Complete Blender Megacourse: Beginner to Expert from Udemy

This course is constantly being revised and updated with new lessons.Learn 3D modeling and animation in Blender 3.0.

Design like a pro.

Have you ever wanted to create 3D models? In the era of technology, at-home digital entertainment is more popular than ever and is showing no sign of slowing. Maybe you’d like to try your hand at making your own animated film, or perhaps, you want to create your own video game. Whether you’re new to working with Blender, or hoping to make a career out of it, 3D creation isn’t only for the pros. And we’re here to teach you how to do it like a pro. And we’re here to teach you how to create incredible designs.

In this course we will teach you everything you need to know in order to get started using Blender, a powerful, versatile, and – best of all - free software, that can allow you to fully create 3D objects, scenes, and even characters. This course will cover Blender from an absolute beginner’s perspective, showing you how to download and run the program, the basics of 3D space, modeling, sculpting, texturing, and lighting.

By the end of the course, you will be able to bring your ideas from concept all the way to a finished and finalized model ready to be integrated into any game engine or animation. Additionally, we’ve included a special section covering the essential updates in Blender 4.0 and 4.2, including new interface tools, geometry nodes, and rendering improvements, so you can stay current with the software and maximize your creative potential. The only limit to what you can build is your imagination.

This is a 3-in-1 course, led by three professionals, specialized in the different aspects of 3D art. Our instructors have years of experience not only in working with Blender, but also in teaching, and the expertly crafted syllabus is designed to be easy to follow and thorough. We’ve even included plenty of examples designed on-screen for you to study. That’s why this is the only Blender course you’ll ever need to create 3D models and scenes like a pro.

In this course, you’ll also learn about the latest Blender 4.0 and 4.2 updates, including:

Light linking
Model snapping
Portal BSDF Node
Matrix nodes
New geometry node tools

After taking this course, you will be able to:

Work professionally with Blender
Use advanced modeling, sculpting and rendering techniques
Create your own textures and materials
Render and create your own game assets
Create your own 3D character in Blender
Create your own 3D environments in Blender
Stay current with Blender’s newest tools and features in 4.0 and beyond

Start your designing journey today.

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to use blender and its elements
The interface and different tools of blender 3.0, now with updates for blender 4.0
The principles of mesh modeling and advanced modeling techniques
The principles of sculpting
How to correctly use textures and materials
How to render in blender
To create game assets

How to model a simple stylized character
How to sculpt your character in blender
To create a whole character by designing and finishing the body, clothes and shoes
How to create your own 3d environments in blender
How to texture, model, sculpt, light, and render different scenes and environments
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How to use blender and its elements
The interface and different tools of blender 3.0, now with updates for blender 4.0
The principles of mesh modeling and advanced modeling techniques
The principles of sculpting
How to correctly use textures and materials
How to render in blender
To create game assets
How to model a simple stylized character
How to sculpt your character in blender
To create a whole character by designing and finishing the body, clothes and shoes
How to create your own 3d environments in blender
How to texture, model, sculpt, light, and render different scenes and environments
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Basics: Introduction to Blender

