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    PRESS START: Your Simple First Blender Project

    Instructor:
    Jonathan Lampel
    Start Course
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    Looking for a simple modeling, texturing and lighting Blender project?

    This Blender course is...

    βœ… made for beginners (or those who need a refresh)
    βœ… perfect as your first Blender project
    βœ… possible to complete on a weekend
    βœ… designed to be customized by you
    ❌ for creating a real game console (sorry!)

    Oh, did I mention... we're keeping it lightΒ 
    Creating in Blender should be fun, first and foremost.Β 

    That is why we're bringing back an iconic 80s handheld gaming console from an alternate CG Cookie universe.

    This object, though eternal and glorious, is just an example for teaching you the Blender workflow... so you can get up and running on creating your own endless Blender projects.

    Totally new to Blender?

    Watch the Blender Basics firstΒ 
    Don't worry: it's quick. You'll learn to navigate in 3d space, move objects, and more.Β 
    Stream the Blender Basics

    1️⃣ First, we'll model the console

    In this part, you will learn how to...

    • model in Blender from a reference image
    • create your own mesh shapes
    • use the most important modeling tools
    • use modifiers (makes your life easier!)


    2️⃣ Next, we'll add materials and textures

    A model without textures is like a rhino without a pink bow on its horn. Just... boring.

    Learn how to:
    • add materials
    • apply and customize texturesΒ 
    • load an animation
    • use a generated pattern

    3️⃣ Let's light this and get to rendering

    To make our model shine, we will apply nice, basic Blender lighting and render it out for the ultimate beauty shot.

    Ultimately, you can make your own little pocket game console and customize and shape it however you want.

    Plus: Learn how to troubleshoot and avoid pitfalls

    Starting with Blender can be overwhelming. I'll show you the mistakes to avoid and the tricks I wish I knew when I was first starting out.

    Feeling lost? We're here to help.

    As CG Cookie member, you can ask any questions along the way and we will help you out with any roadblocks.

    We also want to see your result: share your final render in CG Cookie Gallery so the rest of us can see your masterpiece!Β 

    We love sharing your work on our social media, so make sure to tag your @ handles to your profile.

    Get Caught Up

    Are you brand new to Blender?

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

    Free

    Blender 3 Basics: Into To Blender

    Build and Animate a Low Poly Rocket in Blender for Beginners

    Want to learn more?

    Consider these courses next!

    Similar topics and workflows for continued learning.

    Fundamentals of 3D Mesh Modeling in Blender

    Fundamentals of Blender Materials and Shading

    POTHEAD: Create a Hard-Surface Character in Blender

    SESSIONS: Minimalism

    Awarded upon completion:
    100xp +
    Course Curriculum
    36 Reviews
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      Jesse Palato(AstroHammer101) ·

      Coming from the basics course, and studying it pretty thoroughly, I really enjoyed this one. So much of what was taught in basics was put to work in this project. A lot of extra stuff too that I'm mad excited to learn more about.Β 

      I had things go screwy in almost every video, but I buckled down and persevered using everything I was taught in the basics to push my way through. Learned some new things to look out for too.Β 

      I'm addicted. On my way to the next course!

      • author Wes Burke(wesburke) ·

        Hey there! I'm so pleased you were able to push yourself and keep going. That's half the battle! Happy to have you a part of the community and happy Blending!

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      Eric Szabo(Eric) ·

      I think that title says it all!

      Great series. Good Pacing. Great explanations. Fun finished product!

      EricΒ 

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      Daniel Harewood(Drahanimator) ·

      I'm hoping the knowledge from this walkthrough translates into other projects. The talking was a little to fast and the instructions moved on without explanation once in a while. 7/10.Β 

      • author Wes Burke(wesburke) ·

        Thanks for the review and feedback. I'd recommend taking the Fundamentals of 3D modeling course next if you haven't already. It helps affirm things covered quickly in PRESS START with some good takeaways. Happy Blending!

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      CJB__95 ·

      This course was really fun, I usually make characters but this was a new skill I wanted to tackle, also Jonathan explained everything perfectly and I learned a lot I would recommend this course 100%.

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      PolygonRV ·

      What a great Blender course. It took me about a week to get through it here and there on the evenings, but worth the end result + knowledge gained.Β 

      I'd highly recommend the watch video first and then watch again while trying to follow-along. There were a few times I had to pause the video and reload the last 30 seconds a few times. A benefit of pre-recorded video I suppose.Β 

      There was one time I got stuck, but seeing the question already asked on the questions below gave me my answer right away.Β 

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      Dmytro Vakulenko(Leavenoo) ·

      The "PRESS START: Your Simple First Blender Project" course exceeded all my expectations. The instructor organized the material and made it accessible for beginners in 3D modeling. The video tutorials are easy to follow, and the "PRESS START" project is an excellent introduction to Blender.

      The cgcookie.com platform provides a user-friendly interface and excellent support. Questions are resolved promptly, and the student community creates a positive atmosphere for sharing experiences. I confidently recommend this course to those looking to enter the world of 3D modeling with Blender. It opens the doors to the fascinating realm of computer graphics, making learning both enjoyable and productive.

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      Kerri 3D(Kerri_3D) ·
      This was a fun, informative, and awesome beginner project (I'll be posting my final soon). I'm a big fan of Jonathan Lampel's tutorials - specifically how he takes time to explain each step and why we need them. I'm excited to move onto the next one! Good luck, everyone :)
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      real_human ·

      I took a pause on my "Fundamentals of shading" course and jumped here. And these courses blend together very well. This Press start course kind of shaped all my knowlege from previous courses into something that I can actually apply in my projects. Not to mention that Jonathan Lampel is an awesome teacher!

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      Kyle Winter(Skeggox) ·
      Lots of fantastic tips and details in this course. It's also a fun object to model, and exciting to see a render that looks so good, without all the frustration some online tutorials can cause. All of the information is well-articulated and concise. Great job all around!
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      Brad Wheeler(brad-nbo) ·

      This was a fun course and helped fill in gaps I have in my Blender learning journey. A great course to start with and spark or re-spark the Blender bug. Lots of great instruction and techniques. Blender is something that has vast depth and great potential and this course gets you going in the right direction.

    In playlist: Getting Started