Is 3D Modeling Hard To Learn?
Are you looking for a creative and versatile profession that allows you to work in the gaming, animation, or design industry? Then 3D modeling may be the right fit for you. However, some people find a 3D art career discouraging due to the technical, artistic, and other challenges. Is 3D modeling hard for beginners? How can you master the basics? How long does it take to become a proficient 3D artist? Our article answers these questions and shares tips to speed up the learning process.
What is 3D modeling?
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty details of learning 3D modeling, let’s define the basics. What is 3D modeling?
To put it simply, 3D modeling is the process of creating digital three-dimensional representations of real or fictional objects. Here are a few examples of what you can create in 3D modeling software:
- Vehicles (cars, boats, planes, spacecraft)
- Animals (dogs, cats, bears, tigers, mammoths)
- Humans (historic figures, fictional characters, celebrities)
- Sci-fi characters (robots, aliens, androids)
- Weapons (rifles, swords, guns, grenades)
- Mythical creatures (orcs, elves, angels, dragons)
- Buildings (castles, offices, shopping malls, skyscrapers)
Only your imagination sets a boundary to what you can create as a 3D artist. Many industries use 3D modeling, including:
- Video games
- Film and animation
- Architecture
- Product design
- Virtual reality
- Medical imaging
- Advertising
- Automotive design
- Fashion
Is 3D modeling hard to learn?
One of the most common questions from newbies is: “is 3D modeling hard to learn?”. It is almost impossible to give a universal answer to this question, as personal skills, goals, experience, talent, and other factors differ from person to person.
Generally speaking, learning the basics of 3D modeling can be achieved within months for most beginners. Becoming truly proficient in 3D modeling takes an enormous amount of time, often years.
Most 3D artists work with multiple software programs, which makes the learning process even longer.
Here are a couple of personal stories from a Reddit thread about learning 3D modeling. The question was: “How long would it take to learn to make decent 3d models?”
"The technical aspects of 3D modelers is relatively easy; the artistic aspects are what really determines the quality of your work. You can learn the basics of a tool in a few hours, but the artistic output through the tool is much harder/easier, depending on your art skill and perception."
"The problem isn't learning the software; surely you can figure that out quickly enough. The real problem is one of art and aesthetics - how long does it take to become a capable artist? The medium you've chosen is rather irrelevant to this question, and the answer is measured in years."
"If you mean "being able to create a mesh," then you can learn pretty quickly - a few days, or maybe a few weeks. If you mean "being able to create a mesh that looks as good as the one in your head," then it's the same as any other type of design, and you can expect it to take much longer. (...) 3D modeling doesn't really seem to have a skill cap, so you can keep improving for your whole life. Finally, I think it's worth mentioning that even though I feel like I can make a functional model, any time I've collaborated with an Actual Art Person, their visual ideas have absolutely blown mine out of the water. I find that I can consistently make stuff that "looks normal," but it's very hard for me to make assets that "look stylish." Becoming consistently fresh and stylish with your work seems to be something that requires a really, really serious level of time and dedication. Many years!"
How to get into 3D modeling
Would you like to kickstart your 3D modeling career? We have collected some of the best learning resources to help make the learning curve much steeper.
- Practice a lot: The more you practice, the better your 3D designs will be over time. We highly recommend dedicating at least a few hours every week to practicing 3D modeling if you want to speed up the learning process.
- YouTube tutorials: YouTube and other video-sharing platforms are filled with freely available 3D video courses and tutorials. If you get stuck with a certain step in the 3D modeling workflow, try to find tutorials on the subject. Replicate what you see in the videos and learn through real-life examples.
- Udemy and Coursera: Udemy and Coursera have online video courses on countless subjects, including 3D art. While some courses are free, others are paid ones. You can filter courses based on your experience level and software of choice.
- Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that hosts more than 10000 free video courses on a wide variety of subjects. While they do not have many 3D modeling courses, if you want to learn about design theory, geometry, or other aspects of art, Khan Academy can be extremely useful.
- Mentoring: Finding a mentor for your 3D art journey is probably one of the best “cheat codes.” A seasoned expert can provide feedback, and advice, and help you find your first 3D modeling job.
- University courses, workshops, and offline courses: If you prefer a more formal approach, finding a university course, workshop, or offline course about 3D modeling may be the right decision for you.
FAQ
Is 3D modeling a good career for me?
3D modeling is a great career choice for those who are looking for a creative, artistic, and versatile profession.3D modeling is a great career choice for those who are looking for a creative, artistic, and versatile profession.
How hard is 3D modeling to master?
Mastering 3D modeling usually takes several years and requires a lot of experience.
What are the best ways to learn 3D modeling?
There are many paths to becoming a 3D artist. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for learning 3D modeling. However, practicing, finding high-quality online courses, and joining a supportive community can be helpful.
Speed up the learning process with Shapelab!
Shapelab is a VR 3D design application primarily for organic modeling. The robust polygon-based engine and feature set allow for the creation of high-quality props, characters, and concepts for applications, games, and virtual worlds, as well as digital concept art and storyboards, and for 3D printing. For beginner 3D artists and aspiring creatives, VR has the potential to shorten the learning curve and open doors to solve complex design problems needed to digitize and improve their traditional workflows and processes.