My 3D Journey: From Cupcakes to Space Stations with Polygon Runway
When I first dipped my toes into the world of 3D design, I was equal parts excited and overwhelmed. I had zero experience and wasn’t even sure where to begin. I chose Blender because it’s free and has a massive library of tutorials on YouTube. Little did I know how much this decision would transform my creative journey.
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The Humble Beginnings: Low-Poly Cupcakes
Like many beginners, I started with the famous Blender donut tutorial. But, to be honest, I struggled to keep up with it and eventually abandoned the course. Instead, I turned to other YouTube tutorials, where I experimented and created my first completed project: these low-poly cupcakes.
At the time, I was thrilled to have created something entirely my own in 3D. But when I compared my work to the incredible possibilities of Blender, I knew I had only scratched the surface.
Discovering Polygon Runway: A Game Changer
Everything changed when I stumbled across Roman Klčo and his Polygon Runway courses. His designs immediately caught my eye, and I decided to give his free sushi scene tutorial a try to see if his teaching style resonated with me.
It was a revelation. Unlike the scattered, self-directed learning I’d been doing on YouTube, this course was structured, clear, and packed with insights. I learned not just how to model objects, but also how to set up scenes, choose colors, optimize lighting, and position cameras. The difference was night and day, and the end result—a beautifully crafted sushi scene—was something I was truly proud of.
That course alone convinced me to invest in the full Polygon Runway bundle. And let me tell you, it was one of the best creative decisions I’ve made.
Building Confidence: My First Custom Scene
After completing a few courses, I wanted to see if I could take what I’d learned and apply it to an original scene without step-by-step guidance. The result was a tranquil park diorama, complete with trees, a bench, and a peaceful pond.
I’ll admit, I referred back to some course videos for specific techniques, but for the most part, this was a solo project. It felt amazing to see how much I’d grown in such a short time.
Challenging Myself: The Glowing Ruins
As I progressed through the Polygon Runway Courses, I reached a project that tested my creativity and attention to detail: the glowing ruin scene. This project gave me the chance to experiment with atmospheric lighting and texturing, creating a mystical vibe.
The ruins pushed me to refine my use of color and balance in a scene, resulting in a composition I was incredibly proud of. It felt like a significant step forward in my 3D journey, as it brought together many techniques I had learned so far.
Reaching New Heights: The Space Gas Station
The space-themed gas station project took things to a whole new level. It was unlike anything I’d done before, with intricate details, neon lighting, and a dynamic composition.
This course was packed with exciting challenges that kept me on my toes—from modeling complex structures to creating an otherworldly atmosphere. While it was demanding (and tested the limits of my PC’s graphics card), the result was one of my most rewarding creations to date.
Stepping into Animation
ItMy next adventure was animation. Based on a YouTube tutorial by Roman Klčo, I created a looping animation with spinning gears, bouncing balls, and sliding panels. While it might look simple, this was my first foray into animation, and I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out.
Animation brought a whole new dimension to my 3D skills, and I can’t wait to explore it further.
What’s Next: The Tiki Shaman
The journey isn’t over—far from it. My next project is the Tiki Shaman, which is a part of the Character and Illustration Courses. I plan to document the entire process here on the blog. From modeling to final renders, I’ll be sharing all the ups and downs along the way.
If you’re considering exploring 3D design but aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend Polygon Runway. And if you’re still on the fence, try the free Sushi Scene Tutorial—it’s the perfect way to test the waters and see if 3D design is for you.
