Diving into 3D modeling for the first time can be daunting. Where do you begin? Do you start with the project that’s been occupying your imagination for as long as you can remember? It’s tempting, but probably not the wisest choice. Instead, use these simple entry-level 3D projects. It’s important to choose exercises early on that will help you successfully learn foundational techniques rather than jump straight into the advanced stages of 3D design.
A Wine Glass
This is one of the quintessential beginner projects in 3D modeling courses and it can serve as a perfect introduction to NURBS modeling techniques. The shape is familiar and the technique’s very basic, meaning you can get a good-looking model under your belt very quickly and easily.
A Greek Column
Like the arch, this is another easy-to-model architectural element you can use time and time again in projects down the road. Plus, we’ve got a tutorial for this one.
These techniques apply in any situation where you need to model a cylindrical shape with radial symmetry (e.g., pots, glasses, lamps, rocket ships).
A Skyscraper
This is a fantastic project to help you get the hang of efficiently handling increasing levels of complexity and repetition. The shapes on a modern box-style skyscraper are simple enough they shouldn’t cause problems for beginners, but also bring some interesting technical challenges to the table.
The techniques in this 3D modeling exercise apply in architectural and hard surface modeling.
A large number of windows forces you to learn techniques for evenly spacing edges, and creating the windows themselves requires a solid understanding of the difference between world space and local space extrusion. It’s also a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the use of selection sets to handle repetitive face and edge selection.
These techniques apply in any project that requires ordered repetition.
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