Build 3d game elements in blender
Create three low poly game elements in Blender: a tree, a rock, and a crate, learning basic modeling, coloring, and exporting for games.
About this tutorial
Create three low poly game elements in Blender: a tree, a rock, and a crate, learning basic modeling, coloring, and exporting for games.
What you need
Step by step
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Step 1
Open Blender and start a new General project so you have a fresh scene to build in.
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Step 2
Select the default cube and delete it to clear the scene (press X and confirm).
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Step 3
Add a cylinder to make the tree trunk (Shift + A > Mesh > Cylinder).
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Step 4
Scale the cylinder to be a short narrow trunk by pressing S then Z then type 0.6 and Enter.
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Step 5
Move the trunk up so its base sits on the grid floor by pressing G then Z and dragging it up.
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Step 6
Add a cone for the tree foliage (Shift + A > Mesh > Cone).
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Step 7
Scale the cone so it looks like treetop by pressing S and making it slightly wider than the trunk.
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Step 8
Move the cone up to sit on top of the trunk by pressing G then Z and positioning it.
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Step 9
Select the trunk and cone and join them into one object (select both then Ctrl + J).
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Step 10
Create simple colors for the tree by opening the Material Properties, making a brown material for the trunk and a green material for the leaves, and assigning them.
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Step 11
Make a low-poly rock by adding an Icosphere (Shift + A > Mesh > Icosphere), then go to Edit Mode and use Proportional Editing to grab and move vertices to make a bumpy rock shape.
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Step 12
Make a crate by adding a Cube (Shift + A > Mesh > Cube), scale it into a box shape with S, add simple plank lines with Loop Cut if you like (Ctrl + R), and give it a wood-colored material in Material Properties.
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Step 13
Select all three game elements and export them for games using File > Export > glTF 2.0 (choose Selected Objects and export as .glb).
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Step 14
Share your finished creations on DIY.org so everyone can see your low-poly tree rock and crate!
Fun facts
How do I create three low poly game elements (tree, rock, crate) in Blender?
Start a new Blender scene and set units. For the crate, begin with a cube, scale it, add loop cuts for planks, bevel edges slightly, and use flat shading. For the rock, start from a cube or sphere, use proportional editing to push/pull vertices for an angular shape, then apply a Decimate modifier for low-poly look. For the tree, model a simple cylinder trunk and stacked cones or planes for leaves. Assign simple materials or vertex colors, apply transforms, and export as FBX or glTF for your game
What materials and tools do I need to build these low poly game elements in Blender?
You need Blender (free), a computer that meets Blender’s minimum specs, and a three-button mouse for easier navigation. Optional items: a keyboard with shortcuts, a drawing tablet, and reference images of trees, rocks, and crates. For testing exports, install a game engine like Unity or Godot. No paid software is required; save projects frequently and keep Blender updated to a stable release.
What ages is this Blender activity suitable for?
This activity suits kids around 10+ with basic computer skills; younger children (7–9) can participate with adult help. Teens (12+) can work independently and explore more advanced tools like modifiers and UVs. Adjust complexity: use simple shapes and guided instructions for younger kids, and introduce export settings, materials, and optimization for older learners. Supervision helps prevent frustration and teaches good file habits.
What are the benefits of building low poly game elements and any safety tips or variations?
Modeling low-poly assets teaches spatial reasoning, creativity, problem-solving, and the basics of the game art pipeline (modeling, coloring, exporting). It supports STEAM learning and patience. Safety tips: limit continuous screen time with regular breaks (every 30–45 minutes), use ergonomic seating, and supervise online downloads. Variations include adding simple animations, creating texture atlases, or building an entire low-poly scene to test assets in a game engine.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use if the Cone or Icosphere meshes are hard to find in Blender?
If the Cone or Icosphere aren't available, add a UV Sphere and scale it taller for the foliage (Shift+A > Mesh > UV Sphere then S) and use a subdivided Cube (Subdivide in Edit Mode) with Proportional Editing turned on to shape a bumpy rock.
My cone keeps floating off the trunk or the tree parts separate when I move them—what should I check?
Make sure you move the cone up with G then Z until it visually sits on the trunk grid, then select both the trunk and cone and press Ctrl+J to join them into one object so they won't separate when moved.
How can I change this activity to suit different ages?
For younger kids (4–6) simplify by only adding and scaling the Cube, Cylinder, and Cone; for elementary (7–11) keep the steps including Loop Cut (Ctrl+R) for the crate and simple materials; and for older kids (12+) add Proportional Editing in Edit Mode for the rock, more detailed materials in Material Properties, and export to glTF.
How can we extend or personalize the low-poly tree, rock, and crate after finishing the basic steps?
Enhance the scene by adding loop cuts to the crate planks (Ctrl+R), applying an image wood texture in Material Properties for the crate, painting vertex colors on the rock in Edit Mode, and then export the personalized assets as a .glb to share on DIY.org.