i want to learn 3d modeling in blender

[CAYDE]

Hello, i am fearly new to 3d modeling. Altough i have little knowledge about modeling i want to learn how to use blender. i prevouisly only used 3dsmax for 3d modelling i was fearly decent at it but not decent enough, after a 1,5 year break from it i wanted to start learnig blender.
So if you have sugestions,tips. and what helped you when you first started it would be pretty lovely. Thank you.
ps i want to learn how to do:
-3d models (objects,humanoid models, enviorments)

[*P0P$*FR3$H3NM3Y3R*]

I'd start with the blender basics on the official blender youtube channel. (alot of people will also suggest the Andrew Price Donut Tutorial) Familiarize with the interface and some of the hotkeys and then branch out from there. I'd probably start with some simple, short lowpoly modelling tutorials and then move on to more complex stuff, like sculpting for terrain, characters and such.

Just keep at it and try to learn stuff as you go. Once you got the interface and basics down you can kinda steer into the direction you need for what you want to model. Don't try to learn everything at once, advanced physics and such aren't immediately important.

[Zerccies]

i went and learned how to make procedural textures for things i had interest in, that is how i started.
in example i wanted to make trees and saw a really amazing looking bark that "ryan king" made and he had a tutorial for it and i was like "hell ya trees are simple" and the are until you get into not having the right plugins and some great plugins are old and out of date for the version i was using so be careful on the tutorials you may find old will not always apply cuz things are changed or flat out dont work anymore. or the tutorial will briefly say "not beginner friendly also try to stick with the same person whoever you watch for a bit to be consistent

-find something that interests you specifically and focus on it, remember any keybinds or quick tips that are faster to do in some ways
-try to model more than the hours of tutorial videos, it may be hard not knowing anything but once you get knowledge branch out and experiment and fall back on videos if you get stuck or want to see if there is a better way, it is like drawing art, tracing can help in sticky spots but tracing everything wont make you be a better artist
-references are tricky cuz when i have a reference and im making it i'd get freaked out after i get the outline cuz i wouldn't understand where to go after when filling in. i find it easier to have the reference off to the side
-plugins for beginners "node wrangler" its in blender you just got to activate it, it has been used in literally every model i have made when i touch textures, geonodes, or compositing
-dont do as i say and do as you please, not everyone learns everything the same way or likes doing the same things find what clicks
(oh but do activate node wrangler you will probably hear it everywhere)

[Cizjut]

Originally posted by CAYDE:

Hello, i am fearly new to 3d modeling. Altough i have little knowledge about modeling i want to learn how to use blender. i prevouisly only used 3dsmax for 3d modelling i was fearly decent at it but not decent enough, after a 1,5 year break from it i wanted to start learnig blender.
So if you have sugestions,tips. and what helped you when you first started it would be pretty lovely. Thank you.
ps i want to learn how to do:
-3d models (objects,humanoid models, enviorments)

YouTube
Seriously Blender is really well documented, just type the thing you want to model and for what and it will show up

[Grinnij]

lots of good suggestions here.
i started by making games with my buddy whose a programmer, we did 2d initially and later on i got into 3d and we transitiond, it took me about 3 to 6 months to make serviceable art in a game engine. but it was fun and a huge motivator for progression.

so i think in my oppinion finding that niche that motivates you to do it everyday is the biggest thing, after that i would also say that i learnd the most after getting the basics down from a few tutorials and then from making my own projects, running into a problem, and then googling/youtubing my specific problem, surprisingly because blender is open source and such a heavily used tool you can almost always find a resource for your issue when modeling a specific object. if you cant try out polycount or some other blender art communities and post it there.

as you stated that your somewhat new to 3d modeling i would also heavily sugguest you stick to modeling really familiar items. and really easy items. what do you use or hold everyday, its hard to build guns and cars if you dont already physically work with them or build them cause of all the complex parts, if you like coffee, make a set of coffee cups, make a espresso machine, make a coffee pot. you know how these items function you dont need to study blueprints of them nearly as long as something thats unfamiliar to you. after you do that for awhile and your comfortable in the software after a few months, look for some more serious learning material, its not needed but theres lots of courses on udemy/skillshare ect that offer excellent learning material, i like Darrin lyles courses the most theyre easy to follow and you learn a lot of advanced techniques without feeling the pain. after that you can probably pretty much build whatever you want at that point and can self diagnose your own mistakes a honourable mention i also learnd some basic stuff early on from cgcookie but its a monthly subscription and its great for learning basics if you have the extra $ but its only marginally more structured and useful then youtube series.

goodluck on your endeavors!

