Description

This course has been updated to Blender 4.2, but is compatible with Blender 5. It’s also still compatible with older versions of Blender.

Take your first steps to becoming a 3D character artist – learn everything from modelling to painting to rigging the character. The course is the sequel to the highly popular Blender Character Creator course, enjoyed by 10s of thousands of students.

This course has been created using Blender 4.2 and is compatible with newer versions of Blender.

Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, the experienced instructors will take you through every step of the process, ensuring that you aren’t just “copy and pasting” what you see, but learning the tools and developing your own creative process as you go.

For each concept taught this course includes a relevant challenge for you to implement yourself. You can follow along with the Orc model used in the course, or create your own character using reference material or your own sketches.

The course will show you how to create a highly detailed, great looking character for your portfolio.

The entire course is project-based, so you will apply your new skills immediately to real 3D models. All the project files will be included, as well as additional references and resources – you’ll never get stuck. There are talking-head videos, powerful diagrams, quality screencasts and more.

For each model you build, you will follow this process…

• Be challenged to build the entire model yourself.
• Be shown step-by-step how to build it.
• Apply your knowledge regularly.
• Encouraged and supported throughout your journey

You will get full lifetime access for a single one-off fee. If you’re a complete beginner, we’ll teach you all the modelling fundamentals you’ll need. If you’re an artist, we’ll teach you to truly bring your assets to life. If you’re a coder, we’ll teach you modelling and design principles.

All students have access to the Q&A where our Instructors, Teaching Assistants and Community are ready to help answer your questions and cheer on your success.

Note: access to this course comes with an optional, free community site where you can share games and 3D models, as well as connect with thousands of other students.

Dive in now, you won’t be disappointed!

Requirements

• You should be able to use a PC at a beginner level.
• A 3-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended.

1. Introduction & Setup – New Blender 4.2 Content (13 lectures – 1hr 25min)

• Introduction to the course (01:51)
• [Article] Content Now in Blender 4.2! (00:28)
• Download & Setup (02:27)
• The Interface (10:47)
• Block Man (06:49)
• Community & Support (01:33)
• loop Cuts (10:51)
• Extrude (07:00)
• The Mirror Modifier (10:51)
• Transform options (07:49)
• Shading & Materials (07:30)
• Textures & Viewport Rendering (08:32)
• Rendering (08:59)

2. Mech Master – New Blender 4.2 Content (9 lectures – 1hr 19min)

• Section Intro – Mech Master (00:28)
• The Cockpit (10:56)
• The Undercarriage (09:00)
• The Legs (12:18)
• The Guns (06:45)
• Adjustments & Pose (07:24)
• Materials & Slots (12:58)
• Rendering Cycles (09:29)
• Rendering Animation (10:02)

3. Blocking Out – New Blender 4.2 Content (14 lectures – 1hr 46min)

• Section Intro – Blocking out (00:22)
• Reference Images (03:46)
• Background Images (05:40)
• Blocking out the body (08:52)
• Blocking out the Hand (07:12)
• The Sculpting Workspace Blender 4.3 (04:55)
• Intro to Sculpt Mode (06:20)
• Symmetry (07:20)
• Remesh (05:12)
• Blocking Out the Upper Body (13:15)
• Lower Body Block out (11:09)
• Joining & Remeshing (06:00)
• Box modelling the boots (13:32)
• Blocking out the hand (12:49)

4. Sculpting Level 1 – New Blender 4.2 Content (11 lectures – 1hr 44min)

• Section Intro – Sculpting Base Level (00:39)
• The Beginning Face Shape (10:34)
• Positioning the eyes (07:52)
• Eyes & Nose Shape (11:47)
• Mouth and Teeth (15:35)
• Quick face sculpts (09:06)
• Fingers & Thumb (11:41)
• Hand Beginning Shape (08:23)
• Sculpting the Torso (14:30)
• Back & Arms (08:19)
• Legs (06:03)

5. Clothing – New Blender 4.2 Content (8 lectures – 57min)

• Section Intro – Clothing & Armour (00:22)
• Reshaping the Boots, Sole, & Toecaps (08:38)
• Reshaping with Shrinkwrap (05:23)
• Boots Extra Armour (09:47)
• The Belt (08:21)
• The Loincloth (09:00)
• The Shoulder Plate (10:33)
• Strap Challenge (04:45)

