The "Introduction to Character Modeling in Blender" course is led by Jonathan Williamson. If that name sounds familiar, it is because Jonathan is one of the co-founders of CG Cookie and a veteran of the Blender community since the Ton Roosendaal days.
Jonathan’s teaching philosophy is unique. He does not "speed model." He does not hide mistakes. In fact, some of the most valuable parts of the course are the five-minute segments where he realizes he made a bad edge loop, deletes twenty minutes of work, and explains why he is backtracking.
Unlike YouTube influencers who model for likes, Jonathan models for production. He has worked in professional pipelines. He teaches you clean topology—the kind of mesh that a game studio or animation house would actually accept. CG Cookie - Introduction to Character Modeling in Blender
Most tutorials ask you to download a finished concept art. CG Cookie starts differently. You learn how to source or create your own reference sheet. You then set up background images in Blender’s orthographic views (Front, Side, Top). You learn why the "Front" view must perfectly align with the "Side" view regarding the character's waist height.
Creating a character from scratch is one of the most rewarding challenges in the world of 3D art. It is the intersection of technical topology skills and artistic anatomy. For aspiring 3D artists using Blender, CG Cookie’s "Introduction to Character Modeling" has long been regarded as a rite of passage. The "Introduction to Character Modeling in Blender" course
Taught by industry veterans—most notably Jonathan Williamson, a name synonymous with Blender education—this course does far more than teach you which buttons to press. It teaches you the "why" behind the geometry.
Here is a breakdown of what makes this course a staple in the Blender community and the core skills you can expect to master. Most tutorials ask you to download a finished concept art
This is perhaps the most valuable aspect of the training. While it is not a medical anatomy class, it highlights the anatomical landmarks essential for modelers. You will learn:
This course is highly recommended for:
It is not recommended for: