How to Make a Coffee Cup Using Blender

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Be sure that you have the Cycles Render engine.

   If you have the current version of Blender, you have it.
   
   While checking that you have it, go ahead and select it. ,,,, It may appear differently depending on your version of Blender., If it is an older version of Blender, skip this step.,, Here is what it should look like now. ,,,, Even thought it is still a cylinder, it will look like a square because of your perspective.,, This will select (and create) those 4 lines.,, Press and hold the left mouse button to make the selection that you need; the top vertices., Click on the blue arrow and move the selected vertices until they are shorter.,,,, This will slightly enlarge the center of the cup.,,,,,, To do this, hold down the Shift key and the middle mouse button and move your cup to the side; left in the video.,, This will leave you with five nodes to edit., You will be using the arrows to move it where it needs to be., This will vary from person to person.
   
   Just move it into the correct position.
   
   Here is what the handle should look like, approximately, at this time. , You want it to connect about midpoint between the sections shown above.
   
   Get a good shape, but have it not quite touching the body of the cup.,,,, This will make it quite a bit smaller.
   
   You will be using it to give your handle its shape., If you see Bezier Circle, then you are where you need to be.
   
   If not, backtrack your steps and determine what went wrong.,,, Click on that and select BezierCircle.
   
   This will apply the shape to your handle., Any changes that you make to the circle will change the handle.
   
   Don't be alarmed at the shape that the circle (and handle) becomes. , Right click the handle, select ALT C >> Mesh from Curve/Meta/Surf/Text., You no longer need it., Move the cup over so that it is centered on your screen and press 7 (on the right hand keyboard).
   
   This will give you a viewpoint of looking straight down on the cup. , Use the arrow to move it laterally., If your cup is selected, leave it selected.
   
   Hold down the shift key and right click on the handle.
   
   Press CTRL J.
   
   This will make them one object. , You are going to be connecting them together now., It is the one with the face selected., You are doing to be deleting some faces before connecting the handle.
   
   Underneath the handle (from this angle), select one of the faces, as shown in the screen shot.
   
   Press the SHIFT key and right click on the other one., Here is what your cup should look like, approximately.
   
   Notice the empty spaces under the cup handle.
   
   That is what you just did. ,, It is the one right next to it.,,, Repeat for the other side.,, Three on the outside connections, two on the inside. ,,,, It is the Vertex Select.,,, To do this:
   Press S Type in (on the right side number pad) .8 and hit Enter. ,, This will keep it going straight up and down.
   
   Take it down to the next set of vertices and press Enter. , Press Enter. ,, Go down about half the distance again, as in the screenshot. , It will vary from project to project, but approximate what you see in the screenshot. ,, Rotate it just a bit so that you can see the bottom surface when created.
   
   Go to your left side tool bar and find the Remove group.
   
   Select Merge and then At Center. ,,, Add Modifier Subdivision Surface In the Subdivisions section, change both the views and renders to
   3. ,, If your options don't look like this, then check to make sure Cycles Render has been chosen. ,,, is is the one that will determine the color of your cup.
   
   If you want to see what your cup will look like, go to the Viewport section and give it a similar color and your cup will become that color. ,, By doing this, it will make the cup appear to be made out of ceramic material.,,,, This will 'grow' the table three times its current size.,,,, Make sure it complements your coffee cup., Click behind it like you see in the screenshot.
   
   This will give you a point of origin for your light source. , Notice the angle of the plane.
   
   It won't provide any light to the cup in that position., That will give you the correct angle to light your cup.
   
   You could also turn it freehand if you wanted to., Press S for scale, press 5 and then enter., Click on New and for the Surface, choose Emission.
   
   This will allow it to light the cup.
   
   Change the strength to
   10. , This will allow you to see it as the camera sees it., This will enable you to get the best angle of your work.
   
   Otherwise, you are stuck with the one you get.
   
   Go to the View menu and then select Properties.
   
   Then select Lock Camera to View. ,,, This will give you a rough idea of what it will look like.
   
   Since this is just a quick render to see how it looks, it shouldn't take long to do this. ,,, Then save your work.
   
   Great job!
2. 2

   Step 2: If you don't have the default cube on your screen

3. 3

   Step 3: go to File >> New >> Reload Start-Up File (CTRL N).

4. 4

   Step 4: Be sure the cube is selected (Right Click on it)

5. 5

   Step 5: and delete it.

