3D Toy Car + House in Blender

Easiest tutorial I’ve ever done, almost

This tutorial was both enjoyable and easy to follow, with clear instruction and a relaxed, engaging tone from Brad, who made the learning process feel approachable and fun. His teaching style helped build my confidence in navigating Blender’s interface and encouraged experimentation throughout the task.

For this piece, I drew inspiration from a project I developed earlier in the year, specifically, the yellow car and house from Semester 1, Task 2. Revisiting these elements gave me the opportunity to reflect on how my skills have progressed. I wanted to push the design further, so I exaggerated the proportions of the car by dramatically heightening the roof, giving it a more stylised and whimsical feel. This intentional distortion adds character and makes the vehicle stand out more vividly within the scene.

Blender Tutorial

A secondary source of inspiration came from the stop-motion animation Negative Space, particularly the distinctive design of the taxi featured in the film. I decided to reinterpret my original car as a taxi, incorporating subtle nods to that influence. One detail I enjoyed creating was the number plate, where I extruded the letters to resemble the depth and style of 4D plates, giving it a more tactile and realistic quality.

The house model was directly based on the structure I built in Task 2. I reused the same basic shape but refined the geometry to improve both proportions and visual interest. For the cartoony window curtains, I started with simple cube shapes, then added patterning using a combination of small cylinders and cubes. This method allowed for playful texture and dimensionality without overcomplicating the mesh.

In terms of materials, I applied the same approach to colour as I did with the car, using the Material Properties panel to assign bold, contrasting colours to different parts of the models. This not only visually connects the house and vehicle but also maintains a cohesive aesthetic style that supports the playful, slightly surreal tone of the scene.

Overall, this task was a valuable opportunity to revisit familiar models with a more refined skillset. It demonstrated how even small adjustments, like proportion exaggeration, pattern integration, and colour variation, can significantly enhance the visual storytelling of a 3D environment. I'm beginning to understand how style, tone, and reference all feed into creating something that feels intentional and expressive.

Final Thoughts

Ongoing Problem Solving

As with most creative workflows, this project came with a few technical hurdles, many of which turned into learning opportunities. One issue occurred during the export/import process of the FBX files. When bringing in the car model with its materials, the wheel arches appeared distorted, as if they’d been dented.

A similar issue appeared with the house model. When I opened the FBX in a 3D viewer, the top windows looked like they’d been cut in half at an angle. At first, I assumed it was mesh corruption or an export error. I managed to solve the window issue by applying the Weighted Normals modifier to the house. I’m still not entirely sure why this worked, but I suspect it relates to how Blender handles shading and edge normals when exporting. It’s something I plan to explore further, as understanding normals will be useful in future projects.

The car’s wheel arch issue remains unresolved. I tried applying a Subdivision Surface modifier and enabling Auto Smooth, but neither fixed the problem. It might be a geometry issue, possibly non-manifold edges or overlapping vertices from earlier modelling steps. This is the first time I’ve come across this specific problem after a year of using Blender and Unreal Engine, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

This experience reminded me that problem-solving is a constant part of any creative process. It’s not always about quick fixes, it’s about staying curious and willing to explore new solutions through research and experimentation. Even with these challenges, I’m excited for the next summer task.

I know I’ll continue learning, both from what works and from what doesn’t.