Welcome to the LDraw.org Tutorials section. Here you can learn techniques to enhance your proficiency with various LDraw tools.
Easy to follow step by step instructions teach you everything from using software programs to creating stunning renderings.
The tutorial section is constructed in a unique way to allow for easy expansion and addition of topics. We always have someone working on a new tutorial for LDraw.org. Courses are divided up into the following categories:
Within those categories there are levels - beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
For more information on contributing to the Tutorials section at LDraw.org, see the bottom of the page.
Tips and Tricks
These quick pointers will help you on your way to a smoother LDraw experience all-around.
Organize Your Tools
Organizing where you save the myriad of LDraw related tools is easy, and keeps them all in one place so they're easy to access.
Customize MLCad through the MLCad.ini file
The MLCad.ini file manages the minifig generator, defines the order of scanned folders during the launch of MLCad, which comes handy when dealing with unofficial (not yet certified) or custom LDraw parts and rules the interaction with LSynth.
Design
rare-colored models with confidence
ColorManager can help you design models using rare colors. It can also update MLCAD with the latest official LDraw colors - even change the names of the colors to other langauges.
Modeling
Learn the essentials of putting your LEGO models into the LDraw format using a variety of LDraw-based editing programs.
Beginner Modeling
LDraw All-In-One-Installer tutorial
Use the LDraw All-In-One-Installer if you want a quick and easy way to install the LDraw Parts Library and many of the popular 3rd party tools as well in one go.
Digital building with MLCad
This tutorial will teach you the basics to build digital models in MLCad. Furthermore it will show you tips and tricks and help with troubleshooting problems you might encounter.
LDraw and LEdit Tutorial
Learn to use the original DOS LDraw tools with Bram Lambrecht's very popular and easy to follow tutorial.
Intermediate Modeling
Advanced Modeling
File Format Conversion
Learn about converting file formats, the necessary link between Modeling and Rendering, and how to use the features of popular converters to your advantage.
Beginner Conversion
Intermediate Conversion
Peeron_to_MLCad Tutorial
A tutorial written by Michele Somma on how to convert a web page containing a set inventory from Peeron.com into a MLCad file.
Advanced Conversion
Cleaning LDraw Models for Export
LDraw models are great to look at, but are generally inappropriate for real-time rendering tasks such as video games. Here's why.
How to remove internal faces with MeshLab
Learn how to lower a converted model's polygon count by removing faces that are not visible to the viewer.
Rendering
Orient yourself with the many complexities of creating high quality rendered models and scenes of your LDraw creations.
Beginner Rendering
Intermediate Rendering
Advanced Rendering
How to build an army
Philip Heinrich teaches you how to create a winner for LDraw's Scene of the Month contest.
Building Instuctions
Learning how to make building instructions so others can have fun with your models.
Building Instructions
Animation
Take rendering to the next step and create movies of your LEGO models.
Beginner Animation
LDraw Animatable Models
Tips for creating models with moveable parts and how to position the parts so they correctly rotate around their center of rotation by James Reynolds.
Intermediate Animation
Parts Authoring
Learn how to create your own LDraw parts and how to submit them to the Parts Tracker for inclusion in our official updates.
Beginner Authoring
Bits �n Pieces
Here�s a crash course by Willy Tschager in LDraw part authoring and learn that you don�t have to be a math guru or hack your way through a jungle of ones or zeros.
Reviewing Parts for LDraw
Niels Bugge dives into the nuts'n'bolts of part reviewing and gives clues to ease the work of the reviewers.
Intermediate Authoring
Edger tutorial
Tutorial describing the use of Lee Gaiteri's Edger, an optional lines calculator (tutorial written by J.C. Tchang)
Advanced Authoring
Help Out! Write Tutorials for LDraw.org
We're looking for more good tutorials for the site to help out our new users and users who want to learn more. If you enjoy using the LDraw system of tools, this would be a great way to give back to the community! Tutorials only take an evening or two to write, so you're not killing yourself with a time commitment. Look on the right for the list of topics we're looking for.
The other cool thing is, no web skills are needed to write! Write your tutorial in plain text format, spacing out paragraphs, and zip up any images you create when you send it in!
If this sounds like something you would like to do, drop the webmasters a line and let them know! Thanks!!
We're Looking For These Tutorial Topics:
How to make images of your models for building instructions, web publications, and print media.
How to create photo-realistic renderings using L3P and POV-Ray. (step-by-step for beginners)
How to use the LGEO Library for better renderings.
Animations with POV-Ray
Creating Scenes in POV-Ray
Introduction to Parts Authoring
Optimizing a model for creating building instructions