3D Modeling: What It Is, How It Works and Where It Is Used
3D modeling turns points and surfaces into a three dimensional object. See what a 3D model is made of, the main methods, and where 3D models get used.
In this article
- A 3D model is built from vertices, edges and faces connected into a polygon mesh.
- Polygon modeling, NURBS, sculpting, procedural modeling and scanning are the main methods.
- Games, architecture, product design, film and 3D printing all rely on 3D models.
- A studio can build a 3D model from your files instead of you learning the software.
What is 3D modeling
3D modeling is the process of building a three dimensional object inside software, using points, lines and surfaces instead of pen and paper. The result is a 3D model: a digital object with height, width and depth that can be viewed from any angle, lit, textured, and turned into an image, an animation or a physical print.
A 3D model is not a photo and not a drawing. It is a set of coordinates and connections stored as data, which is why the same model can be rendered as a photorealistic image, dropped into a game engine, or sent straight to a 3D printer without being rebuilt each time.
Anyone can build a 3D model with the right software and enough time. When speed, accuracy or a specific style matters, businesses commission 3D modeling services instead of building the model in house.
What a 3D model is made of
Every 3D model is built from the same 3 basic elements.
- Vertices. A single point in 3D space, defined by an X, Y and Z coordinate.
- Edges. A straight line connecting 2 vertices.
- Faces. A flat surface closed off by 3 or more edges, usually a triangle or a quadrilateral.
Put enough vertices, edges and faces together and they form a polygon mesh, the surface that most 3D models are made of. A mesh with more faces can hold finer detail. A mesh with fewer faces is lighter to store and faster to display, which is why games and web viewers often swap in a simplified version of a model as it moves further from the camera.
Tip: a model with gaps, flipped faces or edges that do not line up is called a non manifold, or “leaky”, mesh. It can look fine on screen but fail once it is 3D printed or imported into a game engine.
Types of 3D modeling
There is more than one type of 3D modeling. Most 3D artists specialize in 1 or 2 of these methods, since each uses a different toolset and a different way of thinking about a shape.
| Method | How it works | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Polygon modeling | Push, pull and connect vertices, edges and faces by hand | Game assets, hard surface objects, general purpose modeling |
| NURBS and CAD modeling | Define smooth curved surfaces and exact dimensions with math instead of polygons | Product design, mechanical parts, engineering |
| Digital sculpting | Push and pull a dense mesh the way a sculptor works with clay | Organic shapes, characters, creatures |
| Procedural modeling | Build a model from rules and parameters that can be changed later | Terrain, repeating patterns, large environments |
| 3D scanning | Capture a real object’s shape with a scanner | Reverse engineering, heritage and archive work |
| Photogrammetry | Reconstruct a 3D model from many overlapping photographs | Realistic environments, real world assets, visual effects |
Polygon modeling is the most common starting point, since it works for almost any object and every mainstream program supports it. Low poly and high poly modeling are 2 ends of the same polygon method: a low poly model uses fewer faces and loads faster, a high poly model holds more detail and takes longer to process. Digital sculpting software takes a different approach, closer to shaping clay than placing points by hand.
What 3D models are used for
Almost every industry that shows or builds physical things now relies on 3D models somewhere in its process. The most common uses of 3D modeling are:
- Games. Characters, props and environments are modeled with a polygon budget in mind, then organized into levels of detail from LOD0, full detail close to the camera, down to LOD3, a simplified version used far away, so a scene keeps a steady frame rate.
- Architecture and real estate visualization. A building is modeled from drawings before it is built, then rendered so buyers, tenants or planning boards can see it. This is our own architectural visualization work.
- Product design and e-commerce. A product is modeled once and reused for renders, technical drawings and animations, instead of a new photo shoot for every angle or finish.
- Film and animation. Characters, sets and creatures that would be difficult or costly to build physically are modeled and animated instead.
- 3D printing. A model is exported as a watertight mesh and printed layer by layer into a physical object.
- Engineering. Parts are modeled with exact dimensions so they fit together correctly and can be checked before they are manufactured.
