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3D Modeler Specialization

Become a 3D Modeling Expert: Job-Ready Advanced Online Course

Student work by Matteo Valagussa

Overview

Master 3D modeling with support from industry professionals

Hone your craft with mentorship from an expert 3D modeler. Learn advanced techniques to speed up your workflow and refine your digital sculpting and texturing skills. Graduate job-ready with a polished showreel to show employers!

Why study 3D modeling at CG Spectrum:

  • Build industry acumen while you refine your creative and technical skills
  • Gain speed and proficiency in industry software, including Zbrush, Houdini, Maya, and Substance Painter 
  • Additional career support and a focus on vital job skills that studios look for in new hires
  • Private 1-on-1 or small group classes available (max. 4 students)

This course dives deeper into character, creature, and environment modeling. You will learn how to retopologize, texture, light, and render your 3D models to studio standards so you're ready to hit the ground running after graduation.

 

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Qualification

Industry Certificate

Duration

9 months

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Advanced

Start date

December 2nd, 2024

January 6th, 2025

February 3rd, 2025

Delivery Mode

Weekly live online classes
Video lectures
Mentor feedback
Access to vibrant community
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Why study with us

Learn advanced 3D modeling tools and techniques that will get you job-ready

Our expert-led digital sculpting programs prepare you for a rewarding career in film and games. Hone your creativity while building practical job skills.

Flexible Scheduling

Plan your studies around your work and family commitments

Industry Mentors

Learn from mentors who have worked on major films and games

Job-Ready Skills

Build practical, relevant job skills that studios are looking for

Payment Plans

Options to help you pursue your passion and start working sooner
Curriculum

An industry-approved curriculum to help launch your career as a 3D modeler

Term 1: 12 weeks

3D Character Modeling

Using human anatomy principles you'll jump right in to creating a character with believable form and proportions. Next, you'll learn how to retopologize your character to reduce poly-count and develop clean geometry while adding clothing, accessories and details to create a completely textured and rendered character for your portfolio.

  • How to gather reference to inform your models
  • Produce clean geometry
  • Create a fully rendered character
  • Deliver a character for film vs. game
  1. Character Sculpting
  2. Refining the Head
  3. Cloth in Houdini Part 1
  4. Cloth in Houdini Part 2
  5. Detailing Cloth
  6. Hard Surface Armor
  7. Retopology
  8. Character UVs
  9. Details and Displacement
  10. Character Texturing
  11. Accessory Texturing
  12. Materials and Final Presentation
Term 2: 12 weeks

3D Environment Modeling

Time to learn environment modeling for film and video games. Have a go at building your own digital scene. Create a base mesh using procedural techniques in Houdini to build your scene swiftly. Explore organic modeling by creating rocks, trees, and foliage and learn how to use them in your scene. Discover proper UV unwrapping techniques to texture large environments.

  • How to digitally sculpt immersive environments
  • Work effectively from a concept design
  • Add foreground and background details
  • Enhance your environment with lighting
  1. Introduction to Environment Sculpting
  2. Procedural Landscapes
  3. Rocks
  4. Creating Foreground Assets
  5. Modeling a Spaceship
  6. Texturing a Spaceship
  7. Foliage Part 1
  8. Foliage Part 2
  9. Vines and Ivy
  10. Refining Props and Adding Details
  11. Putting It All Together
  12. Final Tips and Tricks
Term 3: 12 weeks

Mentored Studio: 3D Modeling

This final term is dedicated to getting you job-ready! With your mentor’s guidance, you’ll polish your best 3D art for your portfolio and learn how to develop your competitive edge, market yourself, and make the best possible impression in front of employers. You'll also receive additional 1-on-1 career support, portfolio reviews, and industry insights from CG Spectrum's Career Coach.

  • How to polish your portfolio to impress employers
  • Be more confident with negotiation
  • Network & self-promote effectively
  • Tap into the hidden job market 
  1. Career Pathways
  2. Industry Overview
  3. Portfolio Upgrade
  4. Networking and Online Presence
  5. Resume and Cover Letter
  6. Job Hunting
  7. Freelance Work
  8. Interviews and Pitching
  9. Personal Projects and Challenges
  10. Working in a Studio
  11. Contracts and Negotiations
  12. Personal Roadblocks
Course structure

Your Pathway to the Industry

The 9-month Specialization Course is the second half of our Career Track, preparing you for your first day in the industry. Your future awaits!

