Low-Relief Casting 3D Model

I have already turned the lettering for our 150-year commemorative casting into 3D, but the relief image that surrounds that text still needs to be surfaced. The remaining areas involve small pockets of complex geometry and flowing, organic curves that my current software just won’t handle cleanly. The design includes 3 large ladles pouring metal into various other parts of the design.

You will start from the sketch I provide and translate the shapes into a single, watertight low-height relief that can be 3D-printed as a foundry pattern. All raised features should respect the shallow depth we use for sand-casting patterns, have rounded edges that blend smoothly into the background (sharp corners do not work well with castings), and communicate detail with strategic height differences.

The final deliverable is a STEP file ready for print. I will test-fit it in-house, so please keep the model parametric where practical; minor tweaks on my side are likely. If you prefer sculpting in ZBrush, Blender, or similar, that’s fine—just be sure the exported STEP stays true to the original sketches and remains manifold.

I have included the following files:
• Relief.stp - my model so far with the lettering. The "USA", "GREENVILLE", and "PA" may be moved to fit within the design- I have just modeled them for reference. The "150" and "YEARS" may be adjusted if really needed in order to make the metal flowing from the ladles to these letters look good.
• bear.png - a reference image of a similar design on a casting that may help to understand the constraints of the design.
• SkilletDesignSketch.pdf - a scan of the sketch.
• skilletdrawing.png - a picture of the sketch in-case you can't make some of the details out since the iPhone document scanner is silly.

My sketch was attempted on Inventor, and I have printed it out and drawn over it since then to amend some details slightly. Please feel encouraged to take certain liberties with improving perspective, symmetry, line straightness, etc.

Acceptance criteria:
• Complete coverage of all illustrated relief areas.
• Maximum relief height of 1/32 inch.
• File passes basic print-readiness checks (no self-intersections, inverted normals, or open edges).

Once the STEP passes those checks, the project is done and we can get this anniversary piece into sand and metal.