If you don’t have the budget to go to school and are willing to work hard on your own, it’s possible to learn 3D modeling at home.
It may take some time and effort, but the end result will be worth it. If you enjoy building things and are looking for a new challenge, give it a try.
3d Modeling Basic Requirements
A good computer is important for 3D design, but you don’t need the best of the best to get started.
A modern PC with a decent graphics card will do the trick.
I use an Intel I7 desktop with an Nvidia GTX 1660 SUPER for my work. Laptops are not the best choice for 3D design because of their mangled layouts and touchpads.
Also, You will need a good quality mouse and keyboard. You can’t get too fancy with these because your hands will eventually wear out and you won’t be able to use them as effectively as you once could.
So, pick something simple, but good. The Logitech G213 keyboard is pretty good and the Logitech G402 mouse is very comfortable to use.
Getting started with Blender Software
Blender is a free open source software that allows you to create 3D objects, animation, visual effects, motion graphics, 3D printing and much more.
In this article, I’ll give you a tour of the basics so you can learn 3d modeling using Blender with confidence.
First, Go to blender.org, download the latest version of Blender and install.
This software is free and packed with features. You can use it to create stunning movies, game assets, games, and physics simulations. With this software, the sky is the limit!
Before you start modeling using Blender, it’s important to understand the basics of 3D graphics and take some time to learn the technical jargon. This will help you follow advanced tutorials and get the most out of the program.
Blender 3.3 LTS User Interface
Blender is a powerful tool, but it can be daunting to use if you don’t know your way around the interface.
There are a few key things to know about the interface in Object mode: how to pan, zoom, and rotate; the default views; and the colors of the x, y, and z axes. You should also know how to add, name, delete, and select objects. Finally, learn how to rotate, scale, and move objects.
Get comfortable with the Vertex, Edge, and Face concepts. You can grab, move, and scale each type. Also, learn how to extrude vertices, edges, and faces. If you make a mistake, you can always use ctrl-z to back out.
There are plenty of beginner tutorials on YouTube that can help you learn the basics of the user interface.
Best YouTube channels for learning Blender Basics:
- Blender guru
- Ducky3d
- Grant abbitt
- Gleb alexendrov
- Cg geek
- Cross mind studios
Once you have a general understanding of the interface, spend some time playing around with the program. This will help you get familiar with the keyboard shortcuts and menus.
Related: Latest Blender Keyboard Shortcuts and Essential Hotkeys
Get a feel for the modeling process by practicing, then watch some more tutorials to understand concepts like edge loops, quads vs tris vs n-gons. You’ll only really understand it by trying it yourself.
This is not a very advanced program, so there is no need to worry about getting too bogged down in the technical aspects. Just get familiar with the basic concepts.
3d Modeling Ideas and references
After you’ve learned the basics of Blender, try modeling something simple like a bottle or a doughnut. As you start to become more comfortable, you’ll want to try modeling more complex objects. Here’s a list of objects that you might want to try modeling:
- Smartphone
- Isometric Room – Introduction to archviz and interiors
- A Bicycle – To practice proportions and metal shader workflow
- Low poly character
- Night scene – To learn lighting
- Wine Bottles – Product rendering
- Bed sheet and Pillows – Cloth simulation
- Ocean Cube – To learn Fluid shader and mechanics
- Nike Shoe
- Hour glass – To learn particles
Pinterest is a great resource for finding reference images. Keep a collection of your favorite images, and when you feel ready, start your own project. The more you practice, the better you’ll get!
In order to create successful 3D models, it is important to first understand the basics of geometry and spend time learning about different materials. Once you have a strong foundation, you can move on to more advanced concepts like UV unwrapping, bump maps, and normal maps. These are all very important tools that will help you create photorealistic models that your audience will love.
Overcome Artist’s Block
If you’re feeling lost while working on a project, take a break and watch some more tutorials. Make sure you understand the concepts before moving forward. You can only learn by doing, not just by watching.
As you advance with your modeling skills, it’s good to practice by viewing models from online and deconstructing them. This will help you understand the purpose of each element and the logic behind the construction of the model.
Sketchfab is an online website that allows you to view/download and share models with the community.
You can browse through hundreds of thousands of models that are shared by the Sketchfab community. You can inspect models, see the wireframe and learn most of the details.
The Blender community is large and full of helpful people. However, like most complex software, much of the manual is difficult to understand without first knowing the concepts behind the functionality. You can learn these concepts by listening to others, doing tutorials, and spending time actually using the software.
Create a portfolio of all your projects so that when you’re looking for a job, you have something to show potential employers. It’s important to not only show that you can model, but that you have a good understanding of the concepts behind modeling. A portfolio is the best way to demonstrate your skills, so make sure you keep it updated.
Dedication, focus and hard work are all it takes to learn how to model in 3D. It is the perfect skill to have, as it is something that you can apply to almost any other area of life. If you are willing to put in the work, you can be well on your way to creating stunning 3D models.
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What do you use Blender for? Let me know in the comments below.