Pathway illustration for Specialization 9 Month Course

 

Want to take your education higher?

Did you know that the subjects you complete in the career track courses can be used to apply for credit toward our accredited degrees and diplomas in the same discipline? 

The skills and knowledge you build in any industry-certificate course can be transferred into academic credits through our Advanced Standing and Credit Transfer process. So, if you decide to take your studies to the next level, know that your prior learning will be recognized.

Compare your options and find out which course is right for you.

FIND OUT MORE
Mentors

Study 3D modeling with advice and feedback from industry experts

Our 3D modeling courses are taught by 3D modeling pros with years of experience working on blockbuster films and best-selling video games.

Bryan Bentley's Work
Bryan Bentley

Bryan Bentley

Bryan's award winning experience includes lead positions at ILM and Rhythm & Hues working films like The Golden Compass, Rango, Pacific Rim, and Transformers 2 and 3.

Curriculum Manager of 3D Modeling

Known for Pacific Rim

David Cunningham's Work
David Cunningham

David Cunningham

David is a Lead Hard Surface Modeler and Career Coach at DNEG and has worked on projects including Snowpiercer, Enola Holmes, and Moonfall.

Mentor of 3D Modeling

Known for Enola Holmes

Ehsan Ebrahimzadeh's Work
Ehsan Ebrahimzadeh

Ehsan Ebrahimzadeh

Ehsan has worked as an environment artist for video games since 2009 and is currently a Senior Environment Artist at Arkane Studios, working on Redfall.

Dept. Head of 3D Modeling

Known for Redfall

Matteo Sala's Work
Matteo Sala

Matteo Sala

Matteo is a Senior Character and Creature Modeler at Framestore, London. With a background in traditional sculpture and creature design, he can bring a character from the concept stage to a final, production-ready asset.

Mentor of 3D Modeling

Known for The Batman

Rajbir Dhalla's Work
Rajbir Dhalla

Rajbir Dhalla

Australian based 3D artist Rajbir has worked at D-Neg, ILM, Digital Domain and Rising Sun on features like Spider-Man: Far from Home, Thor: Ragnarok, Alien: Covenant, Logan, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Godzilla.

Mentor of 3D Modeling

Known for Alien: Covenant

Del Walker's Work
Del Walker

Del Walker

Senior Character Artist at Naughty Dog, Del has worked in the industry for 13 years at studios including Rocksteady, Respawn, and Creative Assembly. He is also a BAFTA Committee Representative and Judge.

Mentor of 3D Modeling

Known for Batman: Arkham Knight
Student Showcase

High-quality student work that speaks for itself

With a focus on portfolio preparation, we help students craft impressive, high-quality work that stands out in a competitive industry. See what they are creating.

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Studios that hire our students

Our commitment to job outcomes and focus on career development have helped graduates find work at studios worldwide.

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sony
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ilm
ubisoft
dreamworks
Frequently asked questions

Got questions? We've got answers.

Learn more about the prerequisites for this course and the 3D modeling careers you could explore in the future. For general questions about studying at CG Spectrum, visit the main FAQ page or contact us.

This course requires the successful completion of the 3D Modeling Foundations career track or a portfolio submission and an accompanying reel/resume.

Your portfolio should demonstrate experience or education working in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter, and evidence that you have modeled a humanoid character and an entire environment.

If you are unsure if your skills are sufficient, send us your portfolio when you apply, and we'll arrange for the department head to review it and, depending on the circumstances, a student interview.

Age Minimum
The minimum age to be able to enrol in our career track courses is 16. We require parent or guardian consent during the enrollment process for applicants under 18.

English Proficiency
We expect our students to have a good understanding of written and spoken English. There’s no specific ’level'; however, you must be able to understand video tutorials in English (no subtitles) and speak with your mentor in English during your live Q&A session.

Computer Literacy
To be successful in this program, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

Software:

This course requires you to sign up for an educational license for Autodesk Maya and Substance Painter and download Houdini Apprentice, which is free.