Course Introduction

Downloading Blender

Blender Settings and Preferences

Blender Interface and Navigation

Basics: Mesh Modeling

Adding and Transforming Mesh Objects Pt. 1

Adding and Transforming Mesh Objects Pt. 2

Create an Object with Blender Primitive Objects DEMO

Editing Mesh Objects

Create an Object by Pushing/Pulling Vertices of a Primitive Object DEMO

Basics: Mesh Editing Operations I

Extrude

Extrude DEMO

Delete/Fill/Join

Loop Cut/Subdivide

Loop Cuts and Delete/Fill/Join DEMO

Bevel and Inset

Create an Object with These Operations Pt. 1 DEMO

Create an Object with These Operations Pt. 2 DEMO

Create an Object with These Operations Pt. 3 DEMO

Basics: Most Common Modifiers

Subdivision Surface Modifier

Mirror Modifier

Create a Symmetrical Object DEMO

Boolean

Array

Most Common Modifiers: DEMO

Basics: Using Orthographic Reference

Orthographic Reference

Model an Object Based on a Reference Image Pt. 1 DEMO

Model an Object Based on a Reference Image Pt. 2 DEMO

Basics: Mesh Editing Operations II

Knife and Bisect

Spin/Smooth/Shrink

Bridge Edge Loops

Model an Object with These Operations Pt. 1 DEMO

Model an Object with These Operations Pt. 2 DEMO

Basics: Sculpting

Introduction to Mesh Sculpting

Sculpting Workspace

Sculpting Brushes

Non-sculpting Brushes

Basics: Methods of Subdivision for Sculpting

MultiResolution Modifier

Dynamic Topology

Sculpt an Organic Form Pt. 1 DEMO

Sculpt an Organic Form Pt. 2 DEMO

Basics: Sculpting with Symmetry

Symmetry Settings

Sculpt a symmetrical Organic Mesh Pt. 1 DEMO

Sculpt a symmetrical Organic Mesh Pt. 2 DEMO

Basics: Retopology

Introduction to Retopology

Retopologize Sculpt Pt.1 DEMO

Retopologize Sculpt Pt.2 DEMO

Retopologize Sculpt Pt.3 DEMO

Basics: High-Res Sculpting

Sculpting Cleanup

Sculpting with Alphas

Basics: Introduction to Textures and Materials

Introduction to Materials

Coloring a Model with Materials DEMO

Shading and Textures Pt. 1

Shading and Textures Pt. 2

Create a Tiling Texture DEMO

Basics: UVs

Introduction to UV Space and Coordinates

UV Unwrapping a Complex Object DEMO

Texel Density

Basics: 3D Texture Painting

Texture Painting: Color Maps Pt. 1

Texture Painting: Color Maps Pt. 2

Texture Painting: Non-Color Maps

Color a Model in the 3D Texture Painter Pt. 1 DEMO

Color a Model in the 3D Texture Painter Pt. 2 DEMO

Basics: Normal Maps

Normal Maps

Basics: Rendering

Lights

Camera

Engines and Settings

Basics: Final Project

Final Project Overview

NEW: Blender 4.0 Updates

Introduction

Welcome

Light Linking

Interface

Model Snapping

Portal BSDF Node

Matrix Nodes

Geometry Node Tool

Conclusion

Character Creation: Fundamentals of Blender

Preferences

Blender UI

Object Menu Pt. 1

Object Menu Pt. 2

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Complete Blender Megacourse: Beginner to Expert with these activities:

Review Mesh Modeling Basics

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of fundamental mesh modeling techniques before diving into more advanced concepts in Blender.

Show steps

Review basic mesh primitives and their properties.
Practice transforming and manipulating mesh objects.
Experiment with basic mesh editing operations like extrude, loop cut, and bevel.

Read 'Blender For Dummies'

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Familiarize yourself with Blender's interface and basic workflows using a beginner-friendly guide.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Read the chapters covering interface navigation and basic modeling tools.
Follow along with the examples to create simple 3D models.
Experiment with different tools and settings to understand their effects.

Follow a Donut Tutorial

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Solidify your understanding of basic modeling, texturing, and rendering by following a popular Blender tutorial.

Show steps

Find a well-regarded Blender donut tutorial on YouTube or a similar platform.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step, paying attention to the instructor's explanations.
Experiment with different colors, textures, and lighting to personalize your donut.

Four other activities

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Model a Simple Object from Real Life

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Apply your newly acquired skills by modeling a real-world object, reinforcing your understanding of modeling techniques.

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Choose a simple object, such as a mug, a book, or a fruit.
Take reference photos of the object from different angles.
Use Blender's modeling tools to recreate the object in 3D.
Apply textures and materials to make the object look realistic.

Create a Short Animated Scene

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Integrate your knowledge of modeling, texturing, lighting, and animation to create a short, engaging scene.

