3D modeling requires a unique combination of technical and artistic skills. It’s a discipline with a lot of potential in the job market, but it also makes a great hobby. 3D modeling has various applications that can come in handy in everyday life, and it’s a skill you should consider exploring.
And while there’s a common misconception that the barrier of entry is very high, that’s not the case at all. In fact, it’s not hard to get started with 3D modeling these days, even if you don’t want to invest any money into it. As long as you have a computer with a decent processor and some sort of graphics card, you’re good to go.
3D Modeling: How Does It Work?
The basic idea of 3D modeling is to create three-dimensional shapes which are then visualized in different ways. The final result may be a static scene rendered from a specific angle, or a detailed model that can be examined from all angles.
When working with 3D, you usually start with a basic geometric shape (a cube, sphere, cylinder, etc.), and start tweaking it with various modifiers until it resembles what you’re trying to create. Of course, that’s an overly simplified version—in reality, most complex models are comprised of multiple separate smaller shapes that are tweaked individually.
The main workflow revolves around modifying those shapes on several levels. You can either move the whole object around (or apply various other transformations to it, like resizing or rotating it), or you can break it down into its components and work with them.
For example, with a cube, you may select one of its sides and modify it. You could even select just one edge of that side, or work with individual vertices (the corner points that connect edges). Various modifiers can help you apply major transformations to those shapes without too much effort.
Should You Use Free or Commercial 3D Modeling Software?
A decade or so ago, 3D modeling was considered a field that required expensive commercial software to get into. The main suites on the market are still popular today—3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Houdini, and others. Blender, basically the only viable software that’s completely free, existed back then but was far from the Blender that many of us know now.
Today, Blender can easily compete with the big players on the market in terms of features, UI/UX, ease of use, and community support. In fact, even some studios have started to specifically look for experts in Blender, which was not the case some time ago.
With that in mind, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a commercial package, Blender is the way to go. It can take you as far as the other popular choices on the market. Blender will likely get even more popular in the near future, as development continues at an active pace.
Hardware Requirements for 3D Modeling
One major perceived disadvantage of 3D modeling is that it requires beefy hardware to even get started. That’s not the case anymore.
Even a mediocre computer with an integrated graphics card can run popular 3D editors like Blender. Editing might be a bit slow when working with complex modifiers or when your scene gets very large, but you likely won’t be doing any of that when you’re first starting.
For rendering, a better computer directly equates to faster rendering times. This means that you can get away with an underpowered computer, as long as you have the patience to wait for your renders to finish.
Keep in mind that the difference in speed can be quite staggering. A computer with a modern graphics card like an RTX 3070 may be able to render a scene in seconds, when a computer with older hardware may need several days.
There are online rendering farms that can alleviate that issue, though they come at a cost. If you just want to try your hand at modeling without making a serious commitment, this is probably a better approach compared to spending a couple thousand dollars on a powerful computer.
Choosing a Specific Field in 3D Modeling
Once you’ve covered the basics, you’ll come to a scary realization: 3D modeling is a huge field. There are literally at least a dozen subdisciplines you can spend months exploring:
- Rigging and animating
- Shaders
- Particles
- Materials
- Game optimization
- UV mapping
- Scripting
- Lighting
Those are just some examples. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to learn all of them.
Typically, you will choose a specific direction and work on that. For example, you might want to become an animator or even an environment artist who renders massive scenes. In any case, just relax—the amount of knowledge you need is not as much as it seems once you’ve figured out exactly what you want to do.
Learn With a Commercial Goal in Mind
If you’ve decided that you want to pursue 3D modeling for financial gains and not just as a creative hobby, you’ll want to direct your focus to some specific areas. Selling static models is a good entry point, though the market for that is quite crowded.
You can also look into selling your renders in different forms, like traditional art (for example, prints or t-shirts). Game development is also a huge field where 3D modelers are in constant demand.
In any case, you should take a good look at the market you’re about to enter, and figure out the core skills required to succeed. Each specific area of 3D modeling is unique in this regard, and you’ll have to spend some time exploring until you’ve found what you want to do.
Getting Into 3D Modeling
Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to pursue a career or hobby in 3D modeling, make sure to join some 3D modeling communities. One of the great things about 3D modeling is that the field is very developed in terms of community support, and there are always lots of people ready to help you out and answer any questions you might have.