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Want to learn how to create amazing stylized 3D characters without going to an expensive art school?


Me too!... and life is too short not to do what you love.

Jump into your art full-time with my comprehensive membership, workshops, and mentoring.

To get started, grab my Free Brushes for ZBrush.

Click here to grab my FREE Brushes

Want to level up your skills?

Click below to learn all about my flagship course, the 3D Character Workshop!

3D Character Workshop Training Bundle

Master the art of character creation for video games and collectibles with my comprehensive collection of courses. Learn to sculpt using any digital sculpting software and unleash your creativity.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE COURSE

Alright, who is this guy?

Hey, I'm Shane! I knew from a young age that I had artistic talent. It wasn’t until college that I decided to devote myself to digital art and turn my passion into my life’s work.

After 25+ years in the industry (ten of those being at Disney), I am now lucky enough to teach live workshops at world-famous studios that I only dreamed of working for. I am truly grateful for these opportunities. I feel the best part is being able to share that same knowledge with people like you.

I believe my characters not only make the world a better place but they also shape the people who experience them in beautiful ways. Through online education, I can help you make your own impact on the world around you.

Six years ago I created my 3D Character Workshop. Since then I've taught thousands of students all over the world! With my help, those students have built a thriving community where they learn and share their art every day.

Whether you’ve never picked up a stylus before or you are just looking to learn a new technique, I look forward to taking this creative journey together.

I mentioned that I run live workshops for big studios. Here are some of the biggest.

What is working with Shane like?

Okay, how about some student results?

George Zaky

Ami Tam

Corinne Cook

Joshua Carver

Tim Frank

Winston Eken

Wilberth Contreras

@nicolasaviori

Ikaruga

@jackelberri

Winston Eken

@simonfisherfx

Brad Lamey

Stefanie Meer

Winston Eken

@mikedeco3D

@jackelberri

Eva Camba

Where have some of your students gotten jobs?

 

You get out of the workshop what you put into it. It's no guarantee, but several of my students have gone on to get jobs in both the gaming and toy industries, as well as other industries like software, film, and television.  You can see more student work on the 3DCW Instagram Page HERE.

So, what do you think?

Are you ready to join the thousands of students that have already decided to level up their skills? 

CHECK OUT THE COURSE
3D Character Workshop Training Bundle
3D Character Workshop — Training Bundle

Sculpt
Characters
That Get You Hired

Over 2,500 students have used this course to break into the game, toy, and collectibles industry. Now with a complete 3D print pipeline — from first blockout to finished collectible in your hands.

Enroll Now — $997
One-time payment
Lifetime access
Lion-O 3D Print Character — completed in the 3D Character Workshop
2,500+
Students enrolled
100+
Hours of content
25+
Years experience
Students now work at
Shane Olson — Senior Character Artist, Disney
Your Instructor

10 Years at Disney.
Now Teaching You.

I'm Shane Olson. I spent a decade as a Senior Stylized Character Artist at Disney, sculpting the characters that became Disney Infinity. I currently work with Disney Consumer Products.

I've been teaching character sculpting since 2017. Over 2,500 students have been through this course. Several of them now work at studios I only dreamed of working for when I was starting out.

I built this course because the skills that get you hired aren't the ones most tutorials teach. I focus on how to think like a character artist — design principles, appeal, evaluation. The software is secondary.

  • 10 years at Disney — Senior Stylized Character Artist, Disney Infinity
  • Currently working with Disney Consumer Products
  • Weekly live streams on Maxon's YouTube channel (250k subscribers)
  • Guest workshops at Blizzard, Funko, McFarlane Toys, and more
  • 25+ years professional sculpting experience

What's Included

Five Complete Workshops.
One Complete Skill Set.

01
Flagship Course
The 3D Character Workshop

The core curriculum. Challenge-based, pre-recorded 2-hour sessions covering the full range of stylized character creation: blockouts, anatomy, props, hair, costume, and design. Taught alongside guest instructors Paul Gabory, Hector Moran, and Francis Xavier Martins. The goal isn't to follow along with one character — it's to build the skills to tackle any character you'll ever face.

Format: Weekly challenge videos Includes: Live feedback replays
02
Game Character Walkthrough
Cate Archer — Full Character Walkthrough

Scripted, clear, and structured. These lessons follow a script and use slides to teach character design through a fully finished game character. Covers rendering in Keyshot and Marmoset. Text descriptions accompany every video, making the content accessible even if English isn't your first language.

Covers: Design through final render Software: ZBrush, Keyshot, Marmoset
03
Game Character Walkthrough
Sir Loin — Full Pipeline Walkthrough

33 two-hour episodes recorded from a live student event. Follows the full game character pipeline from blockout through final textures in Substance Painter, with special guest Brendon Isaiah Bengtson. Covers high-res sculpting, retopology, UVs, map baking, and texturing. Students consistently say this single workshop is worth the price of the entire bundle.

33 episodes Covers: Full game-ready pipeline Guest: Brendon Isaiah Bengtson
04
3D Print Walkthrough — New & Complete
Lion-O — Full 3D Print Pipeline NewNow Complete

My most ambitious course to date. 34 hours of instruction recorded in a live-stream style, covering the complete journey from first blockout to finished 3D printed collectible. Stylized anatomy, costuming, the head and face, the Sword of Omens, the Claw Shield, a dynamic pose, and a custom base. Then: how to slice and key the character for printing in two different poses.

