Topic A: Introduction to 3D & Interface

• Overview of the 3D Production Pipeline.
• Navigation: Pan, Zoom, Orbit, and Focus (F).
• Interface Tour: Workspaces, Viewports, Shelf, Channel Box, Attribute Editor.
• Project Management: Setting up the directory structure (Crucial first step).

Topic B: Basic Modelling & Primitives

• Creating Polygon Primitives.
• Transformation Tools: Move, Rotate, Scale (World vs. Object space).
• Grouping & History: Grouping (Ctrl+G), Duplicating (Ctrl+D), and Deleting History.
• Component Mode: Understanding Vertices, Edges, and Faces.

Topic C: Advanced Modelling Techniques

• Hard Surface Tools: Extrude, Bevel, Bridge, Multi-Cut, and Boolean operations.
• Topology 101: Quads vs. Triangles vs. N-Gons.
• 3D Text: Generating 3D Logos from Adobe Illustrator vectors.

Weekly Milestone: Complete Week 1 Quiz and Week 1 Project Assignment.

Topic A: UVs & Texturing

• UV Mapping: Understanding the “Gift Wrap” concept (Planar, Cylindrical, Automatic mapping).
• UV Editor Basics: Cut, Sew, Unfold, and Layout.
• Shading: Hypershade Editor overview and Standard Surface Materials (Arnold).
• Map Connections: Connecting Diffuse (Colour), Specular (Shine), and Bump maps.

Topic B: AI Fundamentals & Modern Workflows

• Introduction to Generative AI: A basic non-technical overview of how GenAI models work (Text-to-Image basics) and their role in the creative pipeline.
• Ethics & Best Practices: A brief discussion on copyright, originality, and using AI as a “Co-pilot” rather than a replacement for skill.
• AI-Assisted Texturing: Using AI tools like Nano Banana to generate seamless texture tiles (wood, concrete, fabric).
• AI for Reference: Rapidly generating concept art and orthographic reference views using prompt engineering.

Topic C: Lighting, Camera & Rendering

• Lighting Strategy: The 3-Point Lighting Setup (Key, Fill, Rim).
• Light Types: Skydome (HDRI), Area, Directional, and Point.
• Animation Basics: Timeline, Keyframing (S), and the Graph Editor.
• Rendering: Arnold Render Settings, Sampling, and Output formats (Still vs. Video).

Weekly Milestone: Complete Week 2 Quiz and Week 2 Project Assignment.

After two weeks of core instruction, students enter a free 1-month mentorship delivered online via Discord. This phase shifts the focus from learning new tools to applying them to industry standards.

• Project Polish & Portfolio Building: Finish or redo your 2 required projects. High-quality submissions ensure better scores and a stronger portfolio.
• Weekly 1-on-1 Sessions: Each student is assigned a dedicated mentor for a personalised 30 to 60-minute weekly guidance session.
• Open File Reviews: Present open project files via live screen sharing for direct mentor critiques and feedback.
• Live Debugging: Join dedicated livestreams where instructors actively troubleshoot settings and fix your project errors in real-time.
• Final Premiere: Submit your fully rendered images or video for the Virtual Viewing Party to watch and critique final reels with the class.
• Certification & Next Steps: Complete the course evaluation and submit all final polished projects to finalise grading and unlock your Certificate of Completion.