1. Find a logo on Google Images that you would like to use. Try using the Search Tools feature to narrow your search :
2. Once you have found a logo, save the image into your folder. Saving the image as a .JPG file will usually work best.
3. Open SolidWorks by clicking the SolidWorks icon on the Desktop.
4. Create a new Part file.
5. Right-click on Front Plane and click the Sketch button (
) to create a new sketch.
6. Go to Tools > Sketch Tools > Sketch Picture
7. Navigate to your folder and select the image you saved previously.
8. Your image should now appear in the SolidWorks part file.
9. We will now change some of the Sketch Picture Properties so that the image is easier to work with.
10. Change the image width (
) to 3.00 inches.
11. In the Transparency box, click Full image and set the Transparency slider to 0.50
This makes the image partially transparent, which makes it easier to trace.
12. Click the Green check mark to save these settings.
13. Now you can begin to trace your logo using the many sketch tools available in SolidWorks. Depending on the shapes in the logo you choose, you will probably want to use some combination of these tools. The most common drawing tools used for sketches are:
a. 
Line Tool – use this tool to trace straight lines. You can also draw center lines for using more advanced features like Mirror Entities and Revolve.
b. 
Spline Tool – use this tool for tracing around curves. This tool will probably be used the most when tracing a logo.
c. 
Circle Tool – use this tool for tracing perfect circles.
d. 
Rectangle Tool – use this tool for tracing rectangles and squares of any size.
The best way to learn these tools is by practice, so go try them out. Remember, the Undo button (
) is a very useful tool if you make a mistake!
TIP: You can switch between the Line and Spline tools easily. Simply press the ESC button on your keyboard to end the current line. Then you can select another tool and continue your line with the new tool. Try it out and feel free to ask if you need help!
The line tool in action.
TIP: Zoom in and out with your mouse as you go to make sure you are tracing along the lines accurately.
Spline Tool in action.
14. Once you are done tracing your logo, it should be surrounded by a blue line, like this:
15. Now, Click on the Features Tab and click the Extruded Boss/Base button.
16. Change the thickness of the extrusion to .15 in and then press the Green check mark (
).
17. Your Logo should now look something like this:
18. Since the logo is still 3 pieces, printing it like this would not make a successful keychain. We now need to create a base that will hold the 3 pieces together. We can also use this base to create our keychain hole.
19. Start by looking at the model from the back. To do this, click the View Orientation button, and then the Back button.
TIP: You can also use Ctrl + 2 on the keyboard to quickly go to the back view.
20. Once you are looking at your logo from the back, it is time to create a new sketch to draw the shape of our base. To start this, click on the Sketch button in the Sketch tab.
21. SolidWorks now asks you to select a plane for your sketch. Click in the gray part of your logo to create the new sketch.
22. You should now see a new sketch created in the tree on the left.
23. Now you can draw the shape that you’d like your base to be. You can be very creative with this, but for this example, we will use a simple rectangular base. Choose the Rectangle tool () from the Sketch tab (
) and drag a rectangle around the outside of your logo. The end result should look like this:
24. Click the Green check mark () to finish drawing the rectangle.
25. Now it is time to make the hole for the keychain. Use the Circle tool () to draw a circle in the corner of the rectangle. The end result should look something like this:
26. Click the Green check mark () to finish drawing the circle.
27. To finish creating the base, choose the Extrude Boss/Base tool from the Features tab and change the thickness of the extrusion to .15 inches. The final product should look like this:
.
28. Save your file in 2 different formats, .STL and .PRT. The .PRT file is a SolidWorks file, this will allow you to make changes to your model later. The .STL file is the file you need in order to prepare your model for 3D printing. The STL file is then opened in the MakerBot desktop software or other slicing software to slice the model for 3D printing. For more information on preparing your file for 3D printing, use the MakerBot Desktop tutorial.
29. Congratulations, you have now completed your logo keychain! Nice work!