Blender Tutorial: Turn Any 2D Image into a 3D Model – Quick & Easy

In this Blender tutorial, we’ll show you how to convert a 2D image into a 3D model without extensive modeling. This technique is a quick and straightforward way to bring your images to life in the world of 3D.

Step 1: Adding a Plane & Subdividing It

To start, open Blender and add a plane. Select the plane and enter edit mode by pressing ‘Tab’. Then, press ‘A’ to select all vertices, ‘X’ to delete them, and choose ‘Delete’ to confirm. Next, press ‘Shift+A’ to add a new plane.

Now, let’s adjust the dimensions of this plane to match your reference image. Open the ‘N’ panel, and in the ‘Item’ tab, set the dimensions to match those of your reference image. Ensure that the proportions are the same.

Step 2: Subdividing the Plane

Enter edit mode again by pressing ‘Tab’. Now, press ‘Ctrl+E’ and choose ‘Subdivide’ from the pop-up menu. Increase the number of subdivisions to the maximum, which is 100. Reset the subdivisions by double-clicking ‘Tab’ and subdivide it once more to ensure a high level of detail. You can choose to have 2 or 3 loops for even more detail.

Step 3: Using the Displace Modifier

With your plane selected, navigate to the modifier properties and add a ‘Displace’ modifier. To make this modifier work, you need to add a texture to it. Scroll down to the ‘Texture’ properties, click ‘New’, and select ‘Image or Movie’. Choose your reference image from your computer.

The ‘Displace’ modifier will push down the black areas of your image and elevate the white areas. To reverse the extrusion, set the ‘Strength’ to -0.25 or your preferred value.

Step 4: Optimizing the Mesh

Apply the ‘Displace’ modifier. In edit mode, press ‘Z’ to switch to wireframe mode. Select and delete the bottom faces, leaving only the top surface. To flatten the surface, press ‘S’ followed by ‘Z’ and ‘0’. All vertices should now be on the same level. Extrude the top surface upwards with ‘E’ and ‘Z’.

Step 5: Smoothing the Mesh

To improve the quality of your mesh, select ‘Sharp Edges’ by going to ‘Select’ > ‘Select Sharp Edges’. In object mode, select the top portion of your mesh and separate it into a new object with ‘P’ > ‘Separate Selection’. Set the origin to the center.

Add a ‘Smooth’ modifier with a higher number of repetitions to smoothen out the lines on your mesh. You can adjust the number based on your preference.

Step 6: Optimizing the Mesh Using Unsubdivide

Reduce the density of vertices by selecting the entire mesh and using ‘Ctrl+E’ to subdivide it. Adjust the number of iterations to your liking, reducing the complexity of the mesh.

To further optimize, select points in the corners and merge them at the center. Fill any gaps by selecting edges and choosing ‘Bridge Edge Loops’.

Step 7: Achieving the Final Result

With your optimized mesh ready, apply the ‘Solidify’ modifier and adjust the thickness as desired. Ensure your normals are correct by selecting all and using ‘Shift+N’ to recalculate them. Set shading to ‘Auto Smooth’ and add a ‘Bevel’ modifier for smoother edges.

That’s it! You’ve successfully converted your 2D image into a 3D model using Blender. If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to ask in the comments below. Thank you for watching, and we look forward to seeing you in future projects!