6. 6

   Step 6: Click on Add >> Mesh >> Cylinder for your starting shape.

7. 7

   Step 7: In the lower left

8. 8

   Step 8: go to the Add Cylinder options.

9. 9

   Step 9: Click where it says NGON (Cap Fill Type) and select Triangle Fan.

10. 10

    Step 10: Zoom in closer to the cylinder (using the scroll wheel if you have one)

11. 11

    Step 11: then select the Object Mode in the lower left and change it to Edit Mode.

12. 12

    Step 12: Go to the Display Method (right next to Edit Mode) and select Wireframe.

13. 13

    Step 13: Right click on the center of the vertices at the top of the cylinder to select that face.

14. 14

    Step 14: Press Delete and and then select Vertices.

15. 15

    Step 15: Press 1 to change your view of the cylinder.

16. 16

    Step 16: Press 5 to change the perspective.

17. 17

    Step 17: Zoom in closer

18. 18

    Step 18: be sure your mouse is over your object and then press CTRL R. Keeping your cursor over the object

19. 19

    Step 19: use your scroll wheel and roll it up until there are 4 lines.

20. 20

    Step 20: Still 'inside' those 4 lines

21. 21

    Step 21: left click and then right click.

22. 22

    Step 22: Press A to deselect everything.

23. 23

    Step 23: With your cursor at the top left of the cube

24. 24

    Step 24: press B on your keyboard.

25. 25

    Step 25: Shorten the top section.

26. 26

    Step 26: With the selection still made

27. 27

    Step 27: press S (Scale) and then type in .9 and then Enter.

28. 28

    Step 28: Deselect everything (the A key).

29. 29

    Step 29: Select B again and then select the center two vertices as shown in the screenshot.

30. 30

    Step 30: Type S (Scale) and the 1.45 and Enter.

31. 31

    Step 31: Deselect everything.

32. 32

    Step 32: Press B and select the bottom vertex.

33. 33

    Step 33: Type S

34. 34

    Step 34: then .8 and then Enter.

35. 35

    Step 35: Deselect everything.

36. 36

    Step 36: Go to Edit Mode

37. 37

    Step 37: switch back to Object Mode and change Wireframe to Solid

38. 38

    Step 38: Move your coffee cup to the side so that you have room to work.

39. 39

    Step 39: Click your mouse to the right of your coffee cup to give Blender a basic 'point of origin' and then go to Add >> Curve >> Path.

40. 40

    Step 40: With your most recent selection (the Path) still selected

41. 41

    Step 41: change the Object Mode to Edit Mode.

42. 42

    Step 42: Right click the left most node to select it.

43. 43

    Step 43: Start moving the nodes to put the handle in the basic shape it will need to be in

44. 44

    Step 44: to be a handle.

45. 45

    Step 45: Start fine-tuning the handle.

46. 46

    Step 46: Switch from Edit Mode back to Object Mode.

47. 47

    Step 47: Deselect everything.

48. 48

    Step 48: Go to Add >> Curve >> Circle.

49. 49

    Step 49: Press S and then .2 and Enter.

50. 50

    Step 50: Look at your upper right hand corner where the description of the scene should be.

51. 51

    Step 51: To apply the shape to your handle

52. 52

    Step 52: right click on the handle to select it.

53. 53

    Step 53: Go to the Object Data button and select it.

54. 54

    Step 54: In the Geometry section that you will see below the toolbar is a section called Bevel Object:.

55. 55

    Step 55: Start making changes to the circle.

56. 56

    Step 56: Convert the handle into a Mesh object.

57. 57

    Step 57: Delete the circle/square.

58. 58

    Step 58: Check to make sure that your handle placement is good.

59. 59

    Step 59: If your cup and handle are too far apart

60. 60

    Step 60: select the cup and move it so that it is closer to the handle.

61. 61

    Step 61: Join the cup and the handle together so that they are one object.

62. 62

    Step 62: Select Edit Mode.

63. 63

    Step 63: Select the Face Select icon.

64. 64

    Step 64: Move your cup so that you are 'behind' the handle.

65. 65

    Step 65: Press Delete and then select Faces.

66. 66

    Step 66: Change your angle of view again and be looking 'down' into the handle

67. 67

    Step 67: as seen in the screenshot.

68. 68

    Step 68: Go to where you selected Face Selection and change it to Edge Selection.

