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Create a simple car model based on the Simpsons Canyonero
Overview
Name of explainer: Create a simple car model based on the Simpsons Canyonero
Creative theme: Beginning 3D Modelling using UModeler
Software used (for this explainer): Unity Hub. Unity LTS. uModeler.
User level: BEGINNER
This is explainer 6 of 7 in this series
This series includes:
- Install the Unity Hub and Unity LTS
- Create a Unity project and install the Umodeler asset
- Create a UModeler object and explore the UModeler interface
- Navigate the scene and scale, rotate and move 3D objects
- Adjust faces, edges and vertices to make unique 3d shapes
- Create a simple car model based on the Simpsons Canyonero
- Apply materials and textures to the Canyonero and export the model
The Software
This series of explainers uses the Unity platform and the ‘UModeler’ Unity asset .
UNITY is a real-time 2D and 3D development platform. It’s a versatile environment used to create animations, 2D, 3D and VR games, as their recent showreel demonstrates!
You’ll recognise these popular games, all developed in Unity. Expand to view:
Beat Saber
New Star GP
Cuphead
With its full 3D feature set, Unity can also be used to create full animated films and cinematic sequences:
Short Movie: ADAM
Animated film: SONDER
To introduce 3d modelling we’re using the Unity 3d modelling asset UModeler:
UModeler is a PAID asset with a standard price of around £120 / $120. Once you’ve learnt the basics you may like to graduate to UModeler X, the professional-level modelling tool for Unity:
The 3D car model created in this series
To demonstrate basic UModeler modelling tools we’ll create a simple car based on the Canyonero as made famous in the Simpsons! Notice it’s made from a small number of polygons, has a ‘cut out’ interior and a nice shiny coat of paint!
Here’s how our Canyonero looks at the end of the initial explainers:
…and here’s how it looks after additional tweaking and accessorising:
The pre-requisities
This is a BEGINNER explainer series, but you’ll need to have a basic knowledge of using Windows, downloading and installing software to follow along. Unity is a complex application and is not recommended for new computer users. For introductory Unity courses and videos, have a look at their own learning platform, Unity Learn
Why would I do this?
Now you’re confident navigating a scene, adding basic 3d shapes and manipulating faces, edges and vertices, the virtual world is your oyster!
We’re going to use uModeler boxes and cylinders as a starting point for creating our Canyonero. Modelling a simple, stylised vehicle is a perfect first project for putting our existing skills to the test and introducing some of uModeler’s more powerful tools!
Once you’ve blocked out the main car model it’s up to you to accessorise it and tweak it as much as you like!
Let’s do it!
Click the play icon to watch this explainer video. Subtitles are available – Click the settings cog at the bottom right for options. You can watch this video full-screen by clicking the full-screen icon at the bottom right.
Video Transcript (Click to expand)
Here is the full transcript for explainer six above.
00:00:14 – 00:00:15
Welcome to you.
00:00:15 – 00:00:20
This is explainer number six in the series beginning 3d modeling with umodeler.
00:00:21 – 00:00:2
It’s time to Canyonero.
00:00:24 – 00:00:27
‘Can you name the truck with 4 wheel drive’.
00:00:27 – 00:00:29
‘Smells like a steak and seats 35’.
00:00:29 – 00:00:30
Canyonero…
00:00:31 – 00:00:33
Canyonero!
00:00:33 – 00:00:41
In this explainer, I’ll block out a simple car model based on the Canyonero using the umodeler tools we’ve already worked with, and a couple more.
00:00:41 – 00:00:44
You can then continue tweaking the model as much as you like.
00:00:45 – 00:00:52
Before starting, take a look at a 3d canyonero model like this one at sketchfab.com and notice how it’s made up.
00:00:52 – 00:00:57
Each wheel including the spare is a cylinder and each axle is another cylinder
.
00:00:58 – 00:01:1
It will also be important to create these wheel arches.
00:01:2 – 00:01:4
I’m going to think of the body as 2 boxes.
00:01:4 – 00:01:9
One for the lower section and the other one directly on top of it for the cabin with the windows.
00:01:10 – 00:01:11
Let’s get started.
00:01:11 – 00:01:14
I’ll start with a new empty Unity scene.
00:01:14 – 00:01:19
Go to file, new scene, select basic URP, and click create.
00:01:20 – 00:01:23
Start by clicking this umodeler settings cog icon.
00:01:24 – 00:01:30
I’m going to select world grid in the snap section and set a snap size of 0.5 meters.