The 3D modeling process
Most 3D models, whatever the industry, go through a similar sequence of stages.
- Reference. Photos, drawings, measurements or a sketch of the object to build.
- Blocking. Simple shapes are placed to get the proportions and silhouette right before any detail is added.
- Detail pass. Vertices, edges and faces are added, moved and refined until the shape is correct.
- UV unwrapping. The mesh is unfolded into a flat 2D layout, running from 0 to 1 on each axis, so a flat image can wrap around a curved surface without stretching.
- Texturing. Color, roughness and surface detail are painted or applied onto that UV layout.
- Rendering or export. The finished model is lit and rendered into an image or animation, or exported as a file for a game engine or a 3D printer.
UV unwrapping and texture mapping are usually the least visible steps to a client, but they decide whether a surface reads as wood, metal or fabric once it is rendered. The 2 images below show the same object at 2 of these stages: the grey, untextured model, and the finished, textured render.
3D modeling software by use
There is no single best 3D modeling program. The right one depends on what is being modeled and which pipeline it needs to fit into. These are common, current choices grouped by use, not a ranking.
| Use | Common software |
|---|---|
| General purpose and games | Blender, Maya, 3ds Max |
| Architecture and interiors | SketchUp, Revit, ArchiCAD, 3ds Max |
| Product design and CAD | Fusion 360, Rhino, AutoCAD |
| Organic sculpting and characters | ZBrush, Blender |
| Film and visual effects | Maya, Houdini, Cinema 4D |
| Real time and game engines | Unreal Engine |
Free and paid options exist for almost every row in that table. Blender is free and open source and covers modeling, texturing and rendering in one program, which is why it is often the first tool a beginner tries in our guide to 3D modeling in Blender. Paid, subscription based tools such as Maya or SketchUp tend to add faster workflows, more support and plugins built for a specific industry, such as game asset pipelines or CAD interoperability.
Common 3D file formats
A 3D model is only useful if the software on the other end can open it. OBJ and FBX are common exchange formats for a mesh with materials. glTF and GLB are built for real time and web use, and STL is the standard for 3D printing. Most programs also save a native project file, such as .blend or .max, which keeps extra editing data that export formats drop.
How to learn 3D modeling
Most people who want to become a 3D modeler start with 1 free program, 1 simple object, and a lot of repetition. Learning the interface takes days. Learning to make a mesh look intentional instead of accidental takes much longer.
Our step by step guide to how to 3D model covers picking a first program, building a first object, and the mistakes that slow beginners down. Once polygon modeling feels comfortable, most 3D modelers pick a specialty, such as character modeling for games and film, hard surface modeling for products and vehicles, or CAD for engineering.
When to have 3D models made by a studio
Learning 3D modeling well enough to produce client ready work takes real time. Many businesses would rather send their drawings, photos or reference images to a 3D modeling studio and get a finished, accurate model back.
3D Studio builds 3D models to order. We build game ready assets for game studios, including levels of detail and texturing, and we also model products, furniture and buildings for visualization. To start, we need whatever reference already exists: CAD files, drawings, product photos, or even a rough sketch.
Stating what the model will be used for, a game engine, a 3D printer or a marketing render, helps the first version come back closer to what is needed. See our 3D modeling service, our work for game studios, or 3D product rendering if the model is for a product to sell.
Questions about 3D modeling
What is the difference between 3D modeling and 3D rendering?
3D modeling builds the shape of an object as a mesh of vertices, edges and faces. 3D rendering adds materials, lights and a camera to that mesh to produce a finished image or animation.
Does a 3D model have to be photorealistic?
No. A game asset or a part made for 3D printing only needs the geometry and detail its use requires. A marketing render usually needs full materials, lighting and surrounding context.
Can a 3D model be turned into a 3D print?
Yes, as long as the mesh is watertight, meaning it has no holes or open edges. Most 3D modeling software can check and repair a mesh before it is exported for a 3D printer.
Is coding required for 3D modeling?
No. Polygon modeling, sculpting and NURBS modeling are all done with a mouse and keyboard inside dedicated software. Procedural modeling uses nodes or simple scripts, but full programming is not required.
