# From Blender to Browser: How to Export 3D Animations to Lottie

*By LottieFiles · June 20, 2025*

Export 3D animations from Blender into a light and smooth Lottie!

---

This blog is authored by Vyankatesh Lutukurthi

> _"I’m a Motion Graphics Designer specializing in 2D/3D animations with After Effects and Blender. I create engaging visuals, video edits, and Lottie animations to bring brand stories to life."_

Previously, in my blog post ["From Blender to Browser: Making 3D Work on the Web,"](https://www.vyankatesh.org/post/from-blender-to-browser-making-3d-work-on-the-web), I discovered how using Lottie kept 3D animations lightweight on webpages—after plenty of trial and error.

This article (as a sequel to my initial blogpost, shall we say) will explain exactly how I used LottieFiles to export my 3D animations from Blender into a light and smooth Lottie.

## **Step 1: Create and animate your 3D model**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/1---create-animation.png)

Start in **Blender**, where your imagination shapes the scene.

-   Design and animate your 3D model as usual.
-   Set your animation frame rate to **24fps** to ensure smooth playback across devices.

Whether you're building character motion, product showcases, or abstract art, this foundational step defines the storytelling power of your animation.

## **Step 2: Export the animation from Blender**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/2---export.png)

Once you're satisfied with your animation:

-   For transparent scenes, tick **Transparent Background** in the **Render** tab.
-   Export the animation as a **PNG sequence**—this preserves high visual fidelity while keeping it versatile for post-processing.

## **(Optional) Step 3: Optimize the PNG sequence**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/3---png-sequence.png)

For faster loading times:

-   Convert your PNG sequence into **WebP format** for better optimization and faster web loading.

## **Step 4: Import the sequence into After Effects**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/4---import-to-after-effects.png)

Open **Adobe After Effects** and:

-   Import your PNG or WebP sequence for final adjustments.

## **Step 5: Export as a Lottie animation**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/5---export-to-Lottie--1-.gif)

Now the magic happens.

-   Install the [**LottieFiles for After Effects**](http://lottiefiles.com/ae) **plugin**.  
    
-   Select your composition timeline.  
    
-   Use the LottieFiles plugin panel to **render your animation**.

You'll get the option to:

-   Export using **standard compression** (free) or;  
    
-   Use **premium compression** for a smaller, performance-optimised file.

The result? A sleek .json Lottie file that retains the movement of your 3D model—at a fraction of the size of a video or GIF.

## **Step 6: Share with your developer**

![](https://blog-cdn.lottiefiles.com/2025/06/6-Workspace-Animation.gif)

Done rendering? Simply share the exported **Lottie .json** file with your developer.

You now have an interactive, lightweight 3D animation that plays natively on the web—no video hosting, no heavy assets.

## **Why go Lottie?**

Lottie lets you turn complex 3D animations into lightweight, scalable, and interactive web elements; without compromising quality or speed.

-   **Lightweight**: Lottie files are up to 600% smaller than GIFs or videos, ensuring fast load times.  
    
-   **Scalable**: As vector-based animations, they stay crisp at any size—no pixelation.  
    
-   **Interactive**: Easily trigger animations on scroll, hover, or click to create dynamic web experiences.  
    
-   **Cross-platform**: Use the same Lottie file across web, iOS, Android, and design tools like Figma and Webflow.  
    
-   **Easy handoff**: Designers export directly from After Effects, and developers get a clean JSON file ready to embed.

In short, Lottie makes it easy to bring 3D animations to the web—beautifully, responsively, and efficiently.

Try LottieFiles for After Effects

---

## Related Articles

- [14 Creative Examples of Animated 404 Pages](/blog/design-inspiration/animated-404-pages)
- [Motion Is the One Discipline You Can Feel but Can’t Measure](/blog/design-guides-and-tips/motion-is-the-one-discipline-you-can-feel-but-cant-measure)
- [How to Document Motion in Your Design System: A Step-by-Step Guide](/blog/designing-with-lottie-animations/how-to-document-motion-in-your-design-system-a-step-by-step-guide)
- [The Evolution of Lottie: Why dotLottie Is the New Baseline](/blog/dotlottie/the-evolution-of-lottie-why-dotlottie-is-the-new-baseline)