How to Create 3D Models: From Download to Donut

If you’re like me, the thought of creating 3D models and environments excites you. It’s fun, not everyone can do it, and there is no limit to what you can create.

However, a mere glimpse of a 3D modeling software interface could send you running back to the familiar Photoshop. For beginners, it’s unlike anything you worked with — even if you did dabble with some light rendering in photo editing tools.

That is why this article serves as an introduction to how to create 3D models. 

We’ll use Blender for the steps. It’s free, and the sky is the limit. 

You will learn about Blender’s interface and the most important tools. I’ll even share links to a few easier tutorials on how to create 3D models in Blender (and show my own results). We also have a broader overview of how to learn 3D modeling.

What is the Best 3D Modeling Software to Get Started With?

There are many great 3D modeling software on the market. People in the 3D modeling world usually say that Tinkercad is the easiest for beginners — and it is. So if you want to create some very basic 3D designs, I’d start there.

However, SketchUp and Blender are among the most popular 3D modeling software. They have large communities and a bunch of tutorials that help when you’re learning how to 3D model. The problem is — they are much more complex than Tinkercad.

There are already some great articles on SketchUp and video tutorials for Blender circling the web. 

However, Blender videos usually go too fast and it quickly gets frustrating and hard to remember all the commands. Maybe you’ve also come across the Blender Guru Donut tutorial already? Yeah, my donut looked more like an oversized mushroom when I was first done with it.

So sit back and get ready for the first few initial steps before diving deeper into video tutorials, however “beginner” they say they are.

Minimum Requirements for Making a 3D Model

Laptop specs for 3D modeling don’t need to be crazy. Of course, the optimal requirements depend on what you want to do. The minimum and recommended requirements for this 3D modeling software are:

If, besides learning the 3D software, you also want to buy a machine for your 3D designs, these laptops for 3D modeling will do the trick.

Where Can You Download Blender?

Head over to Blender.org and you should immediately see the download button:

Once you download the package, install the software, and run it, you should get a view like this:

For now, it’s enough to simply click on the General category and take it from there.

Getting Started with Blender’s Interface

By now, you probably know that the first thing that welcomes you to Blender is the infamous cube with multiple toolbars around it. These are called editors:

The blue squares contain various tools we will examine a bit later.

The red ones are the so-called 3D viewport, i.e. where the magic happens. You’ll notice there are 3 objects in the central red square, and you’ll want to know what these are:

The cube is what you start with and model. The red and green lines represent the x- and y-axis (there is also the third one, blue, which appears as you manipulate the object, for the z-axis).

However, the camera is also pretty important. Whenever you do a render, or save the image, it will save the view that the camera “sees” at the moment.

You can toggle between different objects in the smaller editor, i.e. the smaller red square in the pic of the 3D viewport.

Blender Views

Here’s an embarrassing story: when I first started learning Blender, I had no idea how to get back to the original view. Sure, I googled it, but there were so many options and none seemed to work. Luckily, you won’t have that problem.

Looking back at the original editors view, you may have noticed some blue and red dots to the right:

Pressing these toggles the different perspectives on the cube, along the X, Y, and Z axes:

You’ll also see that the camera moves as well as you click on different axes.

However, once you wish to just see that good ol’ cube from the beginning, you may come to a halt. Fear not — here’s how you bring it back: by pressing the camera icon beneath the buttons for toggling axis view:

Indeed, we learn best from each others’ mistakes.

One last thing you need to know about the views — and my personal favorite — is the X-Ray view:

While in the Edit mode (more on that in the section below), if you press the button in the row above the axes, you can toggle the X-Ray and select the areas of an object you can’t see in the camera mode (if X-Ray is not activated, Blender will select only the front-facing areas).

Blender Tools

Alright, now that you have the starting point — have you tried moving the cube, only to find it won’t budge? I did, too, so there’s no shame there.

The reason for this is that we are so used to left-clicking things, which in Blender only selects an object. Scrolling the middle button on the mouse zooms in and out of the main view, but holding the middle button lets you rotate the camera however you want.

But the question remains: how do we move the cube?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of commands, you should know that there are two modes in Blender: Object Mode and Editing Mode, and each one brings a different set of tools. You can switch between the object and edit modes by pressing Tab.

