--- title: "Box Modelling in Blender: A Step-by-Step Guide for Games" description: "Box modelling (box modeling) explained: build a game prop in Blender from a cube with extrude, inset, loop cuts, bevels and modifiers." image: https://cada-edu.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gudmundurVikarJonsson_snowpocalypse_-postApocalyptic.png --- [Go Back Up](https://cada-edu.com/guides/box-modelling#top) [Skip to Content](https://cada-edu.com/guides/box-modelling#body) [![Copenhagen Academy of Digital Arts](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png?width=200&height=60&name=Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png "Copenhagen Academy of Digital Arts")](https://cada-edu.com/) Toggle Menu - [Educations](https://cada-edu.com/educations) Toggle children for Educations Main Menu (Press to Return) \> Educations - [Certificate in 3D for Games](https://cada-edu.com/certificate-in-3d-for-games) - [Diploma / BA (Hons) Degree](https://cada-edu.com/3d-digital-artist) - [Courses](https://cada-edu.com/courses) Toggle children for Courses Main Menu (Press to Return) \> Courses - [Free 3D Bootcamp](https://cada-edu.com/3dbootcamp) - [3D Animation Essentials](https://cada-edu.com/3d-animation-essentials) - [3D Portfolio Essentials](https://cada-edu.com/3d-portfolio-essentials) - [Sculpting in ZBrush](https://cada-edu.com/sculpting-in-zbrush-course) - [Unreal Engine for Filmmaking](https://cada-edu.com/unreal-engine-filmmaking-virtual-production) - [Continuing Education](https://cada-edu.com/continuing-education) - [Contact Us](https://cada-edu.com/contact) - Resources Toggle children for Resources Main Menu (Press to Return) \> Resources - [News](https://cada-edu.com/news) - [Guides](https://cada-edu.com/guides) - [Book Meeting](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/adam-mayes) - - [English](https://cada-edu.com/guides/box-modelling) - [Danish](https://cada-edu.com/da/guides/box-modelling) # Box Modelling in Blender: A Step-by-Step Guide for Games [mailto:?subject=Box%20Modelling%20in%20Blender%3A%20A%20Step-by-Step%20Guide%20for%20Games&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcada-edu.com%2Fguides%2Fbox-modelling](mailto:?subject=Box%20Modelling%20in%20Blender%3A%20A%20Step-by-Step%20Guide%20for%20Games&body=https%3A%2F%2Fcada-edu.com%2Fguides%2Fbox-modelling) **Box modelling** is a 3D modelling technique where you start from a simple primitive, usually a cube, and shape it into a finished object by extruding, insetting, cutting and moving its faces, edges and vertices. It is how most game props, weapons, vehicles and modular environment pieces begin, and it is the first modelling technique you should learn. This guide explains what box modelling is, how it differs from sculpting, and walks you through building a game prop in Blender from a single cube, with notes on keeping the result low poly and game ready. ![Hard-surface render of an F-35 fighter jet modelled by a CADA student](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gregersBerth_F-35Jet_VehicleRender-1200x675.png?width=780&height=439&name=gregersBerth_F-35Jet_VehicleRender-1200x675.png) *Created by Gregers Berth, Class 21* ## What is box modelling? Box modelling means building a 3D model by refining a primitive shape. You place a cube, block out the rough proportions, and then add detail in stages: more edges where the shape needs them, extrusions for parts that stick out, insets for panels and recesses, bevels to soften hard corners. At every stage you work on the whole object, so the proportions stay under control before you spend time on detail. The result is a polygon mesh made of vertices (points), edges (lines between points) and faces (the surfaces between edges). Because you place every edge yourself, you decide exactly how many polygons the model uses and where they go. That control is why box modelling is so common in games, where every asset has a polygon budget. In game studios you will see box modelling used for: - Hard-surface props such as crates, barrels, doors, terminals and weapons - Vehicles and machinery - Modular environment pieces like walls, floors, pillars and trims - Quick blockouts, where level artists and designers test scale and layout before final art - Base meshes for characters and creatures that are later sculpted in detail If you have never opened a 3D application before, learn the basics of navigating the viewport and selecting components first. [The free Blender 3D Bootcamp](https://cada-edu.com/3dbootcamp) starts from zero and takes you from those basics to modelling in six live online sessions, and you need no experience to join. ## Box modelling vs sculpting Beginners often mix the two up, so it is worth being precise. In box modelling you move individual vertices, edges and faces, and you add geometry on purpose with tools like extrude and loop cut. In sculpting you push and pull a dense mesh with brushes, the way you would work with clay, and you do not think about individual polygons at all. The two work together. A character artist might box model a simple base mesh, sculpt the anatomy and fine detail on a very dense version, and then build a clean, low-poly game mesh over the sculpt. Hard-surface props are usually box modelled from start to finish. If you want the sculpting side, read our [guide to digital sculpting](https://cada-edu.com/guides/sculpting). Box modelling is not the only polygon method. In edge modelling (poly-by-poly modelling) you build faces one edge at a time, which suits organic shapes like faces and hands where edge flow matters. Retopology means drawing a new, clean low-poly mesh over a finished sculpt, and it is how most game characters get their final topology. Our advice: learn box modelling first. It teaches you how meshes are built, and that understanding makes sculpting, retopology, UV unwrapping and rigging much easier later. ## Before you start: reference and scale Two habits save you hours. First, collect reference. Find photos or concept art of the object from several angles and look at how it is built: where the panels split, how thick the edges are, which parts are separate pieces. Modelling from memory gives you vague, soft shapes. Second, work at real-world scale. Game engines expect assets in consistent units, and a crate that is ten times too big causes problems for lighting, physics and everyone else on the team. Blender's default cube is 2 metres on each side, so scale it to the size of your object and apply the scale before you start editing. Unapplied scale is a common reason why bevels and modifiers behave unevenly. ## Box modelling in Blender: a game prop step by step As an example, we will build a sci-fi supply crate: a box with recessed side panels, a handle on each end and chamfered edges. It uses every core tool. All the editing below happens in Edit Mode, where you can select vertices, edges and faces. ### Step 1: Block out the main shape Start with a cube and scale it to the overall proportions of the crate. Do not add detail yet. Look at the silhouette from the distance a player would see it in game. If the big shape reads well, the details will sit on top of it. If it does not, no amount of detail will fix it. ### Step 2: Add a Mirror modifier Most props are symmetrical, so model only half. Add a loop cut down the middle, delete one half, and add a Mirror modifier on the axis of symmetry. Every change you make is copied to the other side. Turn on the modifier's clipping option so vertices on the centre line cannot cross the mirror plane and leave a gap or overlap in the middle. ### Step 3: Add edge loops with Loop Cut Use the Loop Cut tool to add rings of edges around the box where you need more shape: for example, where the lid meets the body, or around the area that will become a side panel. Add loops only where they do a job. Every extra loop is geometry you have to manage later. ### Step 4: Inset and extrude the panels Select a side face and inset it to create a border with a smaller face inside. Extrude that inner face a short distance into the box to make a recessed panel. The same two tools, inset then extrude, give you vents, screens, hatches and raised plates. This pairing is the heart of hard-surface box modelling. ### Step 5: Extrude the handles On each end of the crate, add loop cuts to isolate two small faces where the handle attaches. Extrude both faces outwards, then delete the two end faces and join the open loops with Bridge Edge Loops to form the grip. Keep the handle simple and chunky. Thin details disappear at game distances and often turn into flickering pixels. ### Step 6: Bevel the hard edges Real objects never have perfectly sharp corners, and sharp corners look fake under game lighting because they never catch a highlight. Select the outer edges and bevel them. For a low-poly game mesh, one or two segments is usually enough to catch the light. Keep the bevel width consistent across the prop. ### Step 7: Smooth with Subdivision Surface and supporting loops If you are making a high-poly version to bake detail from, add a Subdivision Surface modifier. It smooths the mesh by splitting every face, which rounds off everything. To keep edges crisp, add supporting edge loops close to each hard edge: the closer the loops, the tighter the corner. This high-poly version is not used in the game. Its detail gets baked into a normal map on the low-poly mesh, which we cover in our [guide to UV mapping for games](https://cada-edu.com/guides/uv-mapping-for-games-how-to-uv-unwrap-a-model-in-blender). ### Step 8: Keep the mesh in quads Aim for four-sided faces (quads) while you model. Quads give you clean edge loops, so loop cuts and loop selections run where you expect, and they subdivide without pinching. Triangles are fine on flat areas of the final game mesh, because game engines convert everything to triangles anyway. Avoid large faces with many sides (n-gons) on curved or subdivided areas, where they cause shading artefacts. ### Step 9: Check the topology Before you call it finished, clean up. Merge vertices that sit on top of each other, delete loose vertices and edges, and make sure all face normals point outwards. Turn on the Face Orientation overlay in Blender's viewport to spot flipped faces quickly. Then apply the Mirror modifier and look at the triangle count in the viewport statistics. ### Step 10: Review it in context Look at the prop next to something of known size, ideally in the engine you are targeting. Check the silhouette, the bevels and the polygon density from a player's view. Remove any loops that do not change the shape. Then the prop is ready for UV unwrapping and texturing. ## Low-poly and game-ready notes A game-ready mesh is not just a nice model. It has to work inside an engine alongside thousands of other assets. Keep these points in mind: - **Spend polygons on the silhouette.