69. 69

    Step 69: Once you have done that

70. 70

    Step 70: press the edge (left edge of the handle in the screenshot).

71. 71

    Step 71: Hold down the SHIFT key

72. 72

    Step 72: then press the other two edges that you see selected.

73. 73

    Step 73: Press F. This connects the edges into one face.

74. 74

    Step 74: On the bottom side of the top connection of the cup handle

75. 75

    Step 75: do the same

76. 76

    Step 76: but you will only be connecting two edges.

77. 77

    Step 77: Do the same for the bottom part of the cup handle.

78. 78

    Step 78: Save your work.

79. 79

    Step 79: Change the Display Method to Wireframe.

80. 80

    Step 80: Press 1 to get a front view of your cup.

81. 81

    Step 81: Go to where you chose Edge Select and select the third icon there.

82. 82

    Step 82: Press B and then select the top vertices.

83. 83

    Step 83: Press E (Extrude) and then press Enter.

84. 84

    Step 84: Scale the top of the cup.

85. 85

    Step 85: Press the number 1 to get a front view.

86. 86

    Step 86: With the top vertices still selected

87. 87

    Step 87: press E. After you press E

88. 88

    Step 88: press Z.

89. 89

    Step 89: Press S and scale the inside until it is parallel with the outside of the cup.

90. 90

    Step 90: Repeat this process until you get to the third vertices.

91. 91

    Step 91: Press E to extrude but this time don't stop at the vertex.

92. 92

    Step 92: Press S to scale the bottom and bring it in

93. 93

    Step 93: but not as much as you have been.

94. 94

    Step 94: Press E and then Enter.

95. 95

    Step 95: Merge all of the points that you have been manipulating up until now (bottom of the coffee cup).

96. 96

    Step 96: Change the Display method to Solid and Edit Mode to Object Mode.

97. 97

    Step 97: Smooth the edges of your cup by going to your left tool bar and go to Shading >> Smooth.

98. 98

    Step 98: Select the wrench on the right side.

99. 99

    Step 99: Click on the World button to edit the material (the look of your cup).

100. 100

     Step 100: Click on New and select Mix Shader.

101. 101

     Step 101: Click on the first Shader drop box and select Diffuse BSDF.

102. 102

     Step 102: Change the color to a light gray.

103. 103

     Step 103: Click on the second Shader drop box and this time choose Glossy BSDF.

104. 104

     Step 104: Change the Roughness to 0 (zero).

105. 105

     Step 105: Change the Surface Fac to something around .14.

106. 106

     Step 106: Save your work.

107. 107

     Step 107: Click to just below the coffee cup to give the table a good origination.

108. 108

     Step 108: Go to Add >> Mesh >> Plane and add a plane to just below your cup.

109. 109

     Step 109: Select S

110. 110

     Step 110: and then Enter.

111. 111

     Step 111: Zoom in closer to the bottom of the cup and

112. 112

     Step 112: by using the BLUE arrow

113. 113

     Step 113: get the plane as close as possible to the cup.

114. 114

     Step 114: Go to the right toolbar; the World icon should still be selected.

115. 115

     Step 115: Click on New and then go with the default Diffuse BSDF option.

116. 116

     Step 116: Click in the white bar and change the color to whatever you want.

117. 117

     Step 117: Zoom out from your cup until you see the camera.

118. 118

     Step 118: Go to Add >> Mesh >> Plane.

119. 119

     Step 119: Click on R (Rotate) and then press 45.

120. 120

     Step 120: Increase the size by 5 times.

121. 121

     Step 121: Set the material for the light.

122. 122

     Step 122: Press 0 and then 5.

123. 123

     Step 123: Change the scene around through the camera.

124. 124

     Step 124: After you lock camera to view

125. 125

     Step 125: then go back to Properties and click it again.

126. 126

     Step 126: Move your cup around until it has the look you want.

127. 127

     Step 127: Click on the Render icon and without making any changes

128. 128

     Step 128: select Render.

129. 129

     Step 129: Under Sampling

130. 130

     Step 130: change the Render to a higher number

131. 131

     Step 131: (500 is used here) and change the Clamp to 0.98.

132. 132

     Step 132: Press Render again and then wait.

133. 133

     Step 133: Once it is done and you want to save or share it

134. 134

     Step 134: hover your mouse over your cup and press F3.

Detailed Guide

About the Author