Models aren't that complicated with this approach! (Blender Tutorial)

►► Learn Hard Surface Modeling in Blender in Under 2 Weeks - www.blenderbro...
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►► Learn Hard Surface Modeling in Blender in Under 2 Weeks - www.blenderbro...

[@JoshGambrell]

►► Learn Hard Surface Modeling in Blender in Under 2 Weeks - www.blenderbros.com/?el=jg

[@SameHat88]

For those just finding this video without any real Prior knowledge.. it might be worth mentioning at the start of the video that you are using HARD OPS add-on and this is NOT just vanilla blender.. otherwise fantastic video and a good demonstration on breaking down a complex looking structure down to its simplest form.. well presented

[@bkentffichter]

Yeah I was curious how many of these tools were default versus add-on

[@stonbax]

It remains that you can still do the same without the addon. It will probably take more time though

[@JoshGambrell]

Thanks for the feedback - just in case people are wondering of the addons I use: - Hard Ops/Boxcutter Bundle - Machin3 Tools (free) - Mesh Machine

[@SameHat88]

@@JoshGambrell Great.. Maybe worth mentioning to check your description in your videos what Addons you use for these videos and have them in there would be an idea without needing to repeat yourself in every one ☺️ just an idea..

[@alvaroluffy1]

@@stonbax yeah he is using so many shortcuts and from those addons, gg without them

[@crybabbyyyy]

This is one of the most useful tutorials out there. Not a lot of people actually discuss the thought process behind modeling! It doesn't matter how many topology videos you watch, what it comes down to is training your eye and breaking complex objects down into their simplest shapes. Bravo!

[@besknighter]

There are several way to model. Sculpting, using boolean operations, polygon modelling, etc. Each having their own pros and cons. There's nothing preventing one to use all of them for the same object at different stages or to achieve different shapes. Learning at least the basics of a lot of them will demystify a lot of the apparent complexity. Thank you for this great demonstration of that!

[@Kaboom1212Gaming]

Reminder to people just stopping in for the first time that this is just for getting the overall form down. You still need to retopo and you are definitely not done here. For example this model here has massive Ngons on the top and bottom. Sometimes that works fine, but sometimes you get shader errors with that, which can be a big problem. Make sure to clean up the topology a little bit more. Ngons are sometimes okay on non deforming surfaces, but it is not only good practice (but also not always accepted professionally depending on if you are working for someone) to have good, clean topology, but also the way to avoid shader problems later down the line. Luckily for you, you are on a great channel for learning about this stuff! Check out some of the other videos too to learn more of the workflows that Josh shows, there is a lot more to go, but hopefully this helps inspire people to learn a bit more with everything! I just mentioned the shader stuff, but Josh often covers that in various places, so see about more of these tricks while working to get some better ideas!

[@tusharkashyap2431]

Thanks!

[@N1kou]

So... that cut that he did like in 7:20 ended up adding a lot of triangle and ngons, right????

[@atomicshrimpFT]

Ngons are absolutely not ok unless you subdivide the part or retopo.

[@3ddesigner2]

How hard doing retopology to a model with so much bevels like this

[@titusandronicus4826]

This is a very important video. Impressive how easy it is to build complex structures, if you develop an eye for basic shapes. Thanks!

[@JoshGambrell]

Absolutely!

[@AcrioAlarius]

Try CAD software approach it helps a lot

[@mechaboy95]

You so efficient with hotkeys! I remember losing the magic of watching someone create something in blender when I learn to understand it But you just gave me that sense of magic all over again! You really are using addons to the max

[@PyrianVT]

I just want to know which ones he was using, I think one was mirror gizmo, but I want to know what that quick cutting one was!! Edit: I think it might be bool tool Edit2: Nope, it's hardops boxcutter

[@mechaboy95]

@@PyrianVT his addons are in the desc. read there gumroad pages and you can probably find out

[@JoshGambrell]

Thanks a bunch! All I'm using is Machin3 Tools (free), Hard Ops, Boxcutter, and sometimes Mesh Machine

[@bigbalticbox]

What I gathered from this video is that 3D modelling isn't that much different to traditional 2D art: You have to define your primitive shapes before chiselling away and adding detail

[@JoshGambrell]

Correct, yet most people observe it from the eyes of the final result, which results in demotivation and unnecessary over-complicating. One should observe models from a primitive structure and keep adding detail as necessary.