Instructions for how to obtain an educational license for this software will be provided upon enrollment.

Hardware:

You will need a dedicated graphics card and a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter, and Houdini Apprentice. 

Please note: as the software we use is regularly updated, please check the specs against the latest available version at the time of enroling.

This 3D Modeler Specialization builds upon the skills offered in the 3D Modeling Foundations course and completes our career track offering. Students who are serious about pursuing a career in 3D modeling have an opportunity to explore the world of asset creation more deeply and progress further with 3D character and 3D environment modeling.

The Specialization course also offers an entire term dedicated to getting students career-ready. This includes building necessary job skills while working on your professional portfolio, with support and feedback from your mentor every step of the way.

Developing the following knowledge/skills before embarking on this advanced 3D modeling course will be highly advantageous to your studies:

  • Good understanding of human anatomy and musculature
  • Solid box modeling skills
  • Solid UV mapping skills
  • Solid knowledge of 3D geometry: points, edges, vertices, UVs, faces, and surface normals
  • Intermediate knowledge of lighting and rendering
  • Intermediate knowledge of texturing and materials
  • Introductory knowledge of the working of Houdini (very beginner level)  

On completion of the 3D Modeler Specialization course, you will have greater confidence in your technical and creative abilities and a polished portfolio to show prospective employers. 

You will also have access to our career coach and personalized career services (including interview preparation, CV/resume assistance, and portfolio reviews), which can help when applying for junior 3D modeling jobs such as:

The CG Spectrum community is another great resource. Through graduates and mentors already working in the industry, you can network and learn about relevant job vacancies. 

Discover more about these 3D modeling jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page:

While CG Spectrum's advanced students have a high job success rate (83%), we cannot offer guaranteed employment. The film and game industry is competitive, and there is no way of knowing what the market will demand in terms of 3D modeling.

The students who experience the greatest success are those who take responsibility for their careers, put in the hard work to raise their skills to industry standards, leverage their mentor's invaluable expertise, and take advantage of every opportunity to excel.

Taking an advanced 3D modeling course not only keeps students focused while they grow as artists and build their portfolios, but it also increases their social scope as they make more contacts with more time and work, a key component in securing a job. 

To help students find employment, we have a range of career services and a dedicated career coach who regularly hosts exclusive career-focused webinars, Q&As, artist interviews, and workshops for CG Spectrum students and graduates and is available to answer career-related questions.

The Specialization course also dedicates a full term to career and industry preparation. With your mentor's guidance, you'll refine your professional portfolio, build essential job skills, and learn how to market yourself.

If you have any questions about our career services as they relate to your personal career goals, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

CG Spectrum seemed too good to be true. Looking back, it was the best decision.

Every mentor and staff member has been so hands-on and directly involved in my learning. Co-Directors of top box office movies and supervisors of major Netflix TV shows are giving me feedback on my projects. Students also have access to a strong community, and an awesome career class to prepare you for your dream job.

Stephanie S
Stephanie S
3D Modeling

You're not just another number.

I always dreamed of breaking into the entertainment industry and since joining CG Spectrum I realised it's not an unachievable dream. CG Spectrum has a way of mentoring students that I hadn't experienced before. My mentor was always pushing me in order to become industry-ready. Mentors are always available for feedback and take a proactive approach to teaching. Studying online makes for a more dedicated and uninterrupted learning experience.

Stephen C
Stephen C
3D Modeling

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience at CG Spectrum.

I recently finished Introduction to 3D Modeling course. I went in with about a year’s worth of other online 3D modeling courses, but nothing compared to CG Spectrum. I learnt so much from this course, and I had an amazing mentor (Anton Tenitsky) who pushed me to perfection. It was the best decision I made in order to pursue my end goal. I took the next step and enrolled in the advanced course!

Luis M
Luis M
3D Modeling

I've just accepted an internship role at Pixar!

As my final semester of the Advanced 3d Modeling course is coming to an end, I've just accepted an internship role at Pixar! I've learned so much over the past year and am thrilled to have the skills now to make a career change for my dream job. I'm excited to begin this new phase of my journey—thanks so much CG Spectrum!

Michelle V
Michelle V
3D Modeling