Overview

Start your journey as a 3D visualization artist led by industry pros

Discover how to transform your ideas into 3D-rendered scenes with our beginner 3D visualization course. With training from industry experts, learn 3ds Max software essentials, including hotkeys, along with 3D modeling, lighting, shading, and rendering fundamentals. 

Benefits of studying with us:
  • We are a Chaos Academic Partner
  • Mentorship from industry pros 
  • Job-focused curriculum and 100% online
  • Private 1-on-1 or small group classes (max. 4 students)

3D visualization is a dynamic and diverse field, which includes architecture visualization, product visualization, and industrial visualization. It's also being used in fashion, film, and games.

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Qualification

Industry Certificate

Duration

3 months

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Beginner

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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Curriculum

Progress faster with industry-approved career training and personalized mentorship

Term 1: 12 weeks

FOUNDATIONS 1: ESSENTIALS OF 3D VISUALIZATION

In this introductory course, you'll learn the fundamentals of industry software 3ds Max and V-Ray, building 3D modeling and 3D rendering skills. You'll get to model, texture, and light digital kitchen items, blocking them out in a 3D virtual scene using physical cameras, and adjusting focal lengths to achieve better results.

*This short course is equivalent to the first term of the 3D Visualization Foundations course. If you continue your learning journey, you'll be eligible to join the Foundations course from Term 2 onwards.

  • How to use essential 3ds Max and V-Ray features
  • Basic modeling and texturing skills
  • Scene planning and composition
  • Overview of 3D visualization production pipelines
  1. Introduction to 3D Visualization
  2. Introduction to 3D Modeling
  3. Lighting and Rendering Fundamentals
  4. Material and Shader Basics
  5. Understanding Procedural Textures
  6. Texture Projection Methods
  7. Decals, Enmesh and IPR Rendering
  8. Splines For Architectural Visualization
  9. Hard Surface Modeling
  10. Blockout and Planning
  11. Introduction to Production Workflows
  12. Production Workflows Continued
Course Structure

Your pathway to the industry

This short course forms term one of the Foundations course, so on completion, you'll be a quarter of the way through! Continue you're learning journey towards an exciting career in the industry by enrolling into the Foundations Career Track.

Pathway illustration for Essentials 12-Month Course
Mentor

Get weekly personalized feedback from a 3D visualization pro

Our mentors have years of 3D visualization industry experience across archviz, product visualization, games, and digital fashion, and have worked for clients including Epic Games, Audi, Nespresso, and ICONIQ.

Frequently asked questions

3D Visualization Essentials course FAQs

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

Age Minimum
T
he general minimum age to be able to enroll in our industry certificate courses is 16. We require parent or guardian consent during the enrollment process for applicants under 18.

Students under 16 will require a further assessment before they can officially enrol. This may include an interview with a course advisor and the creation of a study plan to ensure they have considered how they will manage a college-level workload.

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:

You will need educational licences of 3ds Max and V-Ray to participate in this course. 

Instructions on how to obtain an educational license for these programs will be supplied upon enrollment for the course.

Hardware:

Students will need a dedicated graphics card and a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Autodesk 3ds Max and Chaos V-Ray

The software and skills you will be learning in this course do not require a background in architecture.

What we teach you can definitely be applied to architecture, if you desire, and can help you work towards a career in architectural visualization (archviz), if that is your goal.

If you choose the 1-on-1 private mentorship option, then yes, you can decide to skip and adjust the pacing with your mentor.

Yes! 3D modeling is a significant part of 3D visualization, and we welcome modelers to our course.

If you have previous 3D modeling experience, you may not need to take the Introduction to Visualization Course and could enroll straight in term 2 of the Foundations of 3D Visualization Course. However, the intro course may still be beneficial if you are unfamiliar with the software we teach (3ds Max and V-Ray).

This short course will get you started on your journey as a 3D visualization artist, but in a competitive industry, continuing your studies with the more comprehensive Foundations of 3D Visualization Course will better prepare you for a job and help increase your employment opportunities.

This course covers more complex techniques and includes an entire term dedicated to career development and portfolio preparation to get you industry-ready.

Some of the areas within 3d visualization you could explore after completing the full study pathway include: 

  • Architectural visualization
  • Product visualization
  • 3D visualization
  • Digital fashion
  • Film and games