Field guide · free assets for 3D video scenes

Free 3D Asset Map

Seven free sources for characters, sets, textures and light. Select a scene. The map shows which source gives each layer.

7 sources 9 scene recipes 5 sources fully CC0 0 paid files needed

Scenes

What do I want to make?

CCharacters
EEnvironment
LLight and sky

Sources

What each site is for

Compare

All seven at a glance

Rules

Three things to remember

One style per scene

Do not mix low-poly and realistic models in one scene.
HDRIs are the exception. A Poly Haven HDRI fits every style.
For realistic characters, use Poly Haven and ambientCG.
For cartoon scenes, use Quaternius characters.

Credits on YouTube

CC0: no credit is necessary.
CC-BY / OGA-BY: put a credit in the description.
CC-BY-SA / GPL: do not use in a monetized video.

"Guy" by CLOAKING .US poly.pizza/m/0eU7bl0a6Cg CC BY 3.0 — modified

Animations from other sources

Humanoid animations can be retargeted from one rig to another.
Quaternius uses a standard humanoid rig. Animations from other common rigs fit it.
KayKit and Kenney characters look best with their own animations.
An auto-rig tool can rig a mesh with no rig and human proportions.
Big-head, small-body characters make retargeted animations clip.