[Zinx]

here are some shortcut's if you need them

Blender shortcuts for Properties

Ctrl+C – Copy the (single) value of the button
Ctrl+V – Paste the (single) value of the button
Ctrl+Alt+C – Copy the entire vector or the colour field
Ctrl+Alt+V – Paste vector as the whole or the whole colour field
RMB (Right Mouse Button) – Open the context menu
Backspace – Clear the value (clears a text field or sets the value to 0)
Minus – Negate the number values (multiply by -1.0)
Ctrl+Wheel (Mouse Scrolling Wheel) – Change the value in incremental steps, this option cycles the values for pop-up option menus and buttons
Return/Enter – Activates the menus or toggles the values
Alt – When held while editing values, it applies the changes to all the selected items, including objects, bones and sequence-strips. It can be used for number fields and toggles.

Blender shortcut keys for Animation

I – insert a keyframe
Alt+I – Clear the keyframe
Shift+Alt+I – Clear all keyframes (removing all F-curves)
Ctrl+D – Assign a driver
Ctrl+Alt+D – Clear the driver
K – Add a Keying Set
Alt+K – Clear the Keying Set

Blender for beginners - Python Scripting

Ctrl+C – Over any Operator Button, the shortcut copies the Python command into the clipboard (The program shortcut can be used in the Python console or the Text Editor while writing scripts)
Shift+Ctrl+C – Over any property button, the hotkey is used to copy the data path for the property. The feature is also available from the context menu.
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+C – Over the property buttons, the command copies the full data path for the data-block and property. Note: it is best to access values based on the context rather than by name, in most cases.

Blender shortcuts for Dragging

Ctrl – while dragging to snap discrete and accurate steps
Shift – Gives precision control to the values
Shift+Ctrl – Precise snap, this command will move the object with high precision along with the snapping constraint.

Blender for beginners – Text Editing shortcuts

Home – Go to the beginning of the text
End – Go to the ending of the text
Left, Right – Move the cursor left or right one character at a time.
Ctrl+Left, Ctrl+Right – Move the cursor left or right through an entire word
Backspace, Delete - Delete the characters
Ctrl+Backspace, Ctrl+Delete – Deletes whole words
Shift – Makes a selection while moving the cursor and holding the key.
Ctrl+A – Selects the entire text
Ctrl+C – Copies the selected text
Ctrl+X – Cuts the selected text
Ctrl+V – Pastes the text at the position of the cursor

Blender shortcut keys for Confirm or Cancel

ESC or RMB (Right Mouse Button) – Cancels
Enter or LMB (Left Mouse Button) – Confirms

Blender for beginners – Global Keys and shortcuts

Ctrl+O – Open File
Ctrl+S – Save File
Ctrl+N – New File
Ctrl+Z – Undo
Ctrl+Shift+Z – Redo
Ctrl+Q – Quit
F1 – Help (context-sensitive)
F2 – Rename Active Item
F3 – Operator Search
F4 – File Context Menu
F5-F8 – Reserved for user actions
F9 – Adjust the Last operation
F11 – Show render window
F12 – Render the current frame
Q – Quick Access (Favourites)
Ctrl+Spacebar – Toggle Maximie Area
Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar – Toggle Fullscreen Area
Ctrl+PageUp/Ctrl+PageDown – Next/Previous Workspace
Spacebar – User configurable
Shift+Ctrl+Spacebar – Playback Animations (reverse)

Blender shortcuts – Common Editor Keys

A – Select all
Alt+A – Select none
Ctrl+I – Invert selection
H – Hide selection
Alt+H – Reveal Hidden Items
T – Toggle Sidebar
N – Toggle Sidebar