** Detail inside the outline can usually come from the normal map and textures. Edges that change the outline are worth keeping. - **Match the budget to the asset.** A crate in the background needs far fewer polygons than a weapon the player holds in front of the camera. Your project or art lead sets the budget, so ask. - **Use smoothing deliberately.** Mark hard edges where the surface changes direction sharply, and place UV seams on those same edges so the normal map bakes cleanly. - **Separate parts are fine.** Bolts, handles and pipes can be separate floating pieces instead of being welded into the main mesh. It saves polygons and keeps the topology simple. - **Name things clearly.** Name your objects and keep the pivot point in a sensible place, usually the bottom centre for props that sit on the ground. ## Common box modelling mistakes - **Adding detail too early.** If the proportions are wrong, every detail you add has to be moved later. Get the blockout right first. - **Too many edge loops.** Beginners add loops everywhere just in case. Each loop runs all the way around the model and multiplies your work. - **Ignoring scale.** Unapplied scale breaks bevels and modifiers, and assets at the wrong size cause problems in the engine. - **Hidden faces and overlapping geometry.** Faces nobody will ever see still cost performance and texture space. Delete them. - **N-gons and poles on curved areas.** Faces with many sides, or points where three, or five or more, edges meet, pinch and shade badly once the surface curves or is subdivided. Keep them on flat areas. ## Practice projects for games The fastest way to improve is to model many small props, not one huge scene. Good first projects, in rough order of difficulty: 1. A wooden or sci-fi crate with panels and handles 2. A barrel or gas canister, to practise working with cylinders and edge flow 3. A set of modular wall and floor pieces that snap together on a grid 4. A sci-fi door or terminal with recessed panels and screens 5. A simple weapon, which tests proportions, bevels and polygon budget all at once A handful of finished, well-built props says more about your skills than a dozen half-done ones. ![Snow-covered post-apocalyptic scene made by a CADA student](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Student%20Artwork/gudmundurVikarJonsson_snowpocalypse_%20postApocalyptic-kopi.png?width=780&height=895&name=gudmundurVikarJonsson_snowpocalypse_%20postApocalyptic-kopi.png) *Created by Gudmundur Vikar Jonsson, Class 21* ## Get feedback on your models Box modelling is a skill you build through repetition and critique. You can share your work in [CADA's Discord community](https://discord.com/invite/7G9A3RhxGc), where CADA instructors give feedback. ![3D model created by a CADA student](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/class2016_davidRanloev_image_7-1200x506.png?width=780&height=329&name=class2016_davidRanloev_image_7-1200x506.png) *Created by David Ranloev, Class 16* ## Start with the free Blender 3D Bootcamp If you are new to 3D, [the free Blender 3D Bootcamp](https://cada-edu.com/3dbootcamp) is the place to start. It runs as six live, one-hour online sessions over three weeks. You work in Blender and finish in Unreal Engine in the last session, the sessions are recorded, and you need no experience to join. If you are ready to commit to a career in game art, the [Certificate in 3D for Games](https://cada-edu.com/certificate-in-3d-for-games) is a 60-week online programme with no 3D experience or portfolio needed to apply. You try each discipline before choosing a specialisation, and the 3D Art specialisation focuses on sculpting in Blender. ## CADA You May Like These ## Related Articles ![](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sorenHolm_vehicleProject_jediCruiser-1.png?width=700&name=sorenHolm_vehicleProject_jediCruiser-1.png) ### [What Is 3D Art? 3D Digital Art Explained for Beginners](https://cada-edu.com/guides/what-is-3d-digital-art) ![](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Artwork/zBrush/sorenHolm_sculpt_sisterOfBattle.png?width=700&name=sorenHolm_sculpt_sisterOfBattle.png) ### [Sculpting with Zbrush: An Introduction](https://cada-edu.com/guides/sculpting) ![](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Artwork/characterDesign/BearRender06_GregersB.png?width=700&name=BearRender06_GregersB.png) ### [The Process of Creating 3D Renderings](https://cada-edu.com/guides/3d-rendering) --- [![Copenhagen Academy of Digital Arts](https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png?width=200&height=60&name=Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png "Copenhagen Academy of Digital Arts")](https://cada-edu.com) **Nyropsgade 23, 4. 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Learn techniques to transform basic shapes into intricate 3D models and enhance your skills.", "headline" : "Box Modelling - Ultimate Guide", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : "", "url" : "https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gregersBerth_F-35Jet_VehicleRender-1200x675.png?width=1560&height=878&name=gregersBerth_F-35Jet_VehicleRender-1200x675.png", "width" : "" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://cada-edu.com/guides/box-modelling", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : "", "url" : "https://cada-edu.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png?width=400&height=120&name=Logo_CADA_White_AlphaHD.png", "width" : "" }, "name" : "CADA" } } ```