Difference between revisions of "Blender"

Revision as of 11:12, 7 December 2012

Blender is a free open source 3D graphics application, available under the GNU General Public License for the Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Blender's features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, water and smoke simulations, skinning, animating, rendering, particle and other simulations, video editing software, compositing, and the ability to create interactive 3D applications, video games, animated film, or visual effects. More advanced tools include rigid, realistic body, fluid, cloth and softbody dynamics simulation, modifier-based modeling, character animation, a node-based material and compositing system, and embedded scripting in Python.

As of 7th July, 2011, we are using Blender 2.59 as the stable version to demonstrate these tutorials. The OS used for screen-capture is Windows XP SP2. The shortcuts shown in the tutorial videos are common for both Windows and Linux systems. For the users of MacOS, appropriate alternatives (for keyboard shortcuts) have to be used.

BASIC LEVEL

Basic information about Blender

1. Sample production process of 3D animation (entertainment)
   
   • Demonstrate the production pipeline used by studios to create content for entertainment using the case study of an open movie project.
2. Sample production process of 3D animation (education)
   
   • Highlight the approach for creating educational content

Installing Blender

1. Hardware Requirements for Blender
   
   • List the hardware requirements of a machine in order to run Blender.
   • Provides you with a brief introduction about Blender
   • Also gives links to a guide to constructing a machine suitable for Blender
     
2. Installating Blender in Windows
   
   • Guide to install Blender on Windows
   • Visit the Official Blender Website
   • Download Blender as an installer/archive as per your system requirement
   • To install Blender using the archive
   • To install Blender using the installer
3. Installation Process for Linux
   
   • Guide to install Blender on Linux
4. Installation Process for Mac OSX
   
   • Guide to install Blender on Mac OSX

Navigation

1. 3D Cursor
   
   • Navigation - Concept of 3D Cursor
   • Using the 3D Cursor while Modeling/Animating
   • To add new objects to the 3D view in Blender using 3D cursor
   • The snapping options for 3D cursor in Blender
2. Navigation - Moving in 3D Space
   
   • Keyboard and Mouse Controls to traverse in 3D
   • Change viewport Camera Orientation
   • To Pan the view
   • To Rotate in Blender Viewport
   • To zoom the view
3. Navigation - Camera View
   
   • To change the location of the camera to get a new camera view
   • To roll the camera view
   • To pan the camera view
   • To dolly the camera view
   • To track the camera view
   • To select a new camera view using the fly mode

Blender Interface

1. Basic Description of Blender Interface
   
   • Outline the basics of the Blender Interface
   • The parameters and tabs assigned to each window
   • How to select an object in the 3D View
   • How to move an object in X, Y and Z directions
   • About the 3D Transform Manipulator and significance of its colors
   • Basic Transformations such as translate
   • Describes various Selection Options
   • Describes the options available in the Object Tools Panel
   • Reference to the Object Transform Panel
   • Describes the Info Panel
   • Adding Objects to the scene
   • Reference to the Outliner Panel, the Properties Window and the Timeline
2. How to Change Window types in Blender
   
   • Resize any window in the Blender Interface
   • Toggle between different windows
   • Split the windows
   • Merge them back together
   • Maximize any window into full screen mode
3. Types of Windows - File Browser and Info Panel
   
   • Describes the File Browser window
   • Locate blend file saved on your system
   • Create a new directory
   • Describes the Info Panel
   • Describes various options such as File, Open, Add, Render, Screen Layout etc.
4. Types of Windows - User Preferences
   
   • Describes the User Preferences window
   • Describes the various options available
   • To customize Blender Interface using User Preference Window
   • Provides an alternative for Laptop users to use Numpad keys
   • Installing Add-ons
   • Changing themes of the Interface
   • Saving the customized changes
5. Types of Windows - Outliner
   
   • Describes the Outliner window
   • Significance of the Eye icon
   • Significance of the Arrow icon
   • Significance of the Camera icon
   • Provides information with reference to the current scene
   • Grouping similar objects
6. Types of Windows - Properties Part 1
   