6. Retopology – New Blender 4.2 Content (19 lectures – 2hr 53min)

• Section Intro – Retopology (01:00)
• Automatic Retopology (06:45)
• Finger Retopology (12:25)
• Hand Retopo (11:45)
• Arm Retopo (05:59)
• Body Retopo (10:04)
• Body Retopo Tidy-up (15:24)
• Waist Retopo front (09:35)
• Waist Retopo back (04:34)
• Waist Retopo tidy-up (05:52)
• Leg Retopo (10:04)
• Face Retopo 1 – Edge Flow (10:14)
• Face Retopo 2 – Connecting loops (13:05)
• Face Retopo 3 – Filling in (15:53)
• Face Retopo 4 – Nose, Mouth & Eyes (05:52)
• Face Retopo 5 – Back of the Head (06:16)
• Ear Retopo (11:19)
• Join the sculpt (12:44)
• Join the Retopology (04:03)

7. Detailed Sculpt – New Blender 4.2 Content (17 lectures – 2hr 9min)

• Section Intro – Detailed Sculpt (00:30)
• Adding the Multiresolution modifier (04:37)
• Unwrap (13:16)
• Hand & Fingers (09:39)
• Arm & Torso (08:56)
• Legs (04:41)
• The Head (11:03)
• Adding Texture Brushes to the Body (09:58)
• Head Details (08:05)
• Asymmetry (05:55)
• Preparing the Shoulder Plate (06:39)
• Sculpting the Shoulder Plate (06:13)
• Sculpting the Horns (08:43)
• Preparing the Boots (05:51)
• Sculpting the Boots (06:45)
• The Belt Plate (06:15)
• The Loin Cloth & Straps (12:02)

8. Unwrap & Bake – New Blender 4.2 Content (10 lectures – 1hr 33min)

• Section Intro – Unwrap & Bake (00:33)
• Unwrapping the Orcs Body (09:27)
• Unwrapping the Armour (13:35)
• Baking Normal Maps – Multires (10:12)
• Baking Ambient Occlusion & Cavity Maps (13:53)
• Baking Selected to Active (09:02)
• Baking the Armour Normals (13:01)
• Baking the Armour Cavity Maps (10:02)
• Baking the Armour Ambient Occlusion Maps (07:12)
• Simpler Texture Options (06:26)

9. Texture Painting – New Blender 4.2 Content (18 lectures – 2hr 18min)

• Section Intro – Texture Painting (00:45)
• Texture Painting the Orc (17:17)
• dealing with Brush Lag (01:03)
• Metallic Maps (08:52)
• Roughness Maps (06:12)
• Using Texture Brushes (10:18)
• Using Stencil Brushes (04:44)
• Brush Blend Modes (08:31)
• PBR Workflow Options (11:22)
• Painting the Belts (13:17)
• Completing the straps (06:10)
• Joining Our Materials (08:26)
• Fill Brush & Blend Modes (04:14)
• Adjusting Roughnes Maps (09:04)
• Adjusting Roughness Maps – Straps (07:44)
• Cleaning the Cavity Map (05:29)
• Cavity Map to Roughness (09:36)
• Material Options – the Eyes (04:41)

10. Posing & Rendering – New Blender 4.2 Content (8 lectures – 52min)

• Section Intro – Posing Lighting & Rendering (00:23)
• Setting Up the Rig (09:12)
• Parenting the Rig (07:46)
• Weight Painting (07:24)
• Shoulder Armour (04:55)
• Lighting (09:54)
• Posing & Rendering (11:53)
• Final Message (00:29)

11. Updates And Important Messages (1 lecture – 1min)

• [Article] Original Blender 2.8 Content (00:23)

12. Introduction & Setup (Blender 2.8 Content) (9 lectures – 1hr 16min)

• Welcome To The Course (00:50)
• Download & Install Blender (03:26)
• Blender Interface Introduction (10:00)
• Introduction To Edit Mode (08:05)
• Using Loop Cuts (09:05)
• Mirror Modifier (17:18)
• Extrude (14:28)
• Shader Editor (09:02)
• Community & Resources (03:51)

13. Mech Master – Blender 2.8 Content (12 lectures – 1hr 25min)

• Section Intro – Mech Masters (00:57)
• Creating the Cockpit (11:19)
• Creating the Body (11:38)
• Creating the Legs (12:12)
• Creating Weapons (11:23)
• Posing the Mech (03:51)
• Smooth & Flat Shading (04:27)
• Adding Materials (11:55)
• Camera & Background (03:46)
• Rotating camera (05:40)
• How to Render and Save Images in Blender 3D (Rendering the Mech) (04:54)
• Instructor Hangout – Mech Masters (02:42)

14. Modular Vehicles – Blender 2.8 Content (16 lectures – 2hr 38min)

• Section Intro – Modular Vehicles (01:48)
• Intro to Modules (01:52)
• Building the Base (11:13)
• Building the Vehicle top (07:17)
• Building the Wheels (09:48)
• Creating Car Bases (13:20)
• Tank Tracks (12:06)
• Creating the Tank Base (12:13)
• Making the tank top (13:27)
• Rocket Launcher Top (12:39)
• Making the Triple Gun Top (12:57)
• Making the Laser Cannon Top (09:18)
• The Tripod Base (13:50)
• Texturing the Vehicles (10:12)
• Material Slots (11:26)
• Instructor Hangout – Modular Vehicles (04:05)

