How to make your own personalized rubik's cube

Okay, so I was playing portal for the sixth time in a row and while doing that I was looking at the rubik's cube I got from one of my colleagues for secret santa. Now the rubik's cube I got was a so called Sudoku rubik's cube and it was way to hard to solve, so I thought why not make it into the companion cube from portal?

Now after that thought I got an even better idea for an instructable. Let's face it sometimes we forget our girlfriend's birthday, that of our parents, somebody's christmas present... and we have to come up with something that is makeable in one evening and with easy materials. Well here it is! The personalized rubik's cube!

During this instructable I'll be making the companion cube but I will also show you how you can add your own family pictures, favorite game, tv-show... anything you want to be on the rubik's cube.

Now let's go to step 1 What will you need.

Note: English is not my first language so if you encounter any spelling mistakes in this instructable please leave a comment and I will remove the mistakes.

Note2: Excuse me if some of these steps in the tutorial are to "Well duuuuh we are not idiots". I'm used to teaching 8-9 year olds so it kind of grows on you.

Step 1 What you will need:

- A rubik's cube (in my case the sudoku version but maybe you want to make one of those?)
- Photoshop CS4 (you can get a trail version here: www.adobe.com/nl/products/photoshop/photoshop/)
- if you don't want to use photoshop, paint can also work but it's not coverd in this instructable.
- Self-adhesive lamination sheets.
- A sharp knife
- A metal ruler
- Double sided tape
- Normal tape (optional)
- piece of wood to cut on/ cuttingboard (so you don't ruin your desk)
- scissors (not shown in picture)


Note: Don't worry if you can't use photoshop CS4, were not going to do anything hard with it and the steps are explained using screenshots

Comments

[DVecc1217]

This is informative and all but wouldn't it be much simpler to just buy the Rubik's custom sticker kit from the official website, download the blank template, add your photos and then just print it? You don't need to go through the trouble of laminating it and all and could just stick them on when it's done printing.

[AwesomeSmiley3707]

Hey, I just wanted to point out that instead of spending money on photoshop
or wasting time and patience on paint, you can also use GIMP. Its a free, photoshop-like program that has most of the functions as photoshop, and ITS FREE!!! You can easily download it off the internet and it is completely safe. Just search GIMP on Google. I just wanted to recommend that also, BTW, great tut. . .

[MichelMoermans]

Yeah, alot of people have recommended GIMP to me in the past but since I already have photoshop there is no point for me to learn it.

And because I can't work with it I didn't give any instructions on GIMP.

So if visitors want to follow the instructions I just advice them to get the photoshop trial version instead of letting them try on their own with GIMP.

But I'm sure that the people who know how to work with GIMP will use that program instead of photoshop already ;)

So thank you for the suggestion and comment :)

[AwesomeSmiley3707]

oh, ok.

[MichelMoermans]

But thank you now people will know there is an alternative if they want to keep using drawing programs.

[bakumaster117]

I like your scissors =p

[AwesomeSmiley3707]

ok, cool

[scott rox]

I like your concept but i'm gonna leave all squares black and spray-paint coloured dots in the center

[Hunter O.]

Sudokubes are practically impossible. I tried taking it apart and it broke...

[scott rox]

Rofl me too. i was doing the above by myself and when i took apart my cube it snapped :( so i i had to use my expensive one

[krickerd]

Not sure what I'm looking at here. Try using the macro setting on your camera and make sure the green light comes on telling you it's in focus.

[santy22]

 But a rubik with all same sides is ALWAYS solved... so the companion cube is kinda not a good idea.

[seabananers]

i wish i could get photo shop so i could do this with pics of friends/family

[MichelMoermans]

You can get a trial version at the adobe website.

It's good for 30 days and will give you enough time to make all the templates with pics of family and friends you want :)

Also you can save them at that moment as a .jpeg this way even when your trial expires you can still print them with windows picture viewer :)

[seabananers]

thx i'll bug my parens for it -----
                          

[kijiyuuki]

hey i like your idea and im making one myself, only im making one so that it has album art all over it, its going to be albums by the band tool, if i ever get a pic of it ill post it for you to see

[MichelMoermans]

Okzy I love to see it :D

I love it that you took a different concept to it. That was the reason I put that step in :)

[mettaurlover]

COMPANION CUBE!!!!!

[Duct Tape Dude]

I made a solvable comanion rubiks cube by painting (in ms paint...duh)
the hearts a different color...1 is red, others are pink, purple, blue, green, and yellow

[MichelMoermans]

Well done. I would like to see a picture if you have it :)

How did you handle the squares around the heart? Did you make the little pink stripes change color to?

[Duct Tape Dude]

Yeah...forgot to tell about that,its still super easy (WOW You were up early! I just woke up!!!)

[MichelMoermans]

Early bird get's the worm ;)

Well if you have the file saved I would be delighted to add it to the instructable and I'm sure other members would like to see it as well. Ofcourse you will be properly credited.

Let me know what you think :)

[Duct Tape Dude]

you can post as soon as i can get some pics...my camera need some batteries  -_-

[MichelMoermans]

Okay, thanks alot :)

[Duct Tape Dude]

Uhh I took pics...but then dropped my camera -_- and now its broken. But it looks just like it sounds...I guess I could 'shopp some of your pics...if you reall want to see it...

[Duct Tape Dude]

Oh and I changed colors to all pink just so I can say " I know my Companion Cube loves me, because no matter which way I turn her she always stays solved!"

[MichelMoermans]

:D That's one of the best lines I have heard about the companion cube rubik's cube :D

If you have the time to shop it, sure I would love to see it :)

[Duct Tape Dude]

I whipped up a template for the public in Gimp...it's not the best in the world(about 3.5 out of 5) but you can "profesionalize" the hearts in Photoshop if you want...I'd give you the pic...but I can't post comment pics :P can you help?

[MichelMoermans]

Normally in your reply screen you see in the left corner on the bottem (below the red bar with the be nice policy) an option "add images" click on that one and yo should be fine :)

[spydog4]

i know intrucables people don't believe in buying things, but they do sell a kit on rubiks website that lets you print your cube
 

[MichelMoermans]

Why buy something that is cheaper and funner to make yourself? :)

[spydog4]

 im not saying i would buy it    just putting that out there

[Ward_Nox]

ths is a neat and useful ible well done

one thing you MIGHT want to try is using Decoupage to attach the new squares
or paring that use sticker paper in your printer

[MichelMoermans]

Thank you. And yes you can use sticker paper, I didn't try that because I didn't have any laying around and because the sticker paper is thicker then the double sided tape I used. And the thicker your stickers are the easier they go off during use. But I guess if you remove the original it could work as well. If you try with sticker paper let me know how it turned out and I'll add it to the instructable :)

Oh and if you liked it, please rate :)

[LuminousObject]

Dude, that's sweet! Your English was fine too. It's better than some of the people who have English as their first language!

[Stephen D. Alverez]

WOW! some of these comments of yours are from 3:10 AM, thats early as all get out! JEEZ!

[MichelMoermans]

What can I say, I'm commited to project feedback ;)

Nah to tell you the truth it was around 11.10 AM I think. I live in Belgium Europe. The time is GMT+1 here.

thanks for viewing :)

[mangoicecream]

Fabulous! Thank.you!!! =)

[MichelMoermans]

Thanks for viewing :)

If you decide to make one please post a picture, I'd love to see it :)

[Flashflint]

What kind of knife is shown in the last picture?