Learning, Community & Industry

• 3D Communities & Forums

  • Ronen Bekerman ArchViz Hub
  • Server 4D - streams.
  • Shaders Hub - focused Discord covering GLSL, HLSL, and engine shader languages.
  • Sir Wade Animation
  • Stylized Station's World of ArtCraft - time 3D art with regular ArtCraft Arena challenges.
  • Substance Share
  • Technically Speaking
  • The 3D Artist Community (Skool) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Paid Skool community for pro 3D artists working beyond VFX/games (apparel, footwear, packaging). AMAs, office hours, pooled software resources.
  • The Blend
  • The Dillcord (Dillon Goo) - taught animator hub.
  • The DiNusty Empire
  • Think Procedural
  • Tim van Helsdingen - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon-tier Discord by NL-based Houdini FX artist / CG generalist transitioning into indie gamedev.
  • Unity Community
  • Unofficial Houdini Discord - linked Houdini Discord. Long-running unofficial community for Houdini artists.
  • Unreal Source
  • Unreal Source Discord - hidden="true">🆓</span> <span aria-hidden="true">🥇</span>)
  • VFX Apprentice Community
  • VFX Oasis
  • VFX Squad - friendly VFX/editing Discord. Feedback, tutorials, and active 24/7 help.
  • VFXTalk
  • Virtual Productions Discord - purpose virtual production Discord. LED stages, real-time workflows, mocap.
  • WebVR Community Group - performance Virtual Reality to the open Web.
  • XR Creators (XR Bootcamp) - pill lic-freemium">Freemium</span>. XR developer expert group. VR/AR events, networking, and advanced tech community.
  • Young Designers India
  • ZBrushCentral
  • SculptJanuary
  • 3DPro
  • Blender Discord (French)
  • Google Community for “Cardboard and VR Developers”
  • Nexrender Discord
  • Steam Community VR Workshop Item - dev forum discussions.
  • Steam VR Template (Unreal Engine Forum)

• 3D Inspiration & Showcase

  • 50 Watts
  • Animated AI
  • Art of Animation
  • autodestruct.com - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Concept art.
  • Ben Watts (Vimeo) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Motion design.
  • Character Design References - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Shape language and character design studies.
  • cifraworld (Instagram) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. 3D motion art.
  • Cornelius Dammrich - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Sci-fi environments.
  • Dash Slide Puzzle (Runner Up - Animation/Design) - Animation/Design).
  • Disney Research - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Research publications.
  • Foundation HTML5 Animation with JavaScript - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Everything you need to know to create animation using the HTML5 canvas.
  • FX References - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Visual effects reference library.
  • GPT-3 Demo - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Showcase with GPT-3 examples, demos, apps, showcase, and NLP use-cases.
  • Graphics Programming Projects - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Book about 3D computational graphics by Morgan McGuire.
  • HUDs and GUIs - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. FUI/screen graphics reference for sci-fi 3D work.
  • Island Slide Puzzle (Third Place - Animation/Design) - Animation/Design).
  • Level Sets in Production (Sony) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Spider-Man 3 VFX paper.
  • Linkage Mechanisms - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Mechanical animations.
  • Mathematics of Animation - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Slides about the mathematics of animation ([repo](https://github.com/winkerVSbecks/mathematics-of-animation)).
  • Maths & trigonometry cheat sheet for 2D & 3D games - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Maths cheat-sheet for 2D and 3D game-makers.
  • NAP - platform] - Open source data-driven real-time control & visualization platform suited for professional installations in C++, incl. Vulkan renderer.
  • Nick Taylor (MVSM) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Project breakdowns.
  • Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Teaches JavaScript programmers how to incorporate real physics into their HTML5 games, animations, and simulations.
  • Retro Slide Puzzle (Winner - Animation/Design) - Animation/Design).
  • Sean Browning - Pixel Art Animation Reel 2018 - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. A collection of Sean Browning's pixel animations, ranging from simple scenes to recreations of popular shows like Steven's Universe and RWBY.
  • shoebot - platform] - Shoebot is a creative coding environment designed for making vector graphics and animations with Python.
  • Sliding Puzzle 3D (Honorable Mention)
  • Strange Attractors - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Mathematical 3D forms.
  • Structure Synth - platform] - Application for generating 3D structures by specifying a design grammar.
  • The Gaming Library
  • Three.js Basics - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Introduction to Three.js by Eric Haines.
  • Toros Kose (Behance) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. 3D artist portfolio.
  • Zdog - 3D engine for canvas & SVG.
  • Foundation HTML5 Animation with JavaScript - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Everything you need to know to create animation using the HTML5 canvas.
  • Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Teaches JavaScript programmers how to incorporate real physics into their HTML5 games, animations, and simulations.
  • Alan Williams (Pinterest)
  • Foundation HTML5 Animation with JavaScript - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Everything you need to know to create animation using the HTML5 canvas.
  • Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. How to incorporate real physics into HTML5 games, animations, and simulations.
  • Foundation HTML5 Animation with JavaScript - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Everything you need to know to create animation using the HTML5 canvas.
  • Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. How to incorporate real physics into HTML5 games, animations, and simulations.

