3D Cars: Inside and Out

Course Trailer

Course Details

3D Cars: Inside and Out is a comprehensive, step-by-step training program designed to bring automotive teams up to speed with high-precision hard-surface workflows in Blender. This 45-hour course demonstrates how to model an entire vehicle, from the first vertex to the final renders, using advanced methods developed for accuracy, efficiency, and surface quality.

This course is led by Chris Plush, founder of CG Masters, who brings over 25 years of professional experience in 3D modeling and digital production in Blender. Chris is widely known for developing advanced, industry-proven automotive modeling workflows and for delivering high-quality training trusted by designers across the industry.

The Guide Mesh Technique - Precision Surface Control

At the core of this training is the Guide Mesh Technique, an advanced, non-destructive subsurface modeling workflow designed specifically to maintain perfect curvatures when adding cutouts, panel separations, and other complex features. The Guide Mesh technique provides the surface control necessary for Blender to stand as a true alternative to commercial modeling software.

This method enables teams to:

• Deliver class-A comparable surface quality without relying on NURBS
• Add or modify details quickly while automatically preserving surface integrity
• Achieve greater design freedom and faster production with fewer constraints

Production-Focused Modeling Workflows

The course builds both advanced capability and a strong foundation in core subsurface modeling principles such as topology planning, edge flow management, and modeling efficiency.

Your team will learn a structured approach to modeling in Blender that emphasizes surface quality and tool efficiency, including:

• Developing high-level proficiency with Blender’s core modeling tools
• Using Blender’s modifier stack to build complex, non-destructive models
• Understanding which tools and workflows are best suited for specific modeling tasks
• Applying advanced hard-surface techniques to build precise, production-ready surfaces

Professional Presentation

In addition to modeling, this course provides a complete workflow for preparing your vehicle model for high-quality presentation, covering everything from rigging and material creation to final renders and post-processing, all within Blender.

• Procedural Shader Development
  • Multi-layer automotive paint with metallic flakes
  • Carbon fiber, leather, and fabric
  • Metals, plastics, and other materials

• Rigging & Animation
  • Basic rigging for wheels, steering, and doors
  • Motion-blur setups for dynamic renders

• Rendering & Post-Processing
  • Environment setup for final renders
  • Compositing and post-processing in Blender

Production Resources and Reference Material

To ensure your team has everything needed to understand and apply the training effectively, the course includes:

• Complete standalone “Full Guide to the Guide Mesh” training with principles, rules, and advanced tips
• A reference PDF summarizing all Guide Mesh rules and tips for quick lookup
• All project files, including blueprints, references, environments, HDRIs, textures, and the final car model
• Subtitles in 12 languages for global accessibility

Designed for Professional Automotive Production

Whether used as part of onboarding, skill improvement, or pipeline transition, 3D Cars: Inside and Out provides a complete foundation for high-end automotive modeling inside Blender.

This course is specifically crafted for automotive OEMs, suppliers, design studios, and technical visualization teams seeking to:

• Transition modeling pipelines to Blender with trusted and proven training and workflows
• Expand expertise in advanced Blender modeling methods essential for production
• Improve design and modeling efficiency to shorten production timelines
• Lower dependency on costly commercial modeling tools

Training Requirements

Only Blender and its built-in add-ons and free extensions are required for this course. No additional software is needed. The training is compatible with Blender versions 3.6 to 5.0, with the latest 5.0 release recommended. Teams using any supported version will be able to follow along, and we're available to assist with any technical issues that may arise.