[@9b8ll]

Well said 👏

[@orsaz924]

This is one of the most enriching and instructive visual art advice I've read

[@Kabodanki]

that's true for a lot of things, like for example, when you see something from a distance, your brain will classify it and refine that classification through iterations (drugs like LSD mess up with that process), and at some point your brain finally understand what the object is, it happens so fast that you don't mind it consciously. AI models work like this. So here you are building the shapes from the bottom-up, you need to start somewhere and the best place to start is with good foundation.

[@chakibchemso]

2D +Z :)

[@Morecado]

I just finished the blenderbros mechanical arm tutorial and I was surprised at how quickly you can learn everything needed to make almost any hard surface object. It helped shape the way I think about modeling into exactly what you were talking about on the video.

[@DarkSwordsman]

This is why I really like 3D art, coming from a software engineering background. With software engineering especially with CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous development), it is really difficult to break down work into manageable steps, especially since there are lots of dependencies for certain tasks. Not to mention that you're often working with botched or poorly documented APIs or software packages. However, in the case of 3D here, it's all very basic steps that can be layered like a cake. With every new tool or technique I learn, it's more of another horizontal layer rather than a complete new vertical to learn. It allows me to apply the ideas of "iteration" and "only needs 90%" very easily and tangibly see my own progress as an artist. Not to mention that I love 3D because it feeds into the technical side of my brain. Absolutely love it.

[@figurehe4d]

Always appreciate the positive encouragement. Like you said, it's easy to get overwhelmed/demotivated.

[@kakezii6967]

i have no idea why, but hearing your voice just makes feel soothed.

[@Dexter01992]

I am soon to join a 2 years long 3D artist course, but 10 years ago I did Industrial mechanics CAD both 2D and 3D in High school. Looking at the reference image you posted, I was already imagining a starting shape and all sorts of internal shapes to perform booleans on it to match such component, and was glad the process you then performed was quite similar to what I expected, coming from CAD experience. This gives me hopes I won't be entirely newbie to the course. Thank you kindly for showing this!

[@Cloroqx]

You should look into Vitaly Bulgarov.

[@wiredvibe1678]

What secrets are you expecting to learn that you ca t get for free on the internet?

[@PhoneAppS1]

as someone who uses SolidWorks a surface based 2D to 3D modeler, i find it fascinating how all 3D software's can replicate this object and how each one is approached differently and also how this is considered a more complex shape in blender.

[@gonthyalavishalchandan1193]

Well this shape is more CAD oriented hence it's more convenient in CAD softwares. I personally use CAD primarily, but once you get into sub and all blender shines alot with it's addons

[@rc20gamer25]

Moral of the video 👉 it is our misconceptions that anything we see any 3d complex work our brain thinks it is very complex but you free mind analysis whole work and divide into parts this is only method to tackle any kind of work.thnks sir for 🙏this video.

[@priceykiller8534]

your designs are so clean! very eye pleasing

[@JoshGambrell]

Thanks a bunch! Practice, practice, practice.

[@Guilherme_Zanella1]

Brooo what a great channel finding you guys was a total jackpot you guys ROCKKKK 🤘🤘🤘

[@arbinpradhan-mn1ql]

wow awesome it was a really helpful video for beginners to break down complex shapes. Hotkeys you are using just mind blowing. i just find a another best blender tutor today. Thankyou so much.

[@iiandreio4228]

This was actually a very great tutorial! love the shape as well, trying to drive this concept into one of the guys I'm coaching's head.

[@Dina_tankar_mina_ord]

There's no doubt that this is one of your most valuable videos. In a matter of minutes, it delivers stunning results that are straight to the point. Good job.

[@shay6953]

Can you break down all the tools u used to make this video. Because some of your shortcuts and add ons from what it looks like i didnt quite understand. It will be really helpful if u further elaborate more modelling workflow tools and methods.

[@CGLife]

Boxcutter for boolean cuts, meshmachine for fixing messy geo and hardops for some general operations

[@shay6953]

@@CGLife Thank you very much

[@JoshGambrell]

Sure, I could make a video discussing my tools.

[@shay6953]

@@JoshGambrell thank you very much

[@untossablesalad4423]

@@JoshGambrell Subbing for that video!

[@Gamakatana]

Creating the model isn't the problem, it is quite simple, Topology is what consumes the most time and effort.

[@flohh]

Yup, the worse you make the topology, the faster you can do it : ) I can make what I want, but usually I want to add it to game engines or texture it and just give up while trying to retop it.

[@RandomnessCreates]

And it doesn't matter really considering it's a hard surface object. All you'll get in games are triangulated meshes. Topology that matters is when you're trying to make it bend or warp it in any shape or form. Cyberpunk uses CAD objects that are decimated and using weighted normals, and have the most beautiful hard-surface weapons and objects right now.