00:01:30 – 00:01:34
To see what this has done, create a box in the usual way.
00:01:34 – 00:01:37
This is going to be the lower section of the chassis.
00:01:38 – 00:01:41
Notice how the dimensions are snapping to the nearest half meter.
00:01:42 – 00:01:53
Looking at my reference images, the Canyonero is around 10 meters long, 5 meters wide, and the lower part of the chassis is about 1.5 meters in height.
00:01:56 – 00:01:58
I’ll name this object ‘chassis’.
00:02:0 – 00:02:6
Next, starting from one corner of the existing box, draw a second box directly on top of it.
00:02:6 – 00:02:14
Make this cabin box about 7 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 1 and a half meters in height.
00:02:15 – 00:02:19
Remember you can use the undo option if things go wrong at any time.
00:02:20 – 00:02:22
The Canyonero isn’t quite this boxy.
00:02:23 – 00:02:35
Use the edge tool to select and move edges to add a slant to the windshield, and to the back of the cabin, and to the front of the vehicle.
00:02:36 – 00:02:38
Remember we’re just blocking out the car.
00:02:38 – 00:02:41
We can go on and make precise adjustments later.
00:02:41 – 00:02:43
Next, it’s time to create the wheels.
00:02:44 – 00:02:46
I’ll create a new umodeler object.
00:02:50 – 00:02:52
Add a cylinder to the scene.
00:02:54 – 00:02:58
Set a radius of 1 meter and a height of 1 meter.
00:02:58 – 00:02:59
This is about right.
00:03:1 – 00:03:2
Rotate the cylinder.
00:03:2 – 00:03:6
Hold down the control key on your keyboard to snap to predefined angles.
00:03:8 – 00:03:13
I’ll move the wheel close to where it’s going to end up to make sure my sizing is about right.
00:03:13 – 00:03:16
We’ll need 5 wheels in total, including the spare.
00:03:16 – 00:03:21
Each wheel will be identical, so let’s duplicate the object to create the others.
00:03:21 – 00:03:24
Make sure it’s selected and edit, duplicate.
00:03:25 – 00:03:26
And again.
00:03:28 – 00:03:29
And again.
00:03:31 – 00:03:35
Be sure to name your objects in the hierarchy as you go along.
00:03:39 – 00:03:43
When an object is duplicated, it’s placed in the scene at exactly the same location.
00:03:44 – 00:03:51
I’ll move these wheels off of each other to prove this, and move them all out of the way of the car for the moment.
00:03:53 – 00:03:56
Looking at my images, the wheel arches are oversized and chunky.
00:03:57 – 00:03:59
There are lots of ways to create these.
00:03:59 – 00:04:2
I’ll use a tool you’ll definitely find helpful in the future.
00:04:3 – 00:04:6
I’ll start by creating another umodeler object.
00:04:6 – 00:04:11
I’m going to use a large cylinder to literally cut out the shape of the arches.
00:04:11 – 00:04:14
I’ll draw the cylinder and give it a larger radius than the wheels.
00:04:14 – 00:04:17
I’ll go for 1.5 meters.
00:04:18 – 00:04:22
I’ll also make it at least 6 meters tall, so it’s wider than the vehicle.
00:04:25 – 00:04:32
We’ll need one cylinder to cut away the rear wheel arches and another for the front, so duplicate this cylinder.
00:04:35 – 00:04:38
Move one of the cylinders into place.
00:04:46 – 00:04:55
Use your shift key to ensure both the cylinder and the vehicle body are selected at once and click the Boolean subtract tool.
00:04:56 – 00:05:1
The cylinder shape has been subtracted, I e, cut away from the body giving us a wheel arch.
00:05:1 – 00:05:8
Repeat this process for the second cylinder and again punch out the remaining wheel arch.
00:05:9 – 00:05:14
Boolean tools are essential in 3d modeling and definitely worth some time practicing with.
00:05:19 – 00:05:22
Next, I’ll move the wheels into place.
00:05:24 – 00:05:26
Of course, you can tweak their size as needed.
00:05:32 – 00:05:38
Don’t forget to also move the spare wheel into place and rotate it as required.
00:05:41 – 00:05:43
Now it’s time to start creating the windows.
I’ll use another umodeler tool for this.
00:05:46 – 00:05:49
There are 3 windows on each side and each is similar in size.
00:05:50 – 00:05:55
I’ll start by changing the snap setting to 0.25 meters.
