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Agent skill

Hard Surface

by arjun988 in arjun988/blender-skills

AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props.

MITAuto-check passedGame Development

Install Hard Surface

skills CLI
$ npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill hard-surface -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install arjun988/blender-skills hard-surface --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/arjun988/blender-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.claude/skills/hard-surface .claude/skills/hard-surface && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
hard-surface
GitHub stars
271
Token cost
~1.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
498 words
Files
3 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
38
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props.

  • Works in 5 steps: Primary forms first — Silhouette reads… → Manufacturing logic — Panel breaks… → Surface hierarchy — Primary > Secondary… → …
  • Boolean/bevel workflows
  • SKILL.md covers When to Use, Design Principles, Workflow and Boolean Workflow, plus 11 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Hard Surface is an agent skill from arjun988/blender-skills. AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props. Use for boolean/bevel workflows, panel lines, greebles, chamfers, and manufacturing-accurate surfaces in Blender via MCP.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files, including reference files (for example `references/boolean-workflow.md` and `references/greeble-patterns.md`).

It sits in Game Development, covering MCP servers. It works with Model Context Protocol and Blender. The repository describes itself as: 94 specialist Blender skills for Cursor, Claude Code, Kiro & Codex - MCP-powered production pipeline from blockout to engine export. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Boolean/bevel workflows
  • Manufacturing-accurate surfaces in Blender via MCP

Example prompts

  • “/hard-surface”

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Primary forms first — Silhouette reads at distance
  2. Manufacturing logic — Panel breaks follow construction seams
  3. Surface hierarchy — Primary > Secondary > Tertiary > Micro (greebles)
  4. Functional readability — Every form suggests purpose
  5. Edge consistency — Uniform bevel widths per detail tier

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 8f778d2. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Hard Surface loads about 1.4k tokens when it runs, and up to ~1.8k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 61 tokens; SKILL.md has 498 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~61
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.4k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~1.8k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from arjun988/blender-skills at commit 8f778d2, republished under its MIT licence (© arjun988). 498 words, ~1,387 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/hard-surface/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
hard-surface
description
AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props. Use for boolean/bevel workflows, panel lines, greebles, chamfers, and manufacturing-accurate surfaces in Blender via MCP.
license
MIT
metadata.author
https://github.com/arjun988
metadata.version
1.0.0
metadata.domain
blender
metadata.role
specialist
metadata.triggers
hard surface, sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicle, spaceship, weapon, robot, machinery, boolean, bevel, panel line, greeble, mechanical
metadata.related-skills
blender-modeler, materials, uv-workflow, asset-optimization, vehicle-artist, prop-artist

Hard Surface Artist

Production hard surface modeling with manufacturing logic. Readable surfaces. Clean modifier stacks. MCP-first.

When to Use

  • Sci-fi consoles, spaceships, industrial equipment
  • Weapons, vehicles, robotics, military props
  • Mechanical assemblies with panels, vents, bolts
  • Any asset requiring crisp edges, booleans, chamfers

Design Principles

  1. Primary forms first — Silhouette reads at distance
  2. Manufacturing logic — Panel breaks follow construction seams
  3. Surface hierarchy — Primary > Secondary > Tertiary > Micro (greebles)
  4. Functional readability — Every form suggests purpose
  5. Edge consistency — Uniform bevel widths per detail tier

Workflow

Reference → Scale Blockout → Primary Volumes → Panel Breaks
    → Boolean Cuts → Bevel Pass → Weighted Normals
    → Greebles (instanced) → UV Planning → Materials

Boolean Workflow

1. Block primary forms (no booleans yet)
2. Create cutter objects on separate collection COL_Booleans
3. Apply scale on all operands
4. Boolean Difference/Union — keep LIVE
5. Fix intersection artifacts with manual cleanup if needed
6. Bevel AFTER boolean in modifier stack
7. Apply booleans only at export prep

Boolean rules:

  • Cutter objects named SM_Cutter_[Feature]
  • Prefer exact solver for mechanical work
  • Avoid booleans on curved surfaces without adequate topology
  • Duplicate mesh before first boolean as backup

Bevel Workflow

Detail TierBevel WidthSegments
Primary edges0.005–0.02m2–3
Panel lines0.001–0.003m1–2
Micro detail0.0005–0.001m1
  • Use bevel weight or edge marks for selective beveling
  • Weighted Normal modifier after bevel (keep sharp: 30°)
  • Never bevel entire mesh uniformly on complex assets

Panel Lines

Techniques (prefer non-destructive):

  1. Inset faces + slight extrude inward
  2. Knife cuts on flat panels
  3. Boolean with thin cutter boxes
  4. Normal map detail for distant panels

Place panel lines at:

  • Structural boundaries
  • Access hatches, maintenance points
  • Material transitions
  • Manufacturing seam locations

