Blender 3D: Noob to Pro
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About This Book
editBlender 3D: Noob to Pro is a product of shared effort by numerous team members and anonymous editors. Its purpose is to teach people how to create three-dimensional computer graphics using Blender, a free software application.
This book is intended to be used in conjunction with other on-line resources that complement it:
- Other Blender-related Wikibooks on topics such as scripting and creating games;
- The