CORE | Fundamentals of 3D Mesh Modeling in Blender

Instructor:
Jonathan Lampel

Welcome to the Mesh Modeling Fundamentals, the first course in the Blender CORE Fundamentals series.Β 

This course has taken a few different forms and has evolved a lot over the last 10 years and has successfully taught thousands of people how to 3D model. Like the name implies, we’re going to talk about the foundational, most important tools and concepts that you’ll need throughout your modeling journey, whether you’re going into games, animation, visual effects, industrial design, architecture, or any field of computer graphics.

By the end of this course, you should be able to model basic objects with ease and have a good idea of how to approach more complex ones. If you’re an intermediate or advanced modeler already, you can expect to fill in the gaps in your education, learn good habits, and improve the overall quality of your models.Β 

Get Caught Up

Are you brand new to Blender?

These courses should help you get up to speed in no time.

Course Overview

Chapter 1

Intro to modeling

Learn all about the tools and concepts that are essential for all types of modeling workflows, including advanced selection, mesh operators, and good topology.Β 

Chapter 2

Hard Surface Modeling

Whether your models need to be low poly or high, we'll talk about how the crisp shapes of hard surface modeling can be achieved with modifiers, n-gons, and altered normals.Β 

Chapter 3

Subdivision Surface Modeling

Smooth, highly detailed shapes that melt into each other are incredibly satisfying, and you'll learn all about the foundational rules of topology that will help you create them.Β 

Student Gallery

We love modeling with Blender

Don't just follow along, think along with us.

Check out the first two free lessons

Get this course and 285 others by joining CG Cookie

Awarded upon completion:
100xp +
Course Curriculum
66 Reviews
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    ShawnOfTheDead207 ·

    This was a fantastic experience! I've spent a lifetime as a 2D artist, always a bit intimidated by the technology behind creating 3D art. Thanks to CG Cookie, I’m now building confidence in my ability to learn modeling with Blender. The "CORE Fundamentals of 3D Mesh Modeling" videos, which follow perfectly on from "Blender Basics," are organized seamlessly to guide you through the process.

    Johnathan is an excellent instructorβ€”his enthusiasm and pleasant demeanor truly motivated me through the videos and to embrace the challenges. This course also guides you in applying some intermediate-level techniques to some really fun projects. Moreover, the CG Cookie community has been an invaluable part of my journey; the Community Discussion platform is always accessible and quick to help when I get stuck, while the supportive feedback on my projects in the CG Cookie Gallery has been both encouraging and educational.

    I'm thrilled with the skills I've gained from this course and eagerly look forward to continuing my Blender journey with CG Cookie!

    • author Kent Trammell(theluthier) ·

      I can't adequately express how rewarding it is to read this. Thanks so much for learning with us and taking the time to write this review! πŸ₯Ή

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    Nicolas Baravalle(Baravalle) ·


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    Leandro Devitte(LDevitte) ·

    I've taken several courses for Blender, but Jonathan explains things very clearly and objectively, even the most difficult topics. Topology, for example, even in its basic form, has already helped me a lot. Looking forward to the next courses!

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    Jonathan Guttke(lifeprilis) ·

    Course was really good. easy to understand, Good explanations. Manage to do all parts. If i can u can! Well i gotta get going to the next part. Il seeya in Discord tjaoo!

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    Vladimir Gustov(Des3252) ·
    Jonathan, you are an awesome teacher! loved watching you explain basics in a free blender course, and absolutely loved how you explained everything in this course! it was easy and understandable even for a person who doesn't know how to learn stuff! appreciate your work all the way through!
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    Andrii Shatalov(broov3rD) ·

    I started with tutorials on YouTube, but without a structured approach, studying such a challenging topic was difficult. And then came CG Cookie. Their teaching approach is fantastic. The journey has begun.

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    Veteran Cornball(Veterancornball ) ·

    this course teaches the fundamentals in depth and helped me brush up my skills

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    PXTCHXS ·

    Excellent in every regard! I already knew a good amount of it, but not all, and watching this course really helped solidify my foundations. I also learned a bunch of details that I had no idea about. Regardless of your skill level, I highly recommend this!

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    nyaki nyaki(nyaki) ·

    "I recently completed the Blender animation course on CG Cookie, and I have to say, it’s been an amazing experience! As a beginner, I used to spend a lot of time watching random YouTube tutorials, but I often felt lost without a clear direction. This course was different β€” it guided me step by step through the modeling process, helping me improve my skills at a pace that made sense. The structured lessons, clear explanations, and practical exercises helped me build a solid foundation in Blender. I feel much more confident in my abilities now, and I’m excited to keep learning. Highly recommend this course to anyone looking to level up their Blender skills!"

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    Martha Moawad(martha3D) ·

    Jonathan is very clear and straight forward with his teaching! Easy to follow. it took me few days to finish the project as a beginner, but was so much fun!Β