About this handbook
Who made the handbook, what it covers, how it is checked and kept up to date, how to cite it, and what loads from other sites.
The 3D Handbook is a free reference and learning book about 3D art for real-time games. It covers modeling, sculpting, UVs and baking, texturing, engines and lighting, level design, environment art and working in production. It is compiled and edited by Martin Fleisch, a 3D artist working on games and interactive media.
#What is in it
The handbook has 248 pages in eleven parts, ordered like a course. Every page also works on its own. There are six page types, explained on how to use this handbook:
- overviews, which map an area
- topics, which explain a subject in depth
- key terms
- guides
- reference tables
- exercises with measurable goals
Together the pages cite 1,336 sources, all listed in the bibliography. The Resources page collects 1,367 videos, breakdowns, talks, courses and articles as cards with previews.
#How it is written and checked
Three rules shape every page:
- Every claim has a source. Citations appear in brackets in the text and are listed at the bottom of each page, with the date the source was checked. How sources are chosen and weighed is on how this handbook uses sources.
- Different views are shown side by side. Where experienced artists or designers disagree, a "Different views" box names who holds each position.
- Examples come with every explanation. These include real games, real assets, worked numbers and shipped-game breakdowns.
Each page has been fact-checked twice against its sources: quotes word for word, numbers, attributions and tool details. Tool prices and licences were last checked on 22 October 2026. Prices change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy anything.
#Keeping it current
The handbook is meant to grow. New pages and corrections are added in stages, and the date at the bottom of every page shows when the book was last rebuilt. If a page has a wrong or outdated fact or a broken link, please let the author know. The page name and a source for the correction are the most helpful things to send.
#How to cite it
Harvard style, for example:
Fleisch, M. (2026) 'Modular kits', in The 3D Handbook. Available at: [page address] (Accessed: [date]).
For the whole book, leave out the page title. If you quote a source the handbook quotes, cite the original source, which is listed at the bottom of the page.
#Copyright and credits
The text, original diagrams and Blender renders are © 2026 Martin Fleisch. Quotations are short and credited to their authors. Openly licensed images show their author and licence beside them.
Images and videos that are not openly licensed are never copied into the handbook. They are shown only through the rights holder's own page or official player, always credited and linked. Game names and trademarks belong to their owners.
#What loads from other sites
The fonts are bundled with the handbook, and pages work without any third-party requests. Two exceptions:
- Previews. Video thumbnails and ArtStation cover images load from YouTube and ArtStation on resource cards. You can switch them off with "Hide previews" at the bottom of any page. The choice is remembered in your browser.
- Embeds. Videos, ArtStation images and Sketchfab models load only when you click them. Videos use YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com).
Your theme and preview choices are kept in your browser's local storage. Nothing is sent to the handbook's own server.
Last updated 2026-10-22