CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #5 (Feb 1, 2018): The class is officially closed! Thanks to all who participated. Be sure to check page 43 for the closing "statement" and commendations.
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #4 (Jan 30, 2018): The timing worked out where this week's homework stretch is 10 days instead of the usual 7. So you've got extra time to complete the assignment! I'll look for submission through tomorrow, the 31st, and then I'll do a final post to close out the class.
BTW week 4's live event is archived if you missed it.
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #3 (Jan 15, 2018): Week 2 is done - We're halfway through the class! Today WEEK 3 begins where the focus is digital sculpting. This is a far more artistic method of shaping 3D models, so if you struggled in week 2, week 3 should be refreshing.
- Only 1 course to watch this week: Fundamentals of Digital Sculpting
- Live Event tomorrow at 2pm EST
- Please submit homework anytime between Jan 15 - Jan 21 with "BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission"Â at the top of your post.
Keep up the awesome work, Class! So much creativity and hard work being contributed from everyone đ€
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #2 (Jan 8, 2018): Week one is accomplished! Today WEEK 2 begins. We're moving forward from basic viewport interaction and into mesh modeling; into Edit Mode and the modifier stack.
- Reminder that you have 2 courses to watch this week: Mesh Modeling Fundamentals and Modeling with Modifiers.Â
- Live Event tomorrow at 2pm EST
- Please submit homework anytime between Jan 8 - Jan 14 with "BC1-1801 Week 2 Homework Submission"Â at the top of your post.
As always, don't hesitate to ask questions in this thread!
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #1 (Jan 2, 2018): The class has officially started! Today we held the first live event to kick things off. The recording will be published by tomorrow at the latest is now available in "Past Events".
That means it's now up to you to watch the Blender Basics Course and submit your homework to this thread. Please add a big, bold title to your homework submission reply so I can easily tell. Like this:
"BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission"Also don't hesitate to ask questions along the way. I'll be checking this thread daily to answer questions, give advice, check homework.
This thread is for CG Cookie Citizens that are participating in the "Getting Started with 3D Modeling and Blender" class! Its purpose is to serve as central communication for all participating Citizens (excluding Hobby plan Citizens) to ask me and each other questions and to post homework. As the instructor of the class, I will be monitoring this thread on a daily basis (especially Mon-Thurs) throughout the month of January to review homework and answer questions.
This thread is intended only for Citizens who are participating in the class. Free members are welcome to observe the thread but please respect that communication is reserved for Citizens.
Welcome to the CGCookie Class: Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender! This is the first "Class" format where Citizen members are invited to focus together on a particular topic/skill together for a month. Participation is this:
It will take place from January 2nd through January 31st and the topic is for beginners that want to get into 3D modeling. The class is based on pre-recorded courses that students are expected to watch each week along with weekly Live Events.
Download the latest official version of Blender and watch the Blender Basics course. The goal this week is to simply get familiar with the application. Weâve all been there: Opening Blender (or any 3D package), gazing at all the crazy UI, trying to orbit in the viewport, crying...Ok, maybe you were stronger than me and didnât cry. But the reality is 3D software is daunting. Thereâs SO MUCH to digest especially when youâre a beginner.
This first week weâre going to overview Blender and 3D from an absolutely beginner perspective. What is Blender for? What can it do? Wait, this isnât a juicing seminar?
During the Live Event we're also going to open the floor, ask me anything (AMA) style, so I can answer all your questions about getting started with Blender.
HOMEWORK: Create a scene out of primitive shapes. It can be anything from a landscape to a spaceship to a character. Just get comfortable with creating and positioning mesh objects. Here's an example:
Take a screenshot of your scene and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 1-6*.
Enter the world of mesh modeling! The oldest form of building objects in 3D, in the computer. Weâll discuss the technical art of âpushing and pulling vertsâ as modelers often call it. First, watch the Mesh Modeling Fundamentals and Modeling with Modifiers courses to be introduced to this wild, geometric world.
Practice makes perfect here and during this week's Live Event weâll be mesh-modeling a few objects to demonstrate tools and workflow available with Blender. Itâs ideal if you practice along with me!
HOMEWORK: Model either 1, 2, or 3 unique objects using mesh-modeling techniques. They can be as simple or as complex as you like, but they can't be primitives. I want to see that you've used mesh tools to significantly customize your shapes. For example, you could model a hammer, a cell phone, a keyboard, a game controller, a picture frame, a coffee cup - choose something fun!
