BlenderMCP MCP Server: Model Context Protocol for Enhanced 3D Modeling and Scene Creation

Overview: What is BlenderMCP MCP Server?

BlenderMCP integrates Blender, a powerful 3D modeling software, with Claude AI through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling real-time interaction between the two applications. This integration provides a seamless way to leverage AI prompts for creating, manipulating, and managing 3D scenes directly within Blender. By connecting these tools, users can achieve sophisticated workflows where AI suggestions inform and refine their modeling processes.

🔧 Core Features & MCP Capabilities

BlenderMCP offers several key features that enhance the capabilities of both MCP clients and Blender:

• Two-way Communication: The server enables real-time data exchange between the AI application (such as Claude Desktop) and Blender. Commands can be issued from the AI client to manipulate 3D scenes, while actions taken within Blender trigger confirmations or additional requests back to the AI.

• Object Manipulation: Users can create, modify, delete, move, rotate, and scale objects within Blender based on AI prompts.

• Material Control: The ability to apply and modify materials directly through API commands from the AI application, allowing for rich texturing and shading effects.

• Scene Inspection: Detailed information about the current 3D scene can be retrieved by the AI to better understand or respond to the context of ongoing modeling tasks.

• Code Execution: Arbitrary Python code execution within Blender is supported, enabling advanced automation and customization possibilities.

⚙️ MCP Architecture & Protocol Implementation

Communication Flow Diagram

The following Mermaid diagram illustrates the communication flow between the MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop) and the server.

graph TD
    A[AI Application] -->|MCP Client| B[MCP Server]
    B --> C[Blender Addon]
    C --> D[Blender Scene & Data]
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style B fill:#f3e5f5
    style C fill:#e8f5e8

Protocols Implementation Details

The protocol used by BlenderMCP is a JSON-based message exchange over TCP sockets. Commands sent from the MCP client to the server are structured as JSON objects containing type and optional params. Responses are also JSON formatted with fields like status, result, or message.

🚀 Getting Started with Installation

Prerequisites

To set up BlenderMCP, ensure you meet the following requirements:

• Software Versions: Blender 3.0 or newer and Python 3.10 or newer.
• uv Package Manager: This is essential for managing server launches. Use these commands based on your operating system.

On Mac:

brew install uv

On Windows:

irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex
set Path=C:\Users\nntra\.local\bin;%Path%

Otherwise, follow the official UV installation documentation.

Client Integration

For users of MCP clients such as Claude Desktop and Continue:

• Edit Configuration: In "Settings > Developer > Edit Config", add the mcpServers section with the appropriate command and arguments.

  {
      "mcpServers": {
          "blender": {
              "command": "uvx",
              "args": [
                  "blender-mcp"
              ]
          }
      }
  }
  

Installing the Blender Addon

1. Download addon.py from this repository.
2. Open Blender and navigate to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons.
3. Install the addon by selecting Install... and choosing the downloaded file.
4. Enable the addon in the "Interface: Blender MCP" section.

💡 Key Use Cases in AI Workflows

BlenderMCP serves several important use cases:

• AI Assisted Modeling: Users can generate detailed 3D scenes from textual descriptions using AI prompts, streamlining complex modeling tasks.

  • Example Use Case:

    "Create a cozy beachside cabin with palm trees, waves, and colorful sunsets."
    

• Material Design Automation: Automate the application of materials based on design guidelines provided by an AI.

  • Example Use Case:

    "Add a gold metallic finish to all metal objects in the scene and ensure shadows cast correctly."
    

🔌 Integration with MCP Clients

BlenderMCP works seamlessly with multiple MCP clients:

• Claude Desktop: Offers full support for Blender integration.

  • Integration Example: Follows the setup instructions provided in the README to connect Blender with Claude Desktop. This allows for real-time AI generated content creation.

📊 Performance & Compatibility Matrix

The compatibility matrix indicates which MCP clients work best with BlenderMCP:

MCP Client	Resources	Tools	Prompts
Claude Desktop	✅	✅	✅
Continue	✅	✅	✅
Cursor	❌	✅	❌

🛠️ Advanced Configuration & Security

• Execution Safety: The execute_blender_code feature allows running arbitrary Python code, making it powerful yet potentially dangerous. Always be cautious when using this tool in production environments.

• Poly Haven Integration: Enabling Poly Haven adds support for downloading assets through API calls.

  • Example Configuration:

    {
        "mcpServers": {
            "blender": {
                "command": "uvx",
                "args": [
                    "blender-mcp"
                ]
            }
        },
        "poly_haven_assets_enabled": true,
        "hyper3d_api_key": "your_hyper3d_api_key"
    }
    

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Connection Issues: Ensure that both the Blender addon server and the MCP client are running, and double-check configurations.

• Timeout Errors: Simplify your requests or break them into smaller steps to reduce latency.

• Poly Haven Integration: While useful for asset downloads, this feature can sometimes behave erratically. Consider alternative resources if issues persist.

• Complex Operations: Break down complex tasks into manageable steps to avoid overwhelming the protocol stack.

• Stability Concerns: Regularly restart both Blender and the MCP server when encountering persistent errors or crashes.

👨‍💻 Development & Contribution Guidelines

Contributions are warmly welcomed. Please submit issues, pull requests, or improve documentation through GitHub.

🌐 MCP Ecosystem & Resources

Explore more about Model Context Protocol (MCP) in various applications from the official documentation. For continuous support and community updates, join our Discord server: Discord.

By integrating Blender with MCP servers like BlenderMCP, developers can unlock new levels of efficiency and creativity in their AI-driven workflows.