Week 1: Interface
Middle-mouse orbit, Shift+middle pan, scroll zoom. Press N for properties, T for toolbar.
Week 2: Modeling
Tab for Edit Mode. E=extrude, S=scale, G=grab, Ctrl+R=loop cut. Model a coffee cup, table, lamp. Quads over triangles.
For more on this topic, see our guide on blender vs maya: complete 3d software comparison 2026.Week 3: Materials
Shading workspace. Principled BSDF handles 95% of materials: Base Color, Roughness, Metallic. Free PBR textures from Poly Haven.
Week 4: Lighting
Three-point: key, fill, rim. HDRI environment maps from Poly Haven. Cycles for quality, EEVEE for speed.
Month 2: Animation
I key for keyframes. Timeline, dope sheet, graph editor. Bouncing ball exercise, then walk cycle with armature.
Resources
Blender Guru (YouTube), CG Cookie (courses), docs.blender.org, r/blender.