Take a screenshot of your shaded model + wireframe-over shaded (as pictured above) and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 7-14*.
Digital sculpting is the more artistically intuitive method of 3D modeling. If pushing and pulling verts felt like the hard way of doing things, sculpting will be a welcomed alternative! Watch the Fundamentals of Digital Sculpting course this week.
During the Live Event, we'll discuss the pros and cons of digital sculpting as well as how it compares to mesh modeling. Again, practice makes perfect with any craft, and we will also practice sculpting. Be sure to have your pen and tablet ready!
HOMEWORK: *Submit during the week of Jan 15-21*
Thereâs still much more to learn about modeling with Blender. Remember, itâs a craft. Time + practice is the only way to develop your modeling skills.
This week your challenge is to dive into the Modeling in Blender Learning Flow. While the class gives you a boost, the Flow takes you further into intermediate and advanced modeling techniques/workflows. Test the waters and see how far you can go this week.
During the Live Event we'll discuss the journey of becoming a skilled modeler as well as the potential for turning it into a career. Finally, Iâm going to sift through homework submissions to commend my favorites and offer critiques!
HOMEWORK: Model and/or sculpt something challenging this week! Try tackling a character or a complex vehicle, etc. Show me what you've learned; what you're capable of!
Take a screenshot of your shaded model and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 21-31*.
Great job!
You know, it can be helpful to redo projects occasionally. In doing it again, you usually do it faster. I've even heard of an exercise where for say a week, each day you set a timer and do the same sculpt in the same length of time. Each time, you will get further in the sculpt and it will get better and better. Â I bet if you were to do Melvin again, it wouldn't take you a day!
Welcome in the class Cliff, the most important is the learning not the grades, it is good that you posted.
I like very much in your model that you have this great shape from such a low poly structure
BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission - Part3 3 objects
Hard to say what is that and from where the shine is coming if the sun is there :D
BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission
This week I did in order: 3 Shapes, my own project, and then the Melvin tutorial (Because of time and viewing constraints). I wish I started with the Melvin tutorial because it taught me a lot of things that could of bettered my project. I also used a tablet on the Melvin project, but didn't on the other two images. The tablet is amazing and I will keep using it. It made polishing a world better.Â
I definitely felt uncomfortable with sculpting and want to do more passes on my own idea. It feels really un-polished and not finished for me.
I will not be around for the last live stream, but excited to see the VOD and congratulate everyone else who stuck through the course. A lot of awesome work and improvement has been made on everyone's work.
Sketchfab:Â https://skfb.ly/6vToY
Original art by Morgan Goodman
BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission:
The three sculpted shapes.
Three objects: Mushroom, Candle, and Carved Pumpkin.
And..... Melvin. This was loads of fun!
BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission:
Sorry, I didn't have enough time this week to do all the homework...
These are awesome primitive sculpts! They're very polished shapes, sharp edges, non-bumpy/mushy. You seem to really be getting the hang of sculpting. Great work mmonaloren đ
I really like your stylized character (the ears keep looking at me) :-) Also I enjoyed how you made the shapes and Melvin really look like clay. Sorry you won't make the last stream.
Pretty good Melvin mmonaloren! Shapes are strong and smooth, defined, not mushy. A couple notes:Â
Did you submit this to the exercise? You'll get XP if you do (and pass, which you will).
Good words from pprocyonlotor, 
swikni, and gradyp. I will echo that this is not a failure. I can sense the frustration in your text, but do not dismay! It's clear that you're learning. Like Jere suggests, this mythological bird creature might be a little complex for learning to sculpt. But hats off to you for going after it đȘ
Nice job with the torus! To John's point, when sculpting with dyntopo, geometry doesn't really matter and booleans are perfectly fine.
Your cube looks the most polished out of your shapes: Very flat sides and tight edges. The others are a bit mushy/bumpy. Still good work over all đ
Really good sculpts overall swikni! Sorry to hear you're not on your ideal computer, but you're clearly making it work. The front side of Melvin's left leg has an unnaturally sharp edge going down the length and the cube is less polished than the cone and sphere.
Those are minor notes though. A-grade work this week!
