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3D modeling for cars tends to be very popular among game developers. It can be used not only for racing car simulators but for any game that features vehicles, even if players don’t drive them. Depending on the art style of your choice, cars can be made up or be based on a real-life mode. In both ways, there are several rules you need to follow as you create a 3D model of a car.
In this blog post, we will talk about the basics of car modeling, tools, tips and things to pay attention to as you work on modeling your first vehicles.
You should start the process by understanding how 3D modeling works. It’s a process that requires a reference of a car you’re going to model and special software dedicated to modeling of your choice.
References are the images you will look at as you work on your car model project. It can be a detailed, high-quality photo of a car you’re about to model, made from different perspectives, a video demonstrating the way a car looks, or even several 2D paintings or existing 3D models you can use as guidance. Sometimes, even blueprints are possible, especially if you’re working on a popular car model! References show you the detail, the shape and the overall silhouette of a car you need to work with.
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Modeling software allows you to recreate these references but in the shape of digital objects. The best analogy is to think of it as making a vehicle out of clay: you have a big box and then you shape it out to make it look like a car. When the model is done, it’s time to put textures on it and make it look even more realistic and feel like a car model — we’ll talk about it in detail later.
Now, let’s look at some software that can be recommended for 3D modeling cars:
Before we describe the process in basic steps, it’s very important to point out that modeling a car requires a lot of time, practice and many little steps. While the main idea of creating a base mesh is that you “sculpt” it out of nothing, there are a lot of tricks and steps to learn on your way to mastery, to make a car look realistic and less than a primitive toy. We will leave it to your creativity and hard work on subtle and meticulous model crafting, but when it comes to basics, this is how it goes.
After you settle on references and software, you can start by creating a mesh – a “body” of a future model – you may think of it as sculpting, so naturally, you can create a big box that you will eventually shape into the car 3D model. Pay attention to the geography of the car’s shape, try to recreate it as closely as possible, and ensure the references are matched and the overall aesthetic look of a vehicle is preserved.
After the base mesh is done, focus on additional details of wheels, tires, doors, windows, hood, trunk and other parts of the whole vehicle. It works best if you model them separately for a more realistic look. Don’t forget about headlights and mirrors!
Achieving a high level of detail will allow you to make the car look not only real but also “whole” – as if nothing has been omitted and it’s an actual model of an actual existing vehicle. Remember that precision and patience in this step will help you achieve greater results.
Let’s move on to a particularly intricate part of 3D car making: adding texturing and some additional materials.
Now it’s time to put “clothes” on your car’s 3d model. There are several aspects worth mentioning so let’s talk about them one by one.
A real vehicle tends to have multiple layers, so try to implement a multi-layered shader model. Overall, the textures should have this “metallic” look that can be achieved by fiddling with the roughness settings or sliders responsible for the metallic look in the software you’ve chosen.
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Realistically, vehicle coating tends to be reflective. Try to add realistic environment reflection and tune sliders to the extent of making the surface feel real to you. Some surface parts can be shiny, some – matte. Some cars have chrome parts that should be textured with a specific metallic mapping.
Keep in mind that these surfaces can be bumpy, have seams, bolts and other technical parts.
Glass surfaces on windows and lights require transparency and opacity. Try to seek the materials that are transparent and play with the index of refraction slider to make sure it matches real glass. Glasses also can be reflective, but more subtly, so bear that in mind as you make them reflect the environments.
An optional thing that can help greatly with making things look real is adding some imperfections that indicate that this is not a museum exhibit, but a real car. Some scratches here and there, dirty smears, grungy parts – it’s not necessary but can be used to make things look more grounded, granted that you’re not aiming for the “perfect professional photography” look. Additional small details may include decals and branding.
In some cases, while applying textures for car modeling, UV mapping may help to achieve better results. Let’s talk a bit more about it.
UV mapping is the process of transferring a 3D model’s mesh into 2D to ensure the additional texturing with ease. Think of it as unfolding a paper toy back into a flat sheet to draw on it. Doing that allows you to see the whole texture at once and work on it with better precision. It’s a very common method of texture mapping,
Cars also have internal parts, which are loved immensely by passionate car lovers, especially if we talk about good old-fashioned leather interiors that look like nothing else. Or maybe your final result requires a modeled interior. In any way, there may be some cases in which you may need to model the interior as well.
If you have modeled the small external parts like mirrors and tires, you already understand the principle of working on the interior: you have to create small things and eventually implement them into a bigger one. Adding some personality to the interior can be a great idea: while the exterior is all about looks and functionality, the interior can be welcoming and stylish.
If it all seems too complicated, you can rely on a game art outsourcing company service! Companies like that can create models that suit all your goals, needs and ambitions.
RocketBrush Studio has been working since 2016. We have assisted with projects of big industry names: Applovin, Paradox, Tripledot Studios, Romero Games and other top game developers. See our testimonials here.
We provide all types of services: from 3D cars and vehicles of any kind and 2D character art to environment design, 3D animation and even a full-scale game production, with regular meetings, a dedicated project manager and feedback implementation. If you don’t know how to model a 3D car and need to have 3D models of vehicles or weapons, tools and characters in your projects, we can do it for you.
Our artists can work in various styles and genres: from stylized zombie survivals and pixelated rogue-lites to casual, family-friendly puzzles and solitaires. Check out our portfolio here.
Car modeling can be tricky, but if you’re passionate about either vehicles, 3D modeling or even overall different types of intricate stuff that you can explore and use to craft something special and complex, it can be achieved with enough effort.
Under the hood of these polygons will be the engine of your inspiration and creativity. A virtual car may not be real, of course, but after the hard work of 3D modeling is done it will sure feel like one.
Good luck on the road!