Blender shortcut keys – 3D viewport

Tab – Edit-mode toggle
Ctrl+Tab – Mode switching pie menu (toggles pose mode for armatures)
1 – 3 – Edit Mesh vertex/edge/face toggle (Shift extends, Ctrl expands)
AccentGrave (`) – 3D view navigation pie menu
Ctrl+AccentGrave (`) – toggle gizmos
Shift+AccentGrave (`) – Walk/Fly mode

Blender shortcuts – Platform-specific hotkeys
macOS

The Cmd key can be used as an alternative for Ctrl key on macOS devices. It works flawlessly with a few exceptions that conflict with the operating system. List of other macOS specific Blender shortcut keys:

Cmd+Comma (,) – Preferences.

Blender for beginners – Industry Compatible Keymapping
Blender commands - General

1 – 9 – Mode/Element Switching
RMB (Right Mouse Button) – Context Menu
Tab – Operator search
Shift+Tab – Quick Access (Favourites)
Ctrl+D – Duplicate
P – Set Parent
Return – Rename
Ctrl+Return – Render
B – Proportional Editing/Soft Selection
Ctrl+[ - toggle toolbar
Ctrl+] – toggle sidebar


Blender shortcut keys - Viewport

Alt+LMB (Left Mouse Button) – Orbit View
Alt+MMB (Middle Mouse Button) – Pan View
Alt+RMB (Right Mouse Button) – Zoom View
F1 – F4 – Front/Side/Top camera viewpoints
F – Frame Selected
A – Frame All

Blender shortcuts – Selection

LMB (Left Mouse Button) – Select
Ctrl+A – Select All
Shift+Ctrl+A – Deselect All
Ctrl+I – Select Inverse
Up – Select more
Down – Select less
Double LMB (Left Mouse Button) – Select Loop
Alt+Double LMB (Left Mouse Button) – Select Ring
] – Select linked

Blender commands - Tools

W, E, R – Transform Tools
Q – Box Select
D – Annotate
C – Cursor Tool

Blender shortcuts - Edit Mode Tools

Ctrl+E – Extrude
Ctrl+B – Bevel
I – Inset
K – Knife
Alt+C – Loop Cut

Blender shortcut keys – Animation

Spacebar – Play/Pause
S – Set Location + Rotation + Scale Keyframe
Shift+S – Insert Keyframe Menu
Shift+W – Set Location Key
Shift+E – Set Rotation Key
Shift+R – Set Scale Key

[Jorudi]

Unpopular opinion, but don't start with the donut tutorials from blender guru.
While these tutorials do provide good information, i feel like it's more focused for people who have somewhat 'knowledge' of blender.

I do suggest watching the tutorials from CG Fast Track.
First episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98qKfdJRzr0

He will teach you to create objects and environments, to a degree.
I did not watch the 4.0 tutorials, but i assume they're somewhat similar to the older ones.

After finishing that tutorial, i do suggest following the donut tutorials.
And i'm sure after those 2 tutorials, you will be sufficient enough to start making your own models.

Like others said, blender is probably the most documented 3d software, if not software, period. If you don't know something, 100% chance there is an answer waiting for you.

[Glamd]

I had the easiest time learning with Sebastian Lague's tutorial with the little hat guy, eventually you pick up your own style of modeling that's most comfortable. You'll probably find your own way technically but right now I prefer using the skin modifier to block out a quick reference and then model over it by extruding circles. It works really well, I feel like most hesitance for modeling comes from not having a guide, and 2d is fine and all, but having a 3d reference like the skin modifier makes it lightening fast, you'll never have uncertainty where to place the next vertices.

[esstx]

first, learn how to work in a blender and then move on to creating game assets

Youtube>Search>Playlist> Blender 4.0 Beginner Donut Tutorial (NEW) [Blender guru]

also check out these guys on yt:
Ryan King Art
Default Cube
Ducky 3D
Smeaf
--
I started learning blender back from version 2.7~ to make models for CS 1.6, then I had a break and came back when version 2.8 came out. I didn't ask questions how to start learning it because there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube. A long journey awaits you

p.s. the main thing is don't give up