3D Designer Course

Lesson 1 • Navigating the 3D Workspace

Covers viewport controls, panel layouts, and interface customisation. Enables efficient navigation before any modelling begins.

Lesson 2 • Core 3D Terminology and Concepts

Defines vertices, edges, faces, meshes, and normals. Provides the vocabulary required to follow professional workflows.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Primitive Objects

Explores built-in geometric primitives as starting points for models. Connects basic shapes to real-world design applications.

Lesson 1 • Modifiers and Procedural Modelling

Explores non-destructive modifiers like mirror, array, and boolean. Enables efficient, editable workflows for complex and repetitive geometry.

Lesson 2 • Sculpting and Organic Modelling

Covers brush-based sculpting for organic forms such as characters and terrain. Complements hard-surface skills with freeform shaping methods.

Lesson 3 • Retopology and Mesh Cleanup

Teaches rebuilding dense or sculpted meshes into production-ready topology. Ensures models meet animation and rendering requirements.

Lesson 4 • Box Modelling Fundamentals

Teaches shaping complex forms from a simple box using extrusion and loop cuts. Builds the most widely used hard-surface modelling approach.

Lesson 1 • Procedural Textures and Node Networks

Creates resolution-independent textures entirely within the node editor. Enables flexible, non-destructive surface design.

Lesson 2 • Texture Painting and Image Maps

Teaches painting directly on 3D surfaces and using image textures. Connects hand-painted detail to the shader node network.

Lesson 3 • PBR Texturing Workflows

Applies physically based rendering principles using albedo, normal, roughness, and AO maps. Produces photorealistic surface results.

Lesson 4 • UV Unwrapping and Mapping

Covers the process of flattening 3D surfaces into 2D UV maps. Accurate UVs are prerequisite to all texture painting and baking.

Lesson 1 • Scene Dressing and Storytelling

Arranges props, backgrounds, and atmospheric elements to support a narrative. Elevates technical renders into purposeful visual compositions.

Lesson 2 • Camera Setup and Composition

Covers focal length, depth of field, and compositional rules for 3D cameras. Translates photography principles into the 3D environment.

Lesson 3 • HDRI and Environment Lighting

Uses high-dynamic-range images to create realistic ambient illumination. Connects environment lighting to physically accurate rendering.

Lesson 4 • Three-Point Lighting Setups

Teaches the classic key, fill, and rim lighting arrangement. Provides a reusable framework for product and character lighting.

Lesson 1 • Render Engine Overview and Selection

Compares real-time and path-tracing render engines by quality, speed, and use case. Guides informed engine selection for different project types.

Lesson 2 • Render Settings and Quality Control

Configures samples, noise thresholds, and denoising for optimal output. Balances render time against image quality.

Lesson 3 • Output Formats and Resolution

Covers image and video output formats, colour depth, and resolution standards. Ensures deliverables meet client and platform specifications.

Lesson 4 • Batch Rendering and Optimisation

Automates multi-shot rendering and applies scene optimisation techniques. Reduces production time on large projects.

Lesson 1 • Armature and Bone Basics

Introduces armature objects, bone hierarchy, and naming conventions. Establishes the structural foundation for all character rigs.

Lesson 2 • Forward and Inverse Kinematics

Covers FK and IK constraint setups for limb control. Provides animators with intuitive and efficient pose control.

Lesson 3 • Shape Keys and Facial Animation

Uses shape keys to create blend shapes for facial expressions and lip sync. Extends character rigs to support expressive performance.

Lesson 4 • Skinning and Weight Painting

Binds meshes to armatures and refines deformation through weight painting. Ensures smooth, artifact-free character deformation.

Lesson 1 • Compositing VFX into Final Renders

Integrates simulation passes with rendered footage using the compositor. Produces polished VFX shots with motion blur and colour matching.

Lesson 2 • Cloth and Soft Body Simulation

Simulates fabric draping and elastic deformation using physics modifiers. Covers collision setup and cache management for reliable results.

Lesson 3 • Particle Systems and Instancing

Creates emitter and hair particle systems for crowds, foliage, and effects. Introduces instancing as a memory-efficient distribution method.

Lesson 4 • Rigid Body Dynamics

Sets up active and passive rigid bodies for destruction and physics-driven motion. Connects simulation results to animation timelines.

Lesson 1 • File Management and Asset Libraries

Establishes folder structures, naming conventions, and asset library systems. Prevents data loss and enables efficient team collaboration.

Lesson 2 • Portfolio Presentation and Curation

Selects, sequences, and presents work for maximum professional impact. Covers both online portfolio platforms and reel formatting.

Lesson 3 • Collaboration and Version Control

Covers handoff formats, reference management, and version control tools for 3D teams. Prepares students for multi-artist production environments.

Lesson 4 • Industry Standards and Career Pathways

Maps 3D design roles across games, film, architecture, and product visualisation. Aligns skill sets with specific industry expectations.