From Vector to Game Asset: A Simple 3D Pipeline (Illustrator → Blender)

Overview

When producing iGaming creatives at high volume, repeating stock imagery quickly becomes obvious and limits variation. To solve this, I use a lightweight 2D→3D pipeline that lets me create one clean asset and then generate many consistent variations (angle, lighting, crop) without redesigning from scratch.

Goal

Create reusable 3D assets that can be rendered in multiple angles/lighting setups and reused across creatives while staying consistent in style.

My role

I owned the pipeline and produced the assets and renders end-to-end, including the 2D source artwork, 3D build, lighting, rendering, and final compositing.

Tools

Illustrator (vector source), Blender (modeling + lighting + rendering), Photoshop (final compositing/output).

Constraints

The pipeline needed to be fast to iterate, flexible for multiple banner layouts, and simple enough that outputs (renders) could be reused by teammates who don’t work in 3D daily.

Process

1) Start with a clean vector asset (Illustrator)

I create the base element in Illustrator and export it as SVG so it stays editable and precise when moving into 3D.

2) Build the 3D form (Blender)

After importing the SVG into Blender, I convert it into geometry and create depth using basic modeling operations (primarily extrude, bevel, scaling, and loop cuts where needed for control).

3) Light for rapid variation (HDRI)

Lighting is key to making simple geometry feel premium and consistent. I often use HDRIs to quickly achieve believable illumination and reflections across variations.

4) Render multiple outputs from one asset

One finished model can produce many renders: different angles, crops, and lighting setups, useful for quickly generating a family of consistent visuals. For speed, I’ll use Eevee when the goal is quick iteration, and Cycles when I need higher fidelity.

5) Deliver reusable renders + final compositions

I export renders with transparent backgrounds so they’re easy to place into layouts. Final assembly (type, offer text, composition, export) happens in Photoshop.

Outcome

This workflow creates a small “asset system” rather than one-off artwork: a single source can generate multiple consistent creative options quickly, while keeping a uniform visual style.

What I’d improve next

To push this further for in-product/game contexts, I would expand the output into a mini component library (naming conventions, render sets per asset, and standardized angles) so assets can drop into UI overlays and game-adjacent layouts more predictably.