5 Easy Tips to Create Adorable Blender Cats: A Beginner's Guide

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 19 June 2023 7 min read

Creating adorable blender cats is a fun and rewarding hobby that anyone can learn. In this beginner's guide, we'll walk you through five easy tips to help you create your very own 3D cat models using Blender, a powerful and free 3D modeling software. By the end of this guide, you'll be well on your way to becoming a blender cat master!

1. Setting Up Blender for Cat Modeling

Before you can start modeling your very own blender cat, you'll need to set up Blender on your computer. This involves downloading and installing the software, as well as setting up your workspace to make the cat modeling process as smooth as possible.

Downloading and Installing Blender

Visit the official Blender website at www.blender.org and click on the "Download Blender" button.
Select the appropriate version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
Once the download is complete, open the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install Blender on your computer.
After installation, launch Blender to ensure it's working properly.

Setting Up Your Workspace

Now that you have Blender installed, it's time to set up your workspace for efficient cat modeling:

Open Blender and start a new project using the "General" template.
Remove the default cube, light, and camera by selecting them and pressing the "X" key, followed by "Delete."
Switch to the "Modeling" workspace by clicking the dropdown menu at the top of the screen and selecting "Modeling."
Adjust your view and zoom settings as needed to better focus on your future cat model.

With your workspace set up, you're now ready to start creating adorable blender cats!

2. Using Reference Images to Guide Your Modeling

When creating blender cats, reference images are incredibly helpful in guiding your modeling process and ensuring your 3D cat looks as accurate and adorable as possible. In this section, we'll discuss how to find the perfect cat images and import them into Blender.

Finding the Perfect Cat Images

Choosing the right reference images can make all the difference in your blender cat's final appearance. Here are some tips to help you find the ideal images:

Look for clear, high-resolution images of cats in various poses.
Choose images that showcase different angles, such as front, side, and top views, to help you better understand the cat's shape and proportions.
Consider using photos of your own cat or a friend's cat for a more personal touch.

Importing Images into Blender

Once you've found your perfect cat reference images, it's time to import them into Blender and use them as guides for your modeling. Here's how:

In the Blender viewport, press "Shift + A" to open the "Add" menu, then select "Image" and "Reference."
Navigate to the folder containing your reference images and select the image you want to import.
Move and scale the image as needed to position it as a guide for your modeling.
Repeat this process for any additional reference images you'd like to use.

With your reference images in place, you're ready to start modeling your adorable blender cat's body!

3. Modeling the Cat's Body

Now that you have your reference images in place, it's time to get started on modeling the main structure of your blender cat. We'll begin with the body and work our way to the legs and tail, ensuring your cat model looks both realistic and cute.

Starting with a Basic Mesh

Every blender cat starts with a basic mesh that you'll shape into the body. Here's how to create one:

In Blender, press "Shift + A" to open the "Add" menu, then select "Mesh" and "Cube" to create a new cube mesh.
Scale the cube to roughly match the dimensions of your cat's body, using your reference images as a guide.
Apply a "Subdivision Surface" modifier to the cube to smooth out its shape and give you more geometry to work with.

Extruding and Shaping the Body

With your basic mesh in place, it's time to shape it into a more cat-like form. To do this, you'll use Blender's "Extrude" tool:

Select the face of the cube that corresponds to your cat's chest or back.
Press the "E" key to extrude the face, then use the "G" key to move the new vertices into the desired position.
Repeat this process along the length of your cat's body, using your reference images to help you shape and refine the form.

Creating Legs and Tail

With the body structure in place, it's time to add your blender cat's legs and tail. To create these appendages, follow these steps:

Locate the vertices on the body where you want the legs to begin.
Extrude the vertices downward to form the legs, adjusting their width and shape as needed to match your reference images.
Repeat this process for all four legs, keeping an eye on the overall proportions and pose of your model.
For the tail, select the appropriate vertices at the rear of the cat's body and extrude them outward, shaping the tail as you go.

