The 3D Handbook
Reference
Chapter

Reference shelf

Read these pages in order, or jump to the one you need.

  1. Learning platforms and coursesReferenceWhere to learn 3D, environment art and level design beyond this handbook, from free libraries (ArtStation Learning, Epic, Unity Learn, YouTube educators) to subscriptions, paid courses, mentorships and full-time schools, with a comparison table of price models, levels and instructors' industry experience.
  2. Essential talks and videosReferenceA curated, visual library of conference talks by shipped-game developers (GDC, Substance Days, Unreal Engine, SIGGRAPH Advances) and of videos by trusted educators such as EMC3D, Beyond Extent, Class Creatives, FlippedNormals, Polygon Academy and Ben Cloward, grouped by topic, with notes on how to watch a talk actively.
  3. Game art breakdowns: a curated libraryReferenceA curated, annotated library of ArtStation breakdowns by artists who shipped the games, grouped by what you learn from them (kits, trims, tileables, terrain, foliage, worldbuilding), with notes on what to look at and how to study one.
  4. Postmortems worth readingReferenceWhat a game postmortem is, the classic "what went right, what went wrong" format, how to read one as an artist or designer, and an annotated list of written and GDC postmortems, from Deus Ex and Thief to Spider-Man and Destiny, plus art-focused talks.
  5. BooksReferenceA short shelf of books worth owning as a 3D, environment or level artist, from architecture and urban design (Totten, Ching, Lynch) to painting light and colour (Gurney), design and usability (Norman, Fullerton, Schell), rendering (Real-Time Rendering) and studio art books, each with verified edition details and a note on why it matters.
  6. Communities and critiqueReferenceWhere 3D, environment and level artists share work and get feedback (Polycount, ArtStation, The Rookies, Blender Artists, the Unreal forums, Beyond Extent, game jams and local meetups), how to ask for and give useful critique, and when public critique or a paid mentor is the better choice.