[@fabulous_y5654]

Yes, and the object in this video may look good, but you need no knowledge about topology to reproduce it. If an object doesn't consist of "flat" surfaces only (like here), then you don't get far with the techniqes shown in this video.

[@cre8-or-die]

Great video Josh! Another great way to attack this model would be with flat low-poly strips that could quickly be bent into 1/8th of the model, extruded, beveled and mirrored. This would create something with super clean topo that would be easy to UV. 🎉

[@S9universe]

thank you, i was planning to get into hard surface, i got some tutos as intro but needed to have the good mindset before, this video is exactly it.

[@GPaCrewify]

Man I thought you had some crazy tricks to this, I was all drawn in. lol Then you go into basically modeling it from scratch! xD Great video, just not what I expected is all. :)

[@Zohaib6M]

Bro thanks to your video my hard surface modelling has improved.

[@JoshGambrell]

Awesome!!

[@IrocZIV]

Nice to see breakdowns like this. Kind of like a magician showing how the trick is done.

[@hollowknight9158]

I did it with the base program (only have machine tools). I started out with a cube because I didn't think of extruding the cyllinder and I used the free (included but disabled) bolt factory addon to make my threads and inserts. I'm glad I watched the video after though as I learn something new. And as I see it there are multiple approaches to do things, just like with coding, no approach is wrong but there is always a more efficient way of doign it.

[@bautistadelatorre2921]

im starting with blender, im a designer and i always used solidworks which is all numbers and perfect geometrics, and adapt my head to this type of modeling is really complicate, this is abstract for me, thanks for the video, is really helpfully!

[@fretstain]

You're essentially using a solid modeling/cad workflow. Looks good.

[@blackbladezoro7004]

You are a very good teacher this helped me a lot , thank you brother , subbed

[@adamrushford]

I've already taken the how to use blender basics to advanced etc.... but I really appreciate everyone throwing one in because sometimes you have to brute force this type of knowledge/skillset. it takes many examples and tutorials to master a subject ultimately

[@Eclipsed_Archon]

This is a really awesome demonstration of the philosophy most 3D modelers use to build these complex shapes! Worth adding for clarity that while models that look complex like this can be broken down easily with practice, there are still other models that will be way more complex to make than they look, namely very organic shapes with little randomness like animals. Basically, this same idea will help you make anything from a soda can to a city block, but it probably won't help you if you're trying to make a dog. The right tool for the right job though, and there are definitely tools to make that doable too, just keep on trying at it :D

[@Jay-og4yb]

Yep that's the difference between hard surface modeling and organic

[@vrmsali]

hahaha... you made it look so simple and easy. Well the way you explained it, it was so encouraging that i am going to try it out and test the little skills that I have. Thank you.

[@zeshan2262]

TNice tutorials is just the pick up I needed, thanks man

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Great video as always. Love your stuff. I have a small channel and owe a lot of my current Blender knowledge to your videos, in fact it was learning so much from KZbinrs like yourself that made me want to start the channel to give back to the community that has given so much of their knowkedge away for free. At the beginning of the video I paused it and made the object myself before watching the rest and realised I follow a different mental approach to you (especially at the beginning). Would you mind me covering this piece (referencing you and this video of course) to discuss different approaches to modelling to get the same outcome?

[@NowqQ]

TNice tutorials should be the first video that pops up when you're new to making soft

[@moviemaker2011z]

Hi, I'm somewhat new to blender with about a few months of overall experience gained over the years of on and off attempts. My initial guess was a cylinder that was extruded but I didn't guess the mirror modifier or the cut tools as I haven't really got into those at any point in my practice and didn't know you could do that so easily, my main thought was that you used an object to subtract the areas you needed and worked from there. I was pleasantly surprised however that I got the initial shape and general extrude method right as that was my only conclusion as to how to easily make that shape.

[@malice_plays]

Great video man. Its best to keep it simple and take it one step at a time.

[@vince8691]

Great video. You made it look so simple and I'm sure it is. I have just started showing interest in this brilliant program, but I have a mammoth way to go. But I really found your explanations so logical. Thanks

[@LTAdventurephoto]

man you whipped that up quick - I'm starting a small 3D printing business for niche items in my main line of work. I'm stuck currently deciding what program to spend most of my time learning. I started teaching myself AutoCAD and enjoyed it, moved into Fusion360 and enjoyed it even more however I keep wondering about Blender.