Show steps

Plan a simple scene with a clear narrative.
Model and texture the necessary assets for the scene.
Animate the objects and characters in the scene.
Add lighting and rendering to create a visually appealing final product.

Read 'Mastering Blender'

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Deepen your understanding of advanced Blender features and workflows by studying a comprehensive guide.

View Mastering Blender on Amazon

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Focus on chapters covering topics you found challenging in the course.
Experiment with the techniques described in the book to improve your skills.
Use the book as a reference for future Blender projects.

Contribute to a Blender Add-on

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Enhance your Blender skills and contribute to the community by participating in open-source add-on development.

Show steps

Explore existing Blender add-ons on platforms like GitHub.
Identify an add-on that interests you and aligns with your skills.
Contribute by fixing bugs, adding new features, or improving documentation.
Submit your contributions to the add-on's repository.

Career center

Learners who complete Complete Blender Megacourse: Beginner to Expert will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

3D Modeler

A 3D modeler creates three-dimensional digital models of objects, characters, and environments. This course is ideal for aspiring 3D modelers as it covers the fundamentals of Blender, a widely used 3D creation software. Starting from the basics of using the interface, the course moves on to more advanced techniques such as mesh modeling, sculpting, texturing, and lighting. Through learning to create objects, characters, and environments, and also covering the latest Blender updates, this course provides a comprehensive foundation for a career in 3D modeling.

See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Modeler

Character Artist

Character artists specialize in designing and creating 3D models of characters for video games, films, and animation. The course directly aligns with this role by teaching how to model and sculpt characters using Blender. Specifically, this includes creating character bodies, clothes, and shoes. This course also covers texturing, which is an important aspect of character design. Learning these skills with Blender provides character artists the tools and techniques to bring original characters to life. By the end of the course, a character artist may have a portfolio piece.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Artist

Environment Artist

Environment artists create the 3D worlds in which games and animated stories take place, including landscapes, buildings, and other structures. This course will prove attractive to an environment artist by teaching the skills, including the creation of 3D environments in Blender. The included instruction in texturing, lighting, and rendering are particularly pertinent to the work of an environment artist. The course, focused on Blender, provides a thorough foundation for creating detailed and immersive digital environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environment Artist

Game Asset Creator

A game asset creator develops the various 3D elements within a game, such as objects, props, and environments. This course directly helps someone become a game asset creator by teaching how to create 3D models using Blender, specifically for integration into game engines. The course teaches modeling, texturing, and rendering, all essential elements in creating game assets. It also demonstrates how to use the latest features in Blender. A student of this course can learn to build their portfolio of game ready 3D objects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Asset Creator

Digital Sculptor

Digital sculptors use software, like Blender to create highly detailed 3D models, often of organic forms such as characters and creatures. This course is especially helpful to a digital sculptor, because it teaches the principles of sculpting within Blender, including the use of various sculpting tools and techniques. The course covers sculpting organic forms, using symmetry, and retopology, all of which are crucial for digital sculpting. By taking this course, a digital sculptor can learn the tools and workflows necessary to create high quality models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Sculptor

Texture Artist

A texture artist is responsible for creating the surface details on 3D models, including colors, patterns, and material properties. This course is particularly helpful to a texture artist because it teaches how to create textures and materials in Blender. These skills are directly applicable to the work of a texture artist. The course covers creating tiling textures, working with UVs, and 3D texture painting. With these concepts, this course helps people master the art of texturing 3D models.