00:05:55 – 00:06:0
This will give me more accurate control over the size of the windows as I draw them.
00:06:1 – 00:06:3
Next, select the line tool.
00:06:3 – 00:06:9
I’ll use this tool to literally draw out the shape of a front window on the existing model.
00:06:10 – 00:06:12
Next, select the push pull tool.
00:06:13 – 00:06:20
Hold down your left mouse button and literally push the window shape right in and out of the other side of the car.
00:06:21 – 00:06:24
I’ll go on to add my additional windows later.
00:06:25 – 00:06:29
I can use this same push pull tool to create a basic wing mirror.
00:06:31 – 00:06:42
Draw the shape out as before and this time pull the face out from the chassis to create the start of a very blocky mirror.
00:06:45 – 00:06:55
I’ll also use the same method to create a raised area for the front bumper and the same for the rear bumper.
00:06:57 – 00:07:2
As I’m going to go on to add a license plate to the vehicle, I’ll also add a raised area to the front.
00:07:4 – 00:07:6
Again, practice as much as you can with this tool.
00:07:7 – 00:07:12
You can save changes to your current scene at any time by going to file, save as.
00:07:13 – 00:07:15
The Canyonero is definitely taking shape.
00:07:16 – 00:07:23
This blocking out process is a popular workflow for creating low poly stylized models and is often referred to as box modeling.
00:07:24 – 00:07:30
Next, you might like to add new objects to the scene for the roof bars and for the headlamps.
00:07:31 – 00:07:34
There’s lots more tweaking to do to shape the body.
00:07:34 – 00:07:37
For tips on the changes you might like to make, see the website.
00:07:37 – 00:07:45
In the final explainer in this series, I’m going to add simple materials to the car to make it look nice and shiny, as well as adding a license plate.
00:07:45 – 00:07:51
And finally, I’ll export the vehicle to use in other software or just to show it off online.
The main steps in this video:
- Begin with a new Unity scene using the “Basic URP” option.
- Create the lower section of the car’s chassis using a box.
- Add a second box on top for the cabin, adjusting its dimensions.
- Modify the car’s shape by adjusting edges to add slants to the windshield, back of the cabin, and front.
- Create wheels using cylinders and duplicate them for a total of five wheels.
- Use the boolean subtract tool to create wheel arches.
- Position the wheels in their respective places, including the spare wheel.
- Use the ‘line’ tool and ‘push-pull’ tool to create windows and a basic wing mirror.
- Create raised areas for the front and rear bumpers.
- Save changes to the current scene.
- Optionally, add new objects for the roof bars and headlamps.
Good to know
Here’s a reminder of the additional tools and options used to block out the Canyonero…
WORLD GRID / SNAPPING
uModeler’s general settings can be found by clicking the RED COG. In the ‘Snap’ section, select ‘World Grid’ and select a ‘move snap size’. In this explainer we used a snap size of 0.5m for drawing the chassis and wheels, then a snap size of 0.25m to use the line tool to ‘draw’ the windows:
LINE TOOL
We used the line tool to draw out a window shape, before using the push/pull tool to literally ‘push out’ the windows. Try the other drawing tools to help speed up your modelling process!
PUSH/PULL TOOL
BOOLEAN SUBTRACT TOOL
To ‘cut out’ the wheel arches, we selected the cylinder and the chassis together then used the ‘boolean subtract tool’ to ‘remove’ the cylinder, resulting in perfect wheel arch cut-aways!
REMEMBER UMODELER’S OWN HELP RESOURCES!
uModeler is a popular tool with excellent community support. Find links to their documentation and community support by going to Window, uModeler, Support…
Where to next?
In the final explainer of this series we’ll add materials and textures to the car, including a fun license plate!
Remember, this is part of a series of explainers – Join us again for the other explainers in the series 🙂
Notes and updates
There are no notes or advisories at this time. This video explainer was last updated in October 2023. This page was last updated in November 2024.
Disclaimer:
We are not responsible for the content of any external webpages or software downloaded from third party sites. Any links are included in good faith at the time of writing. All explainer content is compiled in good faith using processes and methods used by the Team. Modern software offers users many ways to accomplish a single task, and for reasons of clarity we choose not to refer to multiple options except where deemed helpful to do so. All computer users must run up to date virus / security software at all times to minimise the risk of data loss.
This is number 6 of 7 explainer videos in this series. Make sure you join us for the others!