[@NoBrainerLanguages]

Many complex things start with one single vertex. You can have a whole human body basic structure made in less than a minute using one extruded vertex and then skin modifier. Also, having lines that you turn into a curve and give it a geometry thickness can give you complex albeit uniform curves like pipes. It takes time to simplify the process, tho. The power of boolean is also something unique and the same applies to the array and mirror modifiers. Finally, you can do wonders in other free tools such as Inkscape, save as SVG and then import that SVG into Blender, turn it into a mesh and extrude and modify it at will. Those tools are magnificent.

[@xenofrost69]

Josh all grown up 💪 Nice motivational tutorial. Well done.

[@Soulsphere001]

My initial thoughts (before watching more than a minute) is that you can mirror it on x, y, and z axis, and I know you love using booleans so my guess is you used those to cut out the holes. Other than that, I'm not sure how you would do it, but I noticed a comment from someone that you're using addons (which don't cost much but could be an issue for some people). After watching the video, it did some things I expected, but I probably would have mirrored it first and not gotten as nice of a hole as you did. Also, while you did use some addons, the only real thing you did that would require an addon is the Ever Scroll, but you'd only need to add on a bit of width to that part to get the difference boolen to work correctly, and maybe the cutout you did for the detailing (though anyone could just use the knife tool). It's great to see things as primitive objects, too. Even many company logos are made using primitive objects, usually circles.

[@IceWolve]

Theres also a difference between just making stuff like that, and making game art style stuff, especially for older games, where you need good edge loops and optimized geometry. It all depends on what you are going for.

[@SB-gy2vx]

right! I think modeling without having good topology in mind is just modeling for passing time, anyone who wants to be a part of a team and create models that can be animated properly needs to be able to create good topology.

[@ivensauro]

@@SB-gy2vx yeah, but these hard surface will have deformation on the animation? And what about using autoretopo tools like instant mesh?

[@SB-gy2vx]

@@ivensauro I rather model the objects with the best geometry possible to avoid future problems and more work. But that's just me.

[@foxyboxi9028]

I wish you added all the short cut keys that pop up in blender so new users like me could understand what exactly what you were doing/keys your pressing

[@teriyaki_chicken]

You make me want to give learning Blender another try

[@blankcanvas8717]

Your video was clear and made the needed points. Thank you!

[@SchwarzBunt]

Damn.... that video helped so damn much. I sometimes look at certain things and my brain is totally overwhelmed, haha. Thanks so much for that video, it really helped! :D

[@samhanks1594]

All good points. The next thing people don't think about is modeling in relation to 3d printing. What is the best printing orientation for the strongest part. The layer should always be perpendicular to the parts load. Then the next is to design a part that doesn't need supports to print.

[@9b8ll]

Amazing tutorial as usual. Also whether if it's 2d or 3d, it's about the shapes. Then, think big details to small details. 😀

[@DjCtavia]

Learnt some plugins are really cool and important to use for a faster modeling process in your video. It's crazy how fast you made it 😁

[@mertkonti5428]

incredible possibilities to those who master it. I am almost done with my first track, but there is so much more to discover and learn. TNice tutorials

[@silverstrike]

Good tutorial and key point about 'seeing primitives'. Couldn't it be simplified even further by only modelling a quarter of it and mirroring a few times?

[@marcusanimation100]

Excellent clear tutorial, but could you tell me which addons you used for your booleans etc?

[@CGLife]

Booltool is the free boolean addon(comes with blender). Boxcutter is paid. He uses hardops and meshmachine here too. So many videos on blender bros about them.

[@marcusanimation100]

@@CGLife Thank you

[@JoshGambrell]

Hard Ops, Boxcutter, Mesh Machine, check out some of my other videos

[@muratemresimsek8668]

the fact that i am a noob at 3d but still found an easier way to model this motivates me XD

[@theshawnmccown]

Right off the bat, I was like "mirror modifier". This particular object is perfectly symmetrical in all axes.

[@DownDance]

That video helps a lot and I think I speak for everyone here! Thank you!

[@Massive-3D]

At first I was like, this guy hasn't optimized his blender speedrun, but then you went beast mode and my jaw dropped

[@Конспект3дпечатьимоделирование]

Wow, so elegant shortcut use, do you have video on those shortcuts and extensions?

[@SergeyRyabenko]

Well, that is subscription! Thanks a lot, this helping to develop modeling vision

[@truegret7778]

Very fascinating and very interesting approach you have in your presentations - you are a very good teacher. When I first saw this object, I see a lot of symmetry, but struggle a bit because the symmetry is from multiple views. I'll watch the rest of the video and learn (and subscribe - I like your style/approach).

