This fluffy hamster made in Blender looks like a real soft toy

We've seen some impressive projects made in Blender – including even an Oscar-winning animation with Flow. As one of the best free 3D apps, it's powerful and versatile, serving for everything from 2D animation to the creation of photoreal 3D models.

This furry 3D hamster falls into the latter category. People are saying that it looks criminally squishy and adorable, and the artist has shared the process of making it.

The 'Ham-chan' looks like a real plush toy, but the cute hamster-like character is a 3D model created and animated by Jamozisan, a 3D and CG artist who declares themselves a big fan of “cute things and food”.

I presume this character design isn't for eating, although some the fluffy creature does look incredibly sweet with his chubby cheeks.

If you want to know how Jamozisan made it, you're in luck. The Japan-based artist posted on X throughout the process to show the progress made, from the initial model to texturing and rigging, and more recently several renders produced using Blender's EEVEE (also see our roundup of Blender tutorials for tips).

Here's how it started in early December. Jamozisan said he hadn't made a character for a while and ended up with one with “ridiculously wide shoulders”.

Within a week, the artist was putting the pieces together but still didn't think the character was cute enough.

A tail was added.

And then “squishy paw pads”.

“I'm making it all fluffy,” the artist writes in a progress update in mid-December.

The fur had to be adjusted because the armpit hair “went crazy” when the arm was raised.

The hamster is finally complete and in his element.

For more inspiration, see our roundup of 3D art inspiration.