   • Describes the first panel [Render] of the Properties window
   • Image Option
   • Animation Option
   • Render Panel
   • Reference to the UV Image Editor
   • Change the Render Display
   • Change resolution
   • Change frame range
   • Change frame rate
   • Create an Output folder for the render files.
7. Types of Windows - Properties Part 2
   
   • Describes the Scene Panel
   • Describes the World Panel
   • Describes the Object Data panel
   • The various settings in the Scene panel, World panel and Object panel under the Properties window
   • Change scene units
   • Change World panel properties
   • Change Transform Properties
8. Types of Windows - Properties Part 3
   
   • Describes the Object constraints panel
   • Describes the Modifiers Panel
   • Describes the Object Data Panel
   • The various settings in the Object Constraints panel, Modifiers panel and Object Data panel
   • Adding Constraints
   • Applying Modifiers to Objects
   • Reference to Shape keys for animation
9. Types of Windows - Properties Part 4
   
   • Describes the Material panel
   • Applying a new material
   • Naming the new material
   • Types of render outputs – Surface, Wire, Volume and Halo
   • Available Preview options
   • Describes the Diffuse Option
   • Describes the Shader Option
10. Types of Windows - Properties Part 5
    
    • Describes the Texture panel
    • Describes the Texture Slot Box
    • Adding, deleting and copying textures
    • Lists the types of Textures available
    • Reference to Bump Mapping
    • Characteristics of the textures
11. Types of Windows - UV/Image Editor
    
    • Describes the UV/Image Editor
    • The different settings of the UV/Image Editor
    • The two types of textures supported in Blender
    • To apply Image texture to any object in Blender
    • Basic Image Editing features
12. Types of Windows - Timeline
    
    • Describes the Timeline Window
    • Different settings in the timeline window
    • Reference to key frames
    • The animation controls in the Timeline window
13. Types of Windows - 3D View Part 1
    
    • Concept of the 3D Viewport
    • The basic settings in the 3D View
    • Explore the 3D Manipulator menu
    • The Global and Local Transform axes
14. Types of Windows - 3D View Part 2
    
    • Concept of the 3D Viewport
    • The 3D view header
    • The basic settings in the 3D view header
    • To work with Layers in the 3D view

Modes, Properties Panels and their Settings

1. Modes
   
   • Object Mode
   • Edit Mode
2. The Toolbar and Properties Panel
   
   • The various settings in the Toolbar and Properties panel under View

The following tutorials are not essential, but recommended for gaining a better knowledge of Blender's feature-set. If you have followed all the tutorials above, you would be able to comfortably work through the tutorials in subsequent sections but we recommend these tutorials if you happen to develop an interest in one of these aspects of Blender.

Blender Interface

1. Types of Windows - Python Console
   
   • Describes the Python Console
2. Types of Windows - Logic Editor
   
   • Describes the Logic Bricks and the Basics of Sensors, Actuators and Controllers.
3. Types of Windows - Node Editor
   
   • Describes the basics of the Blender Compositor and various node types.
4. Types of Windows - Text Editor
   
   • Describes the Text Editor and use for Scripting.
   • Creating New Scripts
   • Opening Scripts
   • Saving Scripts
5. Types of Windows - Video Sequence Editor
   
   • Describes the basics of the Video Sequence Editing within Blender.
6. Types of Windows - NLA Editor
   
   • Concept of Actions
   • Basic NLA Editor Features
7. Types of Windows - Dopesheet
   
   • Concept of Dopesheet
   • Benefit to animators
8. Types of Windows - Graph Editor
   
   • Concept of F-curves

Modes, Properties Panels and their Settings

(Chirag)

1. Modes
   • Sculpt Mode
   • Vertex Paint
   • Texture Paint
   • Weight Paint

Resources

1. Keyboard Shortcuts (.pdf)
2. Blend Files
3. Presentations