[@simoncodrington]

Another great video mate, cheers for taking us through your workflow

[@KaelDenna]

wow you're fast! it would have taken me around an hour to do what you just did in 10 minutes!

[@darkquaesar2460]

Have you done a video on how to set up our blender UI like yours?

[@imkira1100]

thanks man for the tutorial ,really loved it. i learnt a lot

[@bunnyfreakz]

Add on such Mesh Machine or Box Cutter helps you modelling much faster. I can't understate that enough. Once you get hang of that, there is no way you can come back.

[@kaischaeffer8412]

Amazingly the base shape of this model can be made from only 2 sketches (disregarding chamfers and screw holes). 1 extrusion in the Z direction and 1 cut in the y direction.

[@LastNpcStanding]

OMGGG IT WORKED!!! I finally got this app and I

[@mikeekim2532]

SUPERB! Need 100 more like this☺!

[@gregjohnson5175]

Another awesome tutorial. Amazing work.

[@toapyandfriends]

What's that cutter tool you use at 7 minutes and 22 seconds ... to cut the detail

[@JimRobb44]

Is that Box Cutter? I had the same question. It would be helpful to know the addons.

[@blaply3421]

I always thought that boolean operations are the way to go in a big part of hardsurface modeling and this is why I had so much fun with it in Zbrush even 10 years ago. The problem was of course always topology or the lack of it. I know they solved this pretty well on Modo with meshfusion a long time ago but it's nice to know it also works in a free software, even if an add-on is needed. Another good alternative for a boolean workflow is Fusion 360, which works pretty well for concepting for years, I just didn't check recently if they have any solution for a 'real' polygon model with a decent topology.

[@ahmadnurokhim4168]

Really need this kind of videos, it turns out I'm not that bad

[@rileytuon8699]

Absolute legend. Love the way you present information with such efficiently and ease +1sub

[@GeahkBurchill]

Makes me glad I use CAD for this kind of thing. Blender simply isn’t the best tool for this kind of modeling.

[@ivensauro]

Hello, I have seen some videos of you and your brother modeling with the hardops/box cutter, and i think that you can make an alert that using boolean can ok loose the "perfect" quad topology, but is easy for these models be perfect with a autoretopo tool like instant remesh(and be used for games and animation). And whatever these hard surface models don't will be animated with deformations

[@markferreira7590]

TNice tutorials helped sooo much!

[@eleanormcnamara8232]

You are a life saver! Kudos to you! You rock!!

[@Fat_Raccooon]

Absolutely, I’ve learned a lot. Thank you very much.

[@sal3348]

good video but some of the things you did i couldn't navigate to find. can you explain what you are pressing to find the sharpen button and other would help a lot^^

[@Tanko3691]

Really good, well done.

[@venkateshgaming1094]

Thank you, very productive 17mins of learning. TNice tutorials program is super intimidating from soone who doesn't even play an instrunt.

[@ThapeloPilusaThePoet]

s and a couple EDM and Dubstep goals for myself, and I guess I better start learning sowhere. Thanks for the great vid!

[@brandonjohnson8880]

Interesting watching this as a design engineer who spends all day in CAD. This is how all of us approach design!

[@stltrekmodels.4157]

You definitely have techniques that I have not seen before. I have always struggled with Booleans although I have gotten a little better. Cutting, Yea I have never used that and as I can see here I need to learn that.

[@AD-1000]

thanks, Thanos, glad you're getting into soft instead of...well...

[@rohit_k_editx]

You are master in field bro

[@matematikgokseldir]

Very useful, thank you!

[@gustavoreis8390]

Thanks bud! great video and instructions.

[@blenderian.3d]

nice modeling. this is helpful.

[@tony-mora]

What an awesome video. Thank you!

[@amjadtbssm]

This video made me subscribe to this channel. Amazing tutorial. Thanks for share.

[@JoshGambrell]

Thanks a bunch! Happy it helps ya

[@_dqh_1096]

What is this "Box helper" thing ? It's amazing

[@laiatorrent8972]

TNice tutorials is so amazing thanks for the videooo ;D

[@sebastienmorere6925]

Hello, please explain to me how the "mirror modifier" is activated at 7'20 just before the cut by selecting the ngon cutter , thanks 😉

[@Yahyabutnot]

The way he uses boolean modifiere gives me chills

[@omercakar1976]

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPER HELPFUL man!! Thank you

[@Carlosmlon]

Incredible as always.

[@adventinfomax6903]

Are you using the Producer version, if so are all the effects and tutorial you use in the video included as standard with the Producer