Create Your Own 3D Model in 5 Minutes with Fusion 360

Recently, I was trying to use After Effects (AE) to create some eye-catching logo animations, but ran into a challenge. Maybe you've been there too — you're making an animation and suddenly need to incorporate a special 3D model into your work.

What would you do? First, of course, search online for a suitable 3D model. However, most models you find may not be directly usable, or require payment. I needed a 3D brick model, but couldn't find one suitable for direct import into After Effects.

So I turned to Fusion 360. This 3D modeling software lets you design and create your own models that integrate perfectly into logo animations. Let me show you how to create a 3D brick model!

Prerequisites

• Fusion 360 software (see our installation guide)
• A reference image of what you want to model

We'll use a brick stud as our example.

Creating the Brick Body

Open Fusion 360. Before starting, check "Document Settings" > "Units" to make sure they match your model's scale (mm in our case).

Select "Create Sketch" from the SOLID menu. Choose the X-Y plane (bottom face) to build on.

Use "2 Point Rectangle" to create the brick body. Click the origin point and drag. Tip: Type dimensions directly and press Tab to switch between width and height. Set both sides to 7.8 mm.

Use "Extrude" to give it height — enter 9.6 mm to complete the brick body.

Adding the Top Stud

Create another sketch on the top face of the brick (important — select the correct face!).

Use "Circle > 2-Point Circle" to draw a circle with diameter 4.8 mm.

Use "Sketch Dimension" to center the circle. Set the distance from each edge to 3.9 mm (half of 7.8 mm).

Extrude the circle to a height of 14 mm to create the stud.

Refining the Model

Use the "Shell" tool on the bottom face to hollow out the brick (set thickness to 1.49 mm).

Use "Fillet" to smooth the edges (set to 0.1 mm for a realistic look).

Exporting

Save your file, then go to File > Export and select "OBJ Files (*.obj)" format. This is the standard format for importing into After Effects.

And that's it! You've created your own 3D brick model. Follow BrickNet for more tutorials on turning these models into stunning animations!