Module 1: The Blender Interface and Navigation (The Foundation)
Goal: Use Blender and understand its interface.
| Lesson | Topic | Key Skills Covered | Project/Exercise |
| 1.1 | Installation and Initial Setup | Downloading Blender, setting user preferences, saving configurations. | Set up a custom viewport layout. |
| 1.2 | Navigating the 3D Viewport | Mouse controls, orbiting, panning, zooming, using the gizmos. | Navigate around the default scene (cube, light, camera). |
| 1.3 | Object Modes and Selection | Understanding Object Mode vs. Edit Mode, selecting, transforming (Move, Rotate, Scale) objects using shortcuts (G, R, S). | Position three primitive shapes to form a simple stack. |
| 1.4 | Collections, Outliner, and Properties | Organizing a scene with Collections, using the Outliner for hierarchy, understanding the Properties panel. | Rename and organize all scene objects in the Outliner. |
| 1.5 | Understanding Viewport Shading | Wireframe, Solid, Material Preview, and Rendered views. | Toggle between the different viewport modes. |
Module 2: Fundamentals of 3D Modeling (Principles of Creation)
Goal: Understand the principles of modeling and create basic 3D models.
| Lesson | Topic | Key Skills Covered | Project/Exercise |
| 2.1 | Mesh Components: Vertices, Edges, Faces | Introduction to Edit Mode, selecting and manipulating mesh components. | Model a simple geometric sculpture by moving faces and vertices. |
| 2.2 | Core Modeling Tools (Part 1) | Extrude (E), Inset (I), Bevel (Ctrl+B), Loop Cut (Ctrl+R). | Model a simple low-poly house or chest using these tools. |
| 2.3 | Core Modeling Tools (Part 2) | Knife Tool (K), Spin, and applying smooth shading. | Use the Knife Tool to cut detail into a surface. |
| 2.4 | Introduction to Modifiers | Understanding the non-destructive workflow, using the Mirror and Subdivision Surface modifiers. | Create a symmetrical object (like a simple cup or vase) using the Mirror modifier. |
| 2.5 | Module Project: Create a Low-Poly Asset | Combine all modeling tools and modifiers to create a simple, stylized object (e.g., a Low-Poly Toy Train). | Deliver a final, well-modeled low-poly asset. |
Module 3: Materials, Shading, and Basic Lighting (Color and Appearance)
Goal: Create 3D models with simple colors and create your own materials.
| Lesson | Topic | Key Skills Covered | Project/Exercise |
| 3.1 | Rendering Engines | Introduction to Eevee (real-time) and Cycles (ray-tracing), setting up render settings. | Set up a basic scene with a camera and render the default cube. |
| 3.2 | Basic Materials and Shading | Applying materials, understanding Base Color, Metallic, and Roughness parameters on the Principled BSDF shader. | Apply different solid colors and roughness to the objects from Module 2. |
| 3.3 | Introduction to the Shader Editor | Using nodes: adding a Color Ramp, Noise Texture, and connecting basic nodes to control material properties. | Create a simple procedural “plastic” or “glossy paint” material. |
| 3.4 | Basic Lighting Setup | Understanding different light types (Sun, Point, Area) and the three-point lighting system. | Light the low-poly asset using a simple 3-point light setup. |
| 3.5 | Module Project: Stylized Still Life | Create a mini-scene (e.g., a simple stack of books or a piece of fruit) and render it with clean colors and lighting. | Deliver a final rendered image using the Eevee engine. |
Module 4: UV Mapping and Texturing (Applying Detail)
Goal: UV map and unwrap your models to apply complex textures.
| Lesson | Topic | Key Skills Covered | Project/Exercise |
| 4.1 | Introduction to UV Maps | What UVs are and why they are necessary, accessing the UV Editing workspace. | Examine the default UV maps of primitive shapes. |
| 4.2 | Simple Unwrap Methods | Using Smart UV Project and Cube Projection for basic objects. | Unwrap a simple box using Cube Projection. |
| 4.3 | Seams and Manual Unwrapping | Marking Seams (Ctrl+E), straightening UV islands, and packing UVs. | Unwrap the Toy Train model from Module 2 using seams for a clean map. |
| 4.4 | Image Textures and PBR | Loading external image files, understanding PBR maps (Color, Normal, Roughness) and connecting them in the Shader Editor. | Apply a simple wood or metal texture to the train using PBR maps. |
| 4.5 | Module Project: Detailed Asset | Complete the texturing of your stylized asset, utilizing the UV map to apply an image texture, and rendering the final result. | Deliver a textured and rendered image of the Module 2 asset. |
Module 5: Principles of Animation (Bringing it to Life)
Goal: Learn the basics of animation and create animations for your objects & characters.
| Lesson | Topic | Key Skills Covered | Project/Exercise |
| 5.1 | The Timeline and Keyframes | Setting up the animation timeline, inserting keyframes for Location, Rotation, and Scale (I shortcut). | Animate a cube moving across the screen over 60 frames. |
| 5.2 | The Graph Editor | Understanding the Graph Editor to adjust speed and smoothness (F-curves), using interpolation types (Linear, Bezier). | Refine the cube’s movement to start slowly and speed up in the middle. |
| 5.3 | Basic Animation Principles | Introduction to anticipation, squash and stretch, and follow-through in object animation. | Animate a basic “bouncing ball” using keyframes and the Graph Editor. |
| 5.4 | Camera Animation and Cuts | Animating the camera for scene views, setting up different camera shots, rendering the animation sequence. | Animate the camera to follow the bouncing ball. |
| 5.5 | Final Project: Animated Scene | Create a short, looping animation (e.g., the Toy Train moving on a track, a spinning logo, or a simple character wave). | Deliver a final video file (.mp4) of the rendered animation sequence. |
This complete structure provides a clear path for students to master the fundamental skills required for 3D creation in Blender, culminating in a final animation project.