Aaron ButlerCreative Design
Blender

Donut and Coffee

The standard first Blender project: modeling, sculpting, particles, procedural materials and a lit scene.

Year2026
Craft
MODELINGMATERIALSLIGHTING
01
Overview

The one everybody starts with

A fun tutorial from the Blender Guru. Using his classic donut placed on a plate along with a coffee cup on a saucer. This tutorial covered modeling, sculpting the icing so it drips over the edge, using the scatter modifier for the sprinkles, and finally lighting the scene to your own taste.
It's here because it's the honest starting point. The two views below take the scene apart instead of presenting it: the components separated out, and the same arrangement as wireframe, which is where the modeling actually shows.
The scene taken apart — icing lifted off the bread, the coffee surface off the mug. Every piece is its own object.
The scene taken apart — icing lifted off the bread, the coffee surface off the mug. Every piece is its own object.
The same arrangement in wireframe. The donut and the mug carry nearly all the geometry; the plates and the table are almost nothing.
The same arrangement in wireframe. The donut and the mug carry nearly all the geometry; the plates and the table are almost nothing.
02
Outcome

Where it is now

I'm having some trouble getting the exported model to play nice with the 3D viewer. So renders will have to do for now. I'm happy with how it turned out.
The full scene — donut, coffee, and the surface they sit on.
The full scene — donut, coffee, and the surface they sit on.
A shallow depth-of-field pass, composed as a photograph rather than a turntable.
A shallow depth-of-field pass, composed as a photograph rather than a turntable.