Guest instructor Wekster covers FDM printing prep with Bambu Labs software. Derek Jackson from Lychee Slicer walks through resin prep and supports. Start to finish. Block-out to physical object in your hands.

34 hours Covers: Sculpt → Slice → Print Guests: Wekster (FDM) + Derek Jackson / Lychee (Resin)
05
Beginner Entry Point
Mini-Bust Beginner Workshop

Three focused lessons on the latest workflows. Self-contained and designed to get you sculpting confidently before diving into the larger courses. If you're newer to character sculpting, start here.

Best starting point for beginners
+
Bonuses
The 3DCW Extras

The Official 3DCW Blender Addon — a full workspace redesign for Blender users with custom lighting sets, sculpt mode tools, retopo tools, and a 3D printing ruler. Comes with a complete tutorial video series. Plus the Kajabi community for student feedback and connection, monthly live Q&A calls with Shane, and a growing library of call replays and industry interviews.

Recommended Path

Not sure where to start?
Here's the path.

The bundle contains a lot of material. This is the order that makes sense for most students.

Step 01
Mini-Bust Workshop
Get your footing. Learn the core workflows quickly in a contained, beginner-friendly format.
Step 02
Cate Archer
Build foundational skills with a complete character walkthrough in a clear, structured format.
Step 03
Sir Loin
Go deep into the full game-ready pipeline. This is where most students say everything clicks.
Step 04
Lion-O
The complete 3D print pipeline. Take everything you've learned and end up with a physical character.
Student Results

What Students Say

This course was awesome. I have 30+ years as a pro artist and I learned so much. You can never stop learning. Well worth the cost.

Thom30-year industry professional

Shane taught me everything I needed to get a job in the toy industry. I wouldn't be where I am without this course.

Josh CarverNow working in the toy industry

I was a 2D artist at Disneyland Paris. After this course I'm now sculpting characters that sell on Main Street.

Marylene2D artist turned character sculptor

Before I found 3D Character Workshop I really struggled with ZBrush workflows and fundamentals. This course is clear, easy to understand, and I'd recommend it to everyone who wants to excel.

Ben WerbnerStudent

Shane's course was the perfect resource for gaining confidence and pushing my knowledge. Combined with a supportive community, signing up was a no-brainer.

Tim SteerStudent

Being a complete beginner to sculpting, Shane has helped me understand a tremendous amount about character creation from literally zero knowledge.

Colby AutreyStudent

Software

Use Whatever
You Already Have

This course teaches concepts, not buttons. The majority of content uses ZBrush, but students have completed every course using Blender and Nomad Sculpt on iPad. You don't need the latest version of anything.

ZBrush
Primary teaching software. Works on any version, including ZBrush 2022 (pre-Maxon). Desktop only for the custom UI.
Blender
Fully supported. The official 3DCW Blender Addon is included and makes following along seamless.
Nomad Sculpt
Works for the high-res sculpting portions. Many students follow along on iPad. Brushes and ruler project compatible.
Enrollment

Everything,
One Price.

This is the complete 3D Character Workshop bundle. Every workshop, every bonus, every future Q&A call. One payment.

  • →
    The 3D Character Workshop
    Flagship challenge-based curriculum
  • →
    Cate Archer Walkthrough
    Full game character, design to render
  • →
    Sir Loin Walkthrough
    Complete game pipeline, 33 episodes
  • →
    Lion-O 3D Print Walkthrough
    34 hours, blockout to printed collectible
  • →
    Mini-Bust Beginner Workshop
    Perfect entry point for newer sculptors
  • →
    Official 3DCW Blender Addon
    Full workspace redesign with tutorials
  • →
    Monthly Live Q&A Calls
    Ask Shane anything, replays included
  • →
    Community Access
    Student community on Kajabi, accessible via app
$997 regular price
$997
One-time payment — lifetime access
  • All 5 workshops included
  • 100+ hours of instruction
  • Blender Addon + tutorials
  • Monthly live Q&A calls
  • Kajabi community + mobile app
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
Enroll Now

14-day refund policy. If it's not right for you within 14 days, just let me know and I'll refund in full. No hoops.

Questions

Frequently Asked

Is this right for me if I'm a beginner?
The Mini-Bust Beginner Workshop is designed specifically as an entry point. Start there. Several students have gone from zero sculpting experience to professional work using this course. It rewards commitment at any level.
What software do I need?
The majority of the course uses ZBrush, but you can follow along with Blender or Nomad Sculpt on iPad. The Official 3DCW Blender Addon is included to make Blender users' experience seamless. You don't need the latest version of ZBrush — the Lion-O course was taught on ZBrush 2022.
Do I need a 3D printer to get value from the Lion-O course?
No. The sculpting, anatomy, posing, and design skills in Lion-O apply to any character project. The printing sections are there for students who want to take it all the way to a physical object, but they're not required to benefit from the course.
How long do I have access?
Lifetime access to everything in the bundle. Everything is hosted on Kajabi, accessible from your desktop or through the Kajabi mobile app. If anything ever changes, you'll get plenty of notice.
What are the monthly Q&A calls?
Once a month, Shane jumps on a live call with enrolled students. Bring questions about anything — software, workflow, career, design. All calls are recorded and added to the replay library.
What's your refund policy?
14 days, no questions asked. Get in, explore the material, and if it's not what you needed, send a message and you'll get a full refund.
Ready?

Start Sculpting
Characters That Get
You Hired.

Over 2,500 students. Students now working at Blizzard, Funko, McFarlane Toys, Riot Games, and Epic Games. The complete course. One price.

Enroll Now — $997