• Architecture & Visualization

  • Blender 3D Architect by Allan Brito - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Blender 3D Architect by Allan Brito.
  • Contemporist
  • Modlar

• Industry Trends 2025-2026

  • Blender - source 3D creation suite. Modeling, sculpting, animation, rendering, compositing, VFX.<br><small class="see-also">See also: <a href="#3d-software-free">Software Reference → 3D Software: Free</a></small> | Open Source | Open Source · Full Pipeline | Full 3D pipeline, indie production |
  • AI in Production Pipelines
  • Virtual Production - edge to standardized.
  • WebGPU Adoption
  • Real-Time Path Tracing - series + DLSS 4 with neural rendering.
  • The Pipeline Conference - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Conference for pipeline TDs and engineers across VFX, animation, and games.

• Paid Tutorial Platforms

  • <span aria-hidden="true">📰</span>BlenderNation
  • <span aria-hidden="true">📺</span> Custom Character Skeletons and Animations ~ Upside Tutorials
  • <span aria-hidden="true">📺</span> Large Scale PCG Tutorial with Gaea Maps ~ Aziel Arts - Zelda-inspired landscape using Procedural Content Generation.
  • <span aria-hidden="true">📺</span> MEGA TUTORIAL ~ Unreal Sensei - 10 vids, ~30 hours, v5.5 nanite & lumen.
  • <span aria-hidden="true">📺</span> What Studio Ghibli Does That Disney Doesn’t ~ omeroy Art Academy - stylistic differences.
  • 25 Tips and Tricks ~ Unreal University
  • 3D Computer Graphics Programming - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Learn all the theory and the math behind 3D graphics while creating a software renderer from scratch using the C programming language.
  • 3D for Designers - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. C4D and motion design courses.
  • AAA Ghibli Forest in Blender & Unreal ~ ShinGidora
  • Achieve True Color in Unreal Engine: Disabling Tonemapper ~ Kibibyte
  • Add VFX to Cinematic RAW and LOG Footage
  • Animation Programming Basics
  • Animators React to KPop Demon Hunters - ft. THE DIRECTORS ~ Corridor Crew
  • Artisticrender
  • Beginning Python For Maya (Zurbrigg) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Structured Python course for Maya users.
  • Blender 3D Architect
  • Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Python Scripting
  • Blender Beginner 3D Modeling Tutorial
  • BOOST Foliage Performance ~ Joshua M Kerr
  • Build iOS app with Rive Animations - hour course showcasing how to build a SwiftUI app with Rive animations.
  • CG Cookie
  • CG Shortcuts (site) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. C4D workflow courses.
  • CGCookie - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Blender courses. $29/mo.
  • Character Customization Tutorial
  • CHEAPEST Motion Capture Setup for Metahumans ~ Charlie Driscoll
  • Computerphile 3DGS explanation
  • Create 3D Graphics in JS Using WebGL
  • Darkfall (blog)
  • Dean Yurke - Unreal Engine and VFX Filmmaking
  • Design Patterns in Unity Example
  • Domestika - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Creative arts courses.
  • Environment Art Breakdown ~ Stylized Station
  • GameDev.tv Unreal Engine Blueprint Game Developer Online Course
  • GitHub: mixandjam
  • Houdini Tricks Tumblr
  • HTC Vive SteamVR Tutorial using Flafla2 Teleport, Probuil Box, Lab Render
  • Hunyuan 2.1 Install Guide ~ Stefan 3D AI Lab - tails.notion.site/Hunyuan3D-2-1-Installation-Guide-2372bcde81ff80438d0efc90fc59ddb7)).
  • I Nailed the Anime Look ~ SILKROAD Project
  • Importance Sampling for Production Rendering
  • Interactive 3D Graphics
  • Interplanety
  • Introduction to Machine Learning (Course) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Full Rebelway ML course.
  • Jonathan Lindgren - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. 3D design courses.
  • Learn ARKit using Unity - Udacity
  • Learn OpenGL: Beginner's guide to 3D rendering and game development with OpenGL and C++
  • LearnSquared - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Professional CG courses.
  • Lecture 18: Monte Carlo Rendering (CMU 15-462/662)
  • Many techniques available for Stylized Grass ~ Ghislain Girardot
  • Material Ambient Occlusion ~ William Faucher
