Guides for 3D models that move, print and ship.
Plain-language guides on turning pictures into 3D models, rigging and animating any kind of character, working with GLB, FBX and STL files, and getting the result into a game, a website or a 3D printer. 44 guides, all free.
Image to 3D
How to Turn a 2D Image Into a 3D Model
7 min read
Rigging
Auto Rigging: How to Rig a 3D Model Automatically
8 min read
File formats
What Is a GLB File?
7 min read
3D printing
How to Make a Lithophane From a Photo
6 min read
Start here
Turn a picture or a drawing into a 3D model, and learn which reference images give the best result.
From one image to a rigged 3D character
Prepare an image, generate a textured 3D model, check its rig and create an animation you can export to your editor.
How to Turn a 2D Image Into a 3D Model
Three ways to turn a picture into a 3D model: AI from one image, photo scanning from many photos, or modeling by hand. Steps, costs and limits.
How to Make a Character Turnaround Sheet
Make a character turnaround sheet that 3D artists and AI tools can use: which views to draw, how to line them up, and the mistakes to avoid.
How to Turn a Sketch Into a 3D Model
Turn a sketch or drawing into a 3D model: which drawings work, which fail, how to prepare the page, and when to model it by hand in Blender instead.
The Best Free 3D Modeling Software for Each Job
The best free 3D modeling software by job: Blender, FreeCAD, Tinkercad, SketchUp Free, Fusion, OpenSCAD, Nomad Sculpt and AI generators, with limits.
Rigging
What a rig is, how to make one by hand or automatically, and how to check a rig before you animate it.
What Is Rigging in 3D Animation?
Rigging gives a 3D model a skeleton so it can move. Learn what bones, joints, skin weights and weight painting are, with simple examples.
Auto Rigging: How to Rig a 3D Model Automatically
Automatic rigging explained: how AI rigging tools place bones and skin weights for you, which bodies they handle, and how to check an auto rig.
Mixamo Alternatives for Non-Humanoid Characters: Animals, Creatures and Robots
Mixamo only rigs humanoids. Compare Mixamo alternatives that rig animals, creatures and robots, from Rigify and Mesh2Motion to AI tools, checked October 2026.
How to Rig a Character in Blender
Rig a character in Blender step by step. Compare hand-placed bones, Rigify and auto rigging, then fix bad weights and export a clean rig.
A-Pose vs T-Pose: Which Is Better for Rigging?
A-pose and T-pose compared: how each one changes shoulders, rigging and animation, and which pose to use when you make a model with AI.
How to check an AI-generated 3D rig
Review geometry, joint placement, skin weights, motion and export quality before using an AI-generated character or object in production.
Rig a quadruped from one image
What Bake3D checks when it rigs a four-legged creature from one picture, how to read the placement and deformation reports, and how to fix common problems.
Animation
Ways to bring a model to life, and how real animals move so your walk cycles look right.
How to Animate a 3D Model
Four ways to animate a 3D model: keyframes, motion libraries, motion capture and described motion. What each one needs and when to use it.
Quadruped Walk Cycle: How Four-Legged Animals Walk
The footfall order of a dog, cat or horse walk cycle, with timing you can copy. Also covers the trot, the gallop and six- and eight-legged walks.
The Best Free 3D Animation Software for Each Job
The best free 3D animation software by job: Blender, Cascadeur, Mixamo, Unreal, Unity, Godot and AI motion tools, with each license and limit checked.
How to animate a 3D character by describing the motion
Animate a 3D character by typing the motion. SayMotion, Uthana, Krikey, Meshy, QuickMagic and Bake3D compared: what each needs, which bodies, files and limits.
File formats
GLB, FBX, STL, 3MF and OBJ in plain words: what each file holds and how to convert between them.
What Is a GLB File?
A GLB file is a whole 3D model in one file. Learn what it holds, how it differs from glTF and FBX, and how to open it on Windows, Mac or the web.
How to Convert GLB to FBX (and FBX to GLB)
Convert GLB to FBX and keep the bones, skin weights and animation: a free browser converter, or Blender with the export settings that matter.
3MF vs STL vs OBJ: Which File Format Is Best for 3D Printing?
STL, 3MF and OBJ compared for 3D printing: what each file stores, which slicers open them, and which one to pick for your next print.
UV Mapping: What UVs Are and How to Unwrap a 3D Model
UV mapping explained in plain words: seams, islands and texel density, how to check UVs in Blender, and how to fix stretching and overlaps.
3D printing
Make STL files, lithophanes and figurines from photos, and check a file before it goes to the slicer.
How to Make an STL File for 3D Printing
Five ways to make an STL file: from a photo, a logo, a quick design, an existing 3D model or an AI tool. Plus how to check it before you print.
How to Make a Lithophane From a Photo
Make a 3D printed lithophane from any photo. Pick the right picture, set thickness in millimetres, print it standing up and light it well.
How to Make a Custom 3D Figurine From a Photo
Turn a photo of yourself, a pet or a character into a 3D printed figurine. Compare AI, photo scanning and paid services, then print it well.
