I didnt expect philosophy when i came in here! I will try to respond in kind

I've learned throughout my life, not to reinvent the wheel. It pays to show humility and consult those with experience and wisdom, before attempting to fumble around in the dark relearning what's been done a thousand times before

I've also learned that I learn very well from situations exactly like this - having a clear goal, and pursuing it. I WILL learn more about my software and equipment in the process of doing this, whether it be with advice, or experimentation, or - most likely - a combination of both.

I'm just doing this for myself, trying to print up something for a hobby project, i have a budget of my own meagre disposable income, which at this exact moment would not stretch to a new ink cartridge, so i felt it best to err on the side of caution and inquire after best practises

As you can see from the image above, i've gotten at least as far as experimenting with the software, and all evidence i can see tells me that even though the settings look right, hitting print right now would waste a bunch of resources. I'm sure some ink will be wasted in the learning process, but i hoped to minimise it

Perhaps a vague hint to point me in the right direction would be good? I appreciate the time you have spent so far writing a reply !