15. Blocking Out – Blender 2.8 Content (12 lectures – 1hr 38min)

• Section Intro – Blocking Out (01:10)
• Reference & Background Images (05:01)
• How to Insert Background images into Blender 3D (07:34)
• Blocking out the shape (12:39)
• Subdivision Surface Modifier (07:33)
• Sculpting the Blocks (15:02)
• Dyntopo Sculpting (08:24)
• Dyntopo Sculpting – Body 1 (08:36)
• Dyntopo Sculpting Body 2 (08:48)
• Sculpting the Head (04:29)
• Combining Objects (09:06)
• Instructor Hangout#1 (09:41)

16. Detailed Sculpting – Blender 2.8 Content (13 lectures – 2hr 10min)

• Section Intro – Detailed Sculpting (01:31)
• Mid Level Details – Body (11:34)
• Mid Level Details – Head (10:49)
• Mid Level Details – Horns (14:25)
• Using Alphas (12:59)
• Fine Details (13:43)
• Clothing & Armour – Belt (08:20)
• Clothing & Armour – Loin Cloth (08:35)
• Clothing & Armour – Buckle (07:17)
• Clothing & Armour – Shackle (12:05)
• Clothing & Armour – Sculpting 1 (13:11)
• Clothing & Armour – Sculpting 2 (10:22)
• Instructor Hangout – Detailed Sculpting (05:15)

17. Retopology – Blender 2.8 Content (9 lectures – 1hr 4min)

• Section Intro – Retopology (01:06)
• Understanding Retopology (02:57)
• Manual Retopology Demonstration (13:33)
• Automatic Retopology (05:32)
• Automatic Retopology 2 (06:33)
• Automatic Retopology 3 – Tidy Up (07:07)
• Retopology – Small Items (07:27)
• Retopology – Decimate (10:09)
• Instructor Hangout – Retopology (09:22)

18. UV Unwrapping – Blender 2.8 Content (8 lectures – 1hr 19min)

• Section Intro – Unwrapping (01:18)
• Understanding UV Unwrapping (14:25)
• Marking Seams (12:22)
• Marking Seams 2 (12:52)
• Unwrapping The Body (15:20)
• Repair Stretching Problems (03:50)
• Unwrapping All Objects Together (12:48)
• Instructor Hangout – Unwrapping (05:51)

19. Baking – Blender 2.8 Content (8 lectures – 1hr 6min)

• Section Intro – Baking (01:21)
• Understanding baking & PBR (09:33)
• Baking the orcs body (10:47)
• Baking the orcs body – cavity (10:47)
• Baking the horns & teeth 1 (07:07)
• Baking the teeth & horns 2 (12:01)
• Baking multiresolution objects (09:51)
• Instructor Hangout – Baking (04:21)

20. Painting – Blender 2.8 Content (13 lectures – 2hr 5min)

• Section Intro – Painting (01:09)
• Blocking out colours (15:00)
• Orc Body Painting Basics (11:05)
• Different Stroke Methods (07:56)
• Metallic maps (05:52)
• Painting with stencils (07:55)
• Painting With Blend Brushes (12:32)
• Painting The Metal (04:50)
• Painting the Horns & Teeth (10:11)
• Painting the roughness map (16:41)
• Painting the roughness map small items (14:02)
• Other blend brushes (08:51)
• Painting The Eyes (08:28)

21. Animation – Blender 2.8 Content (15 lectures – 2hr 16min)

• Section Intro – Animation (01:12)
• The Basics Of Keyframes (09:52)
• Rendering Animations (08:57)
• Understanding Armatures (Bones) (12:10)
• Animating A Snake (05:23)
• File Organisation (05:39)
• Basic Human Rig (09:17)
• Parenting the Basic Rig (06:41)
• The Rigify Rig (15:13)
• Blender to Mixamo (10:36)
• Weight Painting (14:05)
• Exporting the Character (01:27)
• Exporting the Textures (06:12)
• Import Blender To Unity (16:42)
• Unity Animator Controller (12:56)

22. Rendering – Blender 2.8 Content (3 lectures – 25min)

• Basics of Lighting in Blender (11:28)
• Basics of Rendering (11:12)
• Course Wrap Up (02:18)

23. Updates and Important Messages (1 lecture – 1min)

• [Article] Coupon For Original Course Content (00:33)

24. Bonus: One Last Thing… (1 lecture – 1min)

• [Article] Bonus Lecture: Something Just for You (00:47)