  7. Apply scale: Ctrl+A → Scale

Convert to 3D

While it’s still a curve object:

  1. Select the curve
  2. Open Object Data Properties (green curve icon)
  3. Under Geometry → Extrude: set to 0.02 (adjust based on your units)
    • This gives the flat pattern depth
  4. Right-click → Convert to → Mesh

Why convert now? Curve modifiers don’t work well with curve objects. Converting to mesh gives us geometry we can modify.

Step 4: Fix Topology with Remesh

SVG-imported meshes have terrible topology - all ngons, triangles, and irregular faces. This makes them deform badly when curved.

Apply Remesh Modifier

  1. Add Remesh modifier to the pattern mesh
  2. Set Mode: Sharp (preserves hard edges)
  3. Set Octree Depth: 8–12
    • Start with 10
    • Lower = faster but blockier
    • Higher = slower but smoother
  4. Toggle Remove Disconnected if small bits disappear
  5. Click Apply when satisfied

What this does: Creates evenly distributed quad topology that bends cleanly around curves. This is the secret to getting clean wraps without distortion.

Before/After Remesh

Before: Ngons, triangles, irregular faces → distorts when curved
After:  Even quads, consistent edge flow → bends smoothly

Step 5: Wrap Around Circle

This is where the magic happens.

Basic Curve Modifier

  1. Unhide the Curve Circle (Alt+H)
  2. Select your pattern mesh
  3. Add Curve modifier
  4. Set Object field to the curve circle (use eyedropper)
  5. Choose correct Deform Axis (usually -Z or -X)
    • This is the most common failure point
    • Try different axes if it looks wrong

Getting the Axis Right

The deform axis depends on your pattern’s orientation:

  • Pattern faces +Z → use -Z axis
  • Pattern faces +X → use -X axis
  • If it wraps inside-out, flip the sign

Two Approaches to Seaming

Approach A: Manual Scaling (Video Method)

Scale the pattern along its length until ends meet:

  1. Select pattern mesh
  2. S Y (or appropriate axis) to scale length
  3. Hold Shift while dragging for fine control
  4. Match the seam visually

Pros: Simple, direct Cons: Requires eyeballing, not precisely 360°

Approach B: Array Modifier (Better Method)

Use math to hit circumference exactly:

  1. Calculate circumference: C = 2πR (or C = πD)
    • With R=0.5: C = 2π(0.5) ≈ 3.14
  2. Measure one pattern tile width: W
  3. Calculate repeats: N = C / W
  4. Add Array modifier before Curve modifier
  5. Set Count: N (round to nearest integer)
  6. Adjust Relative Offset to space tiles correctly

Pros: Mathematically precise, repeatable Cons: Requires calculation

Modifier Stack Order

1. Remesh (applied)
2. Array (if using approach B)
3. Curve

Order matters! Array must come before Curve.

Step 6: Apply and Fit to Cylinder

Once wrapping looks good, finalize the geometry.

Apply Curve Modifier

  1. Click Apply on Curve modifier
  2. Pattern is now permanently curved geometry
  3. Unhide reference cylinder
  4. Scale pattern outward slightly (Alt+S) to sit on cylinder surface

Positioning Tips

  • Use Proportional Editing (O) for smooth adjustments
  • Check from multiple angles (numpad views)
  • Ensure pattern doesn’t intersect cylinder

Step 7: Clean Up Seam and Overlaps

The seam where pattern meets itself needs cleanup.

Video Method: Manual Bridge

  1. Delete overlapping face rows at seam
  2. Select one coplanar face
  3. Shift+G → Coplanar → selects all coplanar faces
  4. Delete internal faces
  5. Select both edge loops at seam
  6. Edge → Bridge Edge Loops

Faster Method: Weld Modifier

  1. Add Weld modifier temporarily
  2. Set Distance: small value (e.g., 0.001)
  3. This merges duplicate vertices at seam
  4. Apply modifier
  5. Select seam edge loop
  6. Alt+M → Merge by Distance for final cleanup

Common Issues and Solutions

Pattern Wraps Inside-Out

Solution: Flip the deform axis sign in Curve modifier (e.g., -Z to +Z)

Seam Doesn’t Meet

Solution: Scale pattern length or adjust Array count

Distortion at Curves

Solution: Increase Remesh octree depth or curve resolution

Pattern Too Thick/Thin

Solution: Adjust Extrude value before converting to mesh

Weird Stretching

Solution: Check that scale is applied (Ctrl+A → Scale)

Optimization for Production

For 3D Printing

  • Keep remesh octree at 9-10 (good detail/size balance)
  • Use Weld modifier to eliminate internal geometry
  • Run Mesh → Clean Up → Merge by Distance final pass
  • Check for non-manifold edges (Shift+Ctrl+Alt+M)

For Booleans

  • Apply all modifiers before boolean operations
  • Higher remesh resolution = cleaner cuts
  • Ensure normals face outward (Alt+N → Recalculate Outside)

For Rendering

  • Can keep lower remesh resolution
  • Add Subdivision Surface modifier after wrapping
  • Use normal maps for fine detail instead of geometry

Advanced Variations

Multiple Pattern Layers

Stack different patterns at different radii:

  1. Duplicate wrapped pattern
  2. Scale slightly larger (Alt+S)
  3. Offset along cylinder axis

Tapered Cylinders

Use Simple Deform modifier with Taper after Curve modifier:

  1. Curve wraps pattern
  2. Simple Deform (Taper) creates cone shape

Spiral Wraps

Replace circle curve with helix:

  1. Shift+A → Curve → Curve Spiral
  2. Adjust turns and radius
  3. Use as deform curve

Performance Tips

  • Work with lower remesh resolution while iterating
  • Apply modifiers when preview slows down
  • Hide reference objects when not needed
  • Use simplified pattern for testing, detailed for final

Workflow Checklist

  • Convert raster to clean SVG in Inkscape
  • Create reference cylinder (R=0.5, V=96)
  • Create curve circle (R=0.5, Res=30+)
  • Import SVG, center, orient, scale
  • Extrude curve (0.02), convert to mesh
  • Apply Remesh modifier (Sharp, Octree=10)
  • Add Curve modifier, set correct axis
  • Scale/Array to close seam
  • Apply Curve modifier
  • Clean up seam (bridge or weld)
  • Final merge by distance pass

Real-World Applications

This technique is perfect for:

  • Product design - Textured bottles, cups, containers
  • Jewelry - Rings, bangles with patterns
  • Props - Embossed cylinders for games/film
  • Architectural - Column details, pipe decorations
  • 3D printing - Custom grips, handles, sleeves

Conclusion

This SVG → Remesh → Curve workflow gives you reliable, production-ready geometry for cylindrical patterns. The key insights:

  1. Remesh is essential - Fixes SVG topology for clean deformation
  2. Order matters - Array before Curve, both before any shape modifiers
  3. Math beats eyeballing - Calculate circumference for precise seams
  4. Weld is faster - Than manual seam cleanup for most cases

The resulting geometry is real mesh that works with booleans, 3D printing, and any other operation requiring actual topology - not just shader tricks.

Based on Rod Deweese’s YouTube tutorial with production refinements. Have improvements or variations? Find me on GitHub.

Written by Mykyta Khmel. I write about things I build and problems I solve - from scaling self-service portals to automating DORA metrics. Sometimes 3D graphics, always pragmatic. Find me on GitHub and Threads.