  • Mind + Motion (Effectatron) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Derek Kirk's C4D + Redshift course. Covers imposter syndrome / mental health alongside technique. $10–$49.99 per course.
  • MIT Inverse Rendering Lectures (Module 2)
  • MoGraph Mentor (site) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. 3D motion design courses.
  • Motion Design School (site) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Motion graphics courses.
  • Open Color IO - Unified color environment, a complete color management solution geared towards motion picture production with an emphasis on visua
  • Pablander Academy - pill lic-freemium">Freemium</span>. Character sculpting and digital art courses, tutorials, and brush packs (ZBrush, Blender, Substance, Marmoset).
  • Patata School - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. C4D and Octane courses.
  • Pixel Art Tutorial Basics for Beginners
  • Pluralsight - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. All software, $29/mo.
  • Pragmatic VFX - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Advanced Houdini (ILM FX TD).
  • RMA Houdini Tutorials
  • Roll A-Ball ECS Style - A-Ball tutorial using Entity Component System.
  • Stop Being Afraid of Houdini - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Houdini course for C4D artists.
  • Tech Gear HDA - fi assets.
  • Technical Art & Materials
  • The CG Essentials
  • tinyrenderer
  • Tony Munoz | Game Creator Accelerator
  • Tutorial from the authors of 3DGS
  • Tutorial: Controlling Objects with Vive Trackers in Unity - [Mirror 2](https://web.archive.org/web/20170713091924/https://www.solidearthvr.com/2017/05/12/tutorial-vive-tracker-basic-setup-in-unity/)
  • Two-minute explanation of 3DGS - minute explanation of 3DGS.
  • Unity + Vive Tutorial: Beginners
  • Unity Gems Wordpress
  • Unity in HoloLens
  • Unity Readme
  • Unity tutorials in AR
  • Unity5 EditorVR hello world tutorial video (from scratch) featuring Oculus
  • Unreal C++
  • Unreal tutorial for Rive + Noesis
  • Vector Math for 3D Computer Graphics
  • WebGL Academy
  • Wingfox - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. CG tutorials per course.
  • World of Level Design
  • Computer Graphics
  • DebugLog HTC Vive Unity 3D Steam VR Video Tutorial
  • Getting Started with VR in Unity (DigitalTutors)
  • Pixel logic - depth pixel art tutorial book.
  • Unity 3D Steam VR Video Tutorial Series
  • Vive Tutorial - Intro / UI | Unity VR (VRTK)

• Patreon Creators

  • Arthur Whitehead (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Arthur Whitehead.
  • Christopher Rutledge (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Christopher Rutledge.
  • Dusan Vukcevic - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Dusan Vukcevic.
  • Entagma (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Entagma.
  • Gonzzzalo - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Gonzzzalo.
  • Jesus Suarez - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Jesus Suarez.
  • John Kunz (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. John Kunz.
  • Kaeptive - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Kaeptive.
  • Max Salzborn - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Max Salzborn.
  • Merk - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Merk.
  • MotionPunk - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. MotionPunk.
  • msedov - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Msedov.
  • NewPlastic - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. NewPlastic.
  • Philiplueck - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Philiplueck.
  • Ross Mason (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Ross Mason.
  • The French Monkey - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. The French Monkey.
  • Vincent Schwenk (Patreon) - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Vincent Schwenk.
  • Xuxoe - pill lic-paid">Paid</span>. Patreon. Xuxoe.

• Salary & Career Data

  • Animation Studio Reviews
  • Job Openings Tracker
  • SaltyAnimators Salary Collection

• YouTube Channels: Blender

  • 3DCoat Training Channel - in AppLink.
  • 3DGreenhorn
  • Bad Normals
  • Blender Compositor for Post Processing
  • Blender NPR - Photorealistic and expressive rendering.
  • Blender Official
  • Blender Render Passes and Very Basic Compositing
  • Blender Sushi
  • Bradley Animation