Create Realistic 3D Coins Fast (Blender Tutorial)

How to Create Realistic 3D Coins Fast Using Blender

Step 1: Gather the Required Materials and Software

• You will need a coin for reference, a camera (like your phone), Blender software, some experience with Blender, time, and attention.
• Download and install Blender if you haven't already.

Step 2: Create the Base Mesh for the Coin

1. Open Blender and delete the default cube.
2. Add a cylinder and resize it to match the dimensions of your coin.
3. Apply object transformation to normalize the cylinder.
4. Toggle to smooth shading to make the cylinder look more realistic.

Step 3: Capture Reference Images

1. Take photos of both sides of the coin and the rim using a camera.
2. Transfer these photos to your computer.

Step 4: Combine Reference Images in Blender

1. Open Blender and switch to the compositing workspace.
2. Import the photos as separate image nodes scaled to fit the render resolution.
3. Overlay the images using alpha over nodes.
4. Adjust the position of the images using translate nodes.
5. Connect the nodes and preview the composition.
6. Choose export settings and render the final image.

Step 5: Apply Texture and Environment

1. Download a free HDRI from a website like HDRI Haven.
2. In Blender's shading workspace, add an environment texture node with the downloaded HDRI.
3. Connect the node to the background.
4. Switch to rendered mode and enable film transparency.
5. Create a material by adding an image texture node with the combined coin texture.
6. Adjust the UV unwrap to align the texture properly.

Step 6: Enhance Realism with Material Settings

1. Increase metallic properties and decrease roughness for a realistic metal look.
2. Create a normal map for added texture using a bump node.
3. Fine-tune the normal map using a color ramp node.
4. Adjust bump intensity for desired results.

Step 7: Finalize and Render

1. Review the 3D model and the applied texture.
2. Make any final adjustments to the material settings.
3. Render the final 3D coin image.

Step 8: Additional Tips and Resources

• Explore different HDRI environments for varied lighting effects.
• Experiment with material settings to achieve desired realism.
• Consider supporting the tutorial creator on Patreon for more tutorials.

By following these steps, you can create realistic 3D coins efficiently using Blender. Happy modeling!