Greebles

  • Instance small detail meshes; never model unique unless hero
  • Collection: COL_Greebles
  • Keep greebles on separate mesh for easy toggle
  • Budget: greebles should not dominate polycount
  • Use array + random transform for scatter greebles

Hard Edge Management

Sharp edges → Mark Sharp or Bevel Weight = 1.0
Soft transitions → Bevel Weight = 0.0–0.5
Auto Smooth angle: 30°–45° for hard surface
Weighted Normal modifier: Keep Sharp enabled

Manufacturing Reference

Real-World FeatureModeling Approach
Sheet metal bendBevel + slight inset
Weld seamThin raised strip or normal map
Bolt patternInstanced cylinder, hex inset
Vent grilleBoolean cut + array
Cable routingCurve + bevel object or geo nodes
Rubber gasketSeparate mesh, slight inset channel
Show full SKILL.md (213 more words)Show less

Vehicle / Spaceship Specifics

Prefer vehicle-artist for cars, ships, aircraft, and mechs. Use this skill when the vehicle is primarily hard-surface sci-fi detailing under a broader HS brief.

  • Establish centerline symmetry early (Mirror modifier)
  • Flow lines follow aerodynamic/structural logic
  • Landing gear, thrusters as separate objects
  • LOD: bake panel detail to normal at distance

Weapon Specifics

  • Grip pivot at hand contact center
  • Sight line alignment verified
  • Separate moving parts (slide, magazine) as objects
  • First-person: optimize silhouette for viewmodel

MCP Integration

Execute via MCP:

  1. Create blockout primitives
  2. Apply mirror/array modifiers
  3. Execute boolean operations
  4. Apply bevel and weighted normal
  5. Instance greeble collections
  6. Query polycount per phase

Constraints

MUST DO
  • Maintain manufacturing plausibility
  • Keep modifier stack non-destructive until export
  • Use instancing for repeated mechanical detail
  • Verify silhouette at 45° increments
  • Apply scale before booleans
MUST NOT DO
  • Boolean on unsubdivided curved surfaces without support
  • Uniform bevel on entire complex mesh
  • Model every bolt uniquely
  • Skip weighted normals on hard surface
  • Exceed polycount budget with micro-detail

Reference Guide

TopicReferenceLoad When
Boolean deep divereferences/boolean-workflow.mdComplex cuts
Greeble libraryreferences/greeble-patterns.mdDetail pass
Pipeline../references/asset-pipeline.mdPhase context

Style Integration

StyleAdjustment
realistic-styleFull bevel + PBR materials
lowpoly-styleSkip micro-bevels; large flat panels
horror-styleIndustrial wear; asymmetric damage
stylized-styleExaggerated panel breaks; bold bevels

© arjun988, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (references) in .claude/skills/hard-surface of arjun988/blender-skills.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/boolean-workflow.md
  • references/greeble-patterns.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 8f778d2

Compare with similar skills

Hard Surface next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Hard Surface compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Hard Surface this skillarjun988/blender-skills271—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Scenario Orbit Viewsscenario-labs/skills898—~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Blender MCP Videomicky-li-hd/VideoCoCo115—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Blender MCPTommy-yw/RunbookHermes5461 repos~1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Unreal Blueprint Authoringflopperam/unreal-engine-mcp1.1k—~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassNone
MCP DriverRandallLiuXin/GodotMaker5491 repos~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence

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Works with

Categories

Questions about Hard Surface

What does Hard Surface do?

AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props. Hard Surface is an agent skill from arjun988/blender-skills. AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props.

When should I use Hard Surface?

Hard Surface fits situations like: boolean/bevel workflows; manufacturing-accurate surfaces in Blender via MCP.

How do I install Hard Surface in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill hard-surface -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.claude/skills/hard-surface in arjun988/blender-skills) into .claude/skills/hard-surface in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Hard Surface in Codex?

Run `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill hard-surface -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.claude/skills/hard-surface in arjun988/blender-skills) into .agents/skills/hard-surface in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Hard Surface in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add arjun988/blender-skills --skill hard-surface -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/hard-surface, .gemini/skills/hard-surface, .github/skills/hard-surface and .opencode/skills/hard-surface in your project.

What does Hard Surface need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Hard Surface is instructions for the agent only.

Does Hard Surface access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Hard Surface safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Hard Surface use?

Hard Surface is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Hard Surface use?

About 1.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 462 tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Hard Surface?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Hard Surface: Scenario Orbit Views (scenario-labs/skills, 898 stars), Blender MCP Video (micky-li-hd/VideoCoCo, 115 stars), Blender MCP (Tommy-yw/RunbookHermes, 546 stars) and Unreal Blueprint Authoring (flopperam/unreal-engine-mcp, 1.1k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Hard Surface?

arjun988 (a GitHub user) maintains it in arjun988/blender-skills, which has 271 GitHub stars. The repository holds 38 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on July 10, 2026.

Source: arjun988/blender-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.