See salaries and explore the career path for Texture Artist

3D Animator

3D animators bring digital characters and environments to life through movement, expression, and visual storytelling. While this course does not cover animation directly, it is useful to a 3D animator as it provides all the skills necessary to create 3D models using Blender that can be animated. By building foundations in mesh modeling, sculpting, texturing and lighting, this course helps animators create high-quality assets that are ready for animation. Though additional steps beyond this course are necessary to learn animation, a 3D animator would benefit from this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Animator

Lighting Artist

Lighting artists specialize in the process of illuminating 3D scenes to create mood, depth, and visual interest. This course teaches the use of lighting within Blender. Though not comprehensive, it introduces the fundamentals of lighting and rendering. A lighting artist will find this foundation helpful. Additionally the course touches on rendering engines and settings, which are relevant to lighting. A student in this course can get a foundation in lighting while learning Blender, though additional learning will be required to become a lighting artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lighting Artist

Visual Effects Artist

Visual effects artists create effects and images for film, television, and games. This course may be helpful to a visual effects artist as it covers the creation of 3D models, scenes, and environments with Blender. By learning the fundamentals of 3D creation, a visual effects artist further develops their skills. The course also introduces rendering, which helps to create final images. The knowledge gained from this course can be a valuable part of a visual effects artist's foundation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Effects Artist

Technical Artist

Technical artists bridge the gap between artists and programmers, often focusing on the tools and processes used to create art in games and other media. This course may be useful to a technical artist as it teaches the fundamentals of Blender, from initial setup all the way to modeling, sculpting, texturing, lighting, and rendering. By understanding the full 3D art creation process, a technical artist can work more efficiently. This course also covers the latest updates and features of Blender to further help a technical artist in their role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist

Concept Artist

Concept artists create the initial visual designs and concepts for characters, environments, and objects used in games, films, and other media. Though this course does not cover concept art specifically, it may be helpful to a concept artist as it teaches the fundamentals of 3D art creation using Blender. By learning to create 3D models, a concept artist is able to bring 2D ideas to life in three dimensions. The understanding of 3D space and the modeling process may enhance the work of a concept artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist

Instructional Designer

Instructional designers create learning experiences, often using video, that help others learn new skills. This course may be useful to an instructional designer who would like to include 3D models and environments in their work. The instruction in 3D modeling with Blender can allow an instructional designer to create engaging and interactive content. The course specifically covers creating assets, models, scenes, and even stylized characters that can be used in educational settings.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Product Designer

Product designers create new products, both physical and digital, for consumers. This course may be useful to a product designer who would like to understand the process of how 3D models are created. While it is not directly applicable, a product designer can learn the basics of how 3D models are created and manipulated in Blender. The concepts of 3D space, modeling, sculpting, and texturing may prove useful in understanding how to design products in a 3D environment.

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Software Developer

Software developers design, create, and maintain software applications. This course may be useful for a software developer interested in game development or other fields that use 3D modeling. By learning the basics of Blender, software developers can gain an understanding of the tools and techniques used in 3D content creation. While software developers may not directly use Blender, its concepts can broaden their knowledge of related tech fields. The course, by teaching the creation of models, scenes, and characters, can be useful for a software developer working in a team with artists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Marketing Professional

Marketing professionals develop strategies to promote products and services and often work with media. A marketing professional may find this course helpful, because it provides an understanding of how 3D models are created. Though this will not be used daily, the knowledge of how 3D objects are created in a program like Blender may benefit a marketing professional who works with advertisements that include 3D animation or graphics. This course, by teaching the fundamentals for creating 3D assets, may provide useful insights.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Professional

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Complete Blender Megacourse: Beginner to Expert.

Mastering Blender

Save

Comprehensive guide to Blender's advanced features and workflows. It covers topics such as advanced modeling techniques, rigging, animation, and rendering. It's particularly useful for students who want to take their Blender skills to the next level. This book is often used by industry professionals.

Mastering Blender

Paperback

Putting Knowledge to Work

Save

Provides a gentle introduction to Blender's interface and core functionalities. It's particularly useful for beginners who are completely new to 3D modeling. While not as in-depth as some other resources, it offers a solid foundation for understanding the basics. It can be a helpful reference for navigating Blender's often-intimidating interface.

Putting Knowledge to Work

Paperback

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Putting Knowledge to Work

Kindle Edition

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Complete Blender Megacourse

Beginner to Expert

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Save this course

Activities

Career center

Featured in The Course Notes

Reading list

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