3D Rendered Scene: A Halloween Snack

I created a fully-rendered 3D scene using Blender, incorporating advanced lighting, textures, and camera work. I followed the full tutorial by Blender Guru, you can find the link to his tutorial video series here.

Situation & Task

After being laid off during a third round of layoffs, I decided to use my newfound free time to advance my skill set. I’d always wanted to learn how to animate and model 3D assets, and Blender was a tool I’d tried and abandoned in 2020 due to its complexity and a lack of free time. Now, I was determined to complete the project, no matter what challenges I encountered, and to create a scene that reflected my creativity and attention to detail.

Challenges

1. Making the Scene My Own:
   I added unique elements to the tutorial’s base project, including:

   • A custom-modeled espresso machine using references from three real-life machines.

   • A chalkboard backdrop with realistic textures and 2D writing that mimicked chalk.

   • A liquid texture for the coffee that realistically reflected light.

   • Attempts to add steam rising from the mug (though ultimately excluded due to rendering challenges).

2. Rendering Obstacles:
   My first render attempt was a disaster—30 minutes in, the render hadn’t reached 1%, and my iMac M1 was overheating. I identified the steam simulation as the likely culprit and tested various solutions:

   • Adjusting steam settings and attempting to render in smaller segments.

   • Switching from Cycles to EEVEE rendering engine, which significantly improved performance.

Result

• I successfully completed the Blender Guru tutorial series, overcoming technical hurdles and adding my own creative elements to make the scene uniquely mine.

• The final render exceeded my expectations, and seeing my hard work come together in a polished animation was incredibly rewarding.

What I Learned

• Perseverance pays off. Blender’s steep learning curve taught me the importance of patience and creative problem-solving.

• Blender fundamentals. I gained a solid foundation in modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering, which I can now apply to future projects.

• Adaptability. Knowing when to simplify (e.g., removing steam) to prioritize project completion was a valuable lesson in balancing ambition with practicality.