Congratulations! Your blender cat's body is now complete. Next up, we'll tackle the head and face, adding even more character and cuteness to your 3D feline friend.

4. Modeling the Cat's Head and Face

Creating the head and face of your blender cat is an exciting step, as it adds personality and charm to your 3D model. Let's dive into the process of sculpting the perfect cat face.

Shaping the Head

Start by creating a new mesh for the cat's head, following these steps:

Press "Shift + A" to add a new mesh, selecting "Sphere" from the "Mesh" options.
Scale and position the sphere to match the size and location of your cat's head, aligning it with your reference images.
Apply a "Subdivision Surface" modifier to the sphere to smooth its shape and increase the geometry for sculpting.

Once the basic head shape is in place, use Blender's sculpting tools to refine the head's form, taking into account the shape of the cat's skull, cheekbones, and jawline.

Creating Eyes and Nose

Now, let's add the eyes and nose to your blender cat's face:

For the eyes, create two new sphere meshes, scale them to the appropriate size, and position them in the eye sockets based on your reference images.
Use the sculpting tools to create eyelids by pulling the surrounding geometry around the eyeballs.
For the nose, select the vertices at the front of the face and use the "Extrude" tool to create the basic nose shape, refining it with the sculpting tools as needed.

Sculpting Facial Features

With the eyes and nose in place, it's time to add the finishing touches to your blender cat's face:

Sculpt the mouth area by carving out the shape of the upper and lower lips, and defining the philtrum (the groove between the nose and mouth).
Add whisker pads by gently pushing in the surrounding geometry, creating subtle indentations on either side of the mouth.
Use the "Crease" brush in Blender's sculpting tools to create subtle wrinkles and folds around the eyes, nose, and mouth, giving your cat a more expressive and realistic look.

With your cat's face now complete, it's time to move on to the final step: texturing and rendering your adorable blender cat!

5. Texturing and Rendering Your Adorable Blender Cat

With the modeling of your blender cat complete, it's time to bring it to life by applying textures and lighting, and ultimately rendering your masterpiece. Let's begin with texturing.

Applying Textures to Your Cat Model

Adding textures to your blender cat will give it a more realistic and visually appealing appearance. Follow these steps to apply textures:

UV unwrap the model by selecting it in Edit Mode, pressing "U", and choosing your preferred unwrapping method (e.g., "Smart UV Project").
In the Shader Editor, create a new material for your cat and add an "Image Texture" node, connecting it to the "Base Color" input of the "Principled BSDF" shader.
Open your chosen cat texture image in the "Image Texture" node, adjusting the mapping and scale to fit your model.
Add additional textures for details like fur, eyes, and nose, as needed, using the same method.

Setting Up Lighting for the Perfect Render

Good lighting is essential for showcasing your blender cat in the best possible way. Here's how to set up your lighting:

Create a three-point lighting setup by adding three "Area" lights, positioning them around your cat model—one as the main/key light, one as the fill light, and one as the backlight.
Adjust the strength, color, and size of each light to create a pleasing and natural lighting effect, highlighting your cat's features.
Consider adding an "Environment" light to softly illuminate the entire scene, simulating natural, ambient light.

Rendering Your Masterpiece

Now that your adorable blender cat is fully textured and lit, it's time to render your creation:

Set up your camera by positioning it in the 3D viewport and adjusting the focal length to frame your cat model.
In the "Render Properties" panel, choose your preferred render engine (e.g., "Cycles" or "Eevee") and set the desired resolution and output format for your render.
Press "F12" or click the "Render" button in the "Render Properties" panel to start the rendering process.
Once your render is complete, save it as an image file to share your adorable blender cat with the world!

Congratulations on creating your very own blender cat! With practice and patience, you'll be able to refine your skills and create even more adorable and realistic 3D cat models.

If you enjoyed our blog post and want to dive deeper into the world of 3D modeling and animation, don't miss the workshop 'Blender for Dummies' by INTRANETGIRL. This workshop will guide you through the basics of Blender, making it easy for you to start creating your own 3D projects with confidence.