Object Mode

The Object Mode is the initial mode that’s activated when you open Blender. The tools are on the left side:

By hovering over the tools, you can see what they’re used for. There are the following tools, from top to bottom (I’ll also list the shortcuts because it’s easier if you learn them immediately):

The first two tools are selection tools — for now, stick only to selecting with left-click and dragging.

Move – the shortcut is G

Rotate – the shortcut is R

Scale – the shortcut is S

Transform – the shortcut is T

Annotate – D

Measure – M

Add Cube – 9

You want to focus on Move, Rotate, Scale, and Transform. By pressing a shortcut, you enter the action and can freely drag the box and transform it, i.e. move, rotate, scale, and transform (no need to hold a mouse button). 

If you want to do so along a specific axis, press the shortcut first then hold X, Y, or Z to perform an action along an axis.

Another useful shortcut you should really know is Shift+A. This one lets you add mesh and various objects to the viewport.

Edit Mode

The Object Mode is great for initial manipulation, but the real editing happens in — you guessed it — the Edit Mode. In order to access it, simply press Tab, and you should see a whole new set of tools, something like this:

There are a few things you’ll notice when you switch to this mode.

First, the cube is highlighted, which means it’s selected.

Second, next to the Edit mode tab (top blue rectangle), you’ll see three icons: Vortex, Edge, and Faces. These are different options for selections:

Vortex — selects the whole mesh

Edge — selects only one edge

Faces — selects the area that forms one face of an object

Finally, all the tools from the Object mode are still there, along with a few new ones. The main difference between these two modes is — you want to use the Object mode to manipulate several objects (move them, scale, rotate, etc.), but if you want to change the shape of an object, you need to go to the Edit mode.

Here are some of the most important tools in this Mode:

Extrude – E

Inset – I (this one works with faces)

Bevel – Ctrl+B

Loop Cut – Ctrl+R

Knife – K

Spin – Shift+0

The illustrations in this section give you a fair idea of how the tools work, but the overall effect will depend on the axis you move the object along. 

Read on to the end of the article to learn how to see these in action.

What Are the Modifiers in Blender and Should You Use Them?

Unlike the Edit mode tools, the modifiers are non-destructive alterations of an object.

You can access them by clicking the blue wrench to the right:

Once you click the blue wrench, you’ll see a line that says Add Modifier. Clicking it opens a window with all the Blender modifiers: 

There are a couple of modifiers you’ll likely use more often than others:

Array — creates copies of the original object; you can select the number of copies and their distance in an array AND edit them all together,

Bevel — bevels the edges of the selected area, but in a non-destructive way, unlike the Bevel tool in the Edit mode,

Solidify — adds depth and thickness to the surface (customizable),

Subdivision Surface — smoothes out the area by breaking a face into smaller faces (don’t overdo it or it will get super hard on the machine).

Modifiers are super important for the work in Blender — if you’ve worked in Photoshop, think of them as layers. As you learn your way around this 3D modeling software, you’ll start using more of the modifiers.

Congrats — Now What?

You’ve just learned the essential essentials of Blender. Congrats, pat yourself on the back!

Before you start looking for video tutorials, I’d strongly recommend watching this video first: Learn Blender in 20 Minutes. Though the voiceover could have been better, this is the video where you will see all the tools and modifiers from this article in action — and pick a few more tips along the way.

Once you’re done with that, we can start creating! 

I’d recommend this tutorial for creating a fur ball from the same creator because it is simple and gets you warmed up for more advanced stuff. 

Here’s my creation (I changed the color from the tutorial just because):

Hint: If you find the tutorial hard to follow at some point, the commands are always listed to the right side of the video.

Finally, once you’re ready for the challenge, go and finish that Donut Tutorial by Blender Guru.

After Your First 3D Models: What to Do Next

Blender is for 3D modeling what Photoshop is for photo editing. It’s complex, powerful — and incredibly relevant.

Sure, it gets frustrating at times, but just think — if you persevere, you’ll have this whole new magical world at your fingertips.

And with the 3D modeling unlocked, possibilities really are endless.

Luckily, there are many learning resources out there, though it can be tiring to research and vet all of them.

That’s why we did it for you — and listed the best courses for 3D modeling, including several in-depth and beginner-friendly courses on Blender.

Are there any additional resources that you really like for learning Blender? Let us know in the comments!