How to 3D Print a Picture: Relief, Lithophane or Full Model
Three ways to 3D print a photo or picture: a raised relief, a backlit lithophane or a full 3D model. Settings, checks and limits for each one.
How to Make a Custom Bobblehead From a Photo
Make a custom bobblehead from a photo: get a 3D model, cut the head off in Blender, make it bigger, add a spring, then print and paint it.
How to Make 3D Printed Miniatures From a Photo
Make 3D printed miniatures from a photo: 28 and 32 mm scale, poses that print, bases, splitting, supports, resin and FDM settings, and painting tips.
Game engines and editors
Bring rigged, animated models into Blender, Unity, Unreal Engine and Godot, and keep them light enough to run well.
AI 3D character generator for game assets
Take a concept image to a rigged, animated GLB with Bake3D, then import it into Unity, Godot or Blender with the checks each engine needs.
Import a rigged, animated GLB into Blender
Import a rigged, animated GLB into Blender with the Bake3D add-on or by hand, then check the armature, textures and every animation before you edit it.
Bring an animated GLB into Unity
Import an animated GLB into Unity with glTFast or the Bake3D editor tool, then check its clips, root motion and skeleton setup before you use it.
Import a Bake3D animated GLB into Unreal Engine 5
Import a Bake3D animated GLB or FBX into Unreal Engine 5 with the editor scripts or Interchange, then check units, facing, root motion and playback.
Import rigged 3D models and animation into Godot
Import rigged 3D models and animated GLB files into Godot with the Bake3D add-on or by hand, keep root motion and foot plants, and play the clips.
How to Reduce Polygon Count in Blender
Lower the polygon count of a 3D model with the Decimate modifier in Blender. Target counts for games, web and mobile, and what to check after.
How to Use AI-Made 3D Models in Roblox Studio
Bring AI-made 3D models into Roblox Studio: what the 3D Importer accepts, triangle and texture limits, custom rigs for NPCs, R15 avatars and UGC rules.
AI assistants and automation
Drive 3D tools from Claude, Cursor and other assistants through MCP, and know the safety trade-offs.
Blender MCP: Control Blender With Claude and Other AI Assistants
Blender MCP lets AI assistants like Claude run Blender for you. What it can do, how to set it up, the safety risks, and when a 3D API fits better.
Use MCP for an AI-assisted 3D workflow
Connect Bake3D to an MCP assistant, or use the Blender, Unity, Unreal and Godot integrations, to generate, animate and import a 3D model.
Selling your work
Where to sell 3D models and STL files, and the marketplace rules that apply to AI-made assets.
Comparing AI 3D tools
Fair comparisons of AI 3D generators from their own published features and prices, with what each one does best.
The Best AI 3D Model Generators, Picked by the Job You Need Done
The best AI 3D model generators compared by job: Meshy, Tripo, Rodin, 3D AI Studio, Anything World, Sloyd, Bake3D and free open models, with prices.
Meshy Alternatives for 3D Models, Rigging and Animation
Looking for a Meshy alternative? Compare Tripo, Rodin, 3D AI Studio, Anything World, Sloyd, Bake3D and free open models by rigging, animation and price.
Meshy vs Tripo: Which AI 3D Generator Fits Your Project?
Meshy vs Tripo compared on models, rigging, animation, file formats, free plans and credit prices, from each company's own docs, checked September 2026.
Meshy AI Review: Features, Prices, License and Limits
An honest Meshy AI review from its own docs, prices and terms: what it makes, how rigging and animation work, what the free plan allows, and who it suits.
Meshy AI Pricing Explained: Plans, Credits and Real Cost per Model
Meshy AI pricing in plain words: every plan, what each step costs in credits, what the free plan allows, yearly billing, and what one model really costs.
3D AI Studio Alternatives: What It Offers and What to Pick Instead
What 3D AI Studio is, its plans and credit costs from its own pages, and the best alternatives by job: Meshy, Tripo, Rodin, Bake3D and free open models.
Best AI tools to turn one image into a rigged, animated 3D character
Which AI tools turn one picture into a rigged, animated 3D character? Meshy, Tripo, Anything World, 3D AI Studio, Rodin and Bake3D compared, October 2026.
Free AI 3D character makers: what is really free
Free AI 3D character makers compared by what you can really download and use: Meshy, Tripo, Sloyd, VRoid Studio, Ready Player Me and Bake3D, checked 2026.
How we write these guides
Bake3D writes and maintains every guide. We build a tool that turns one image into a textured, rigged and animated 3D model, so we work with meshes, skeletons, skin weights and file formats every day. When a guide gives numbers, like the walk cycle timing or our free tools' default settings, they come from our own engine and tests.
Each guide opens with a short answer and a note on how we checked it. Facts about other programs and services come from their own documentation, and we link to it at the end of the guide with the date we read it. We say plainly what we have tested and what we have not. We compare tools by what they say they support, never by ranking quality we have not measured.
Found something out of date or wrong? Email hello@bake3d.ai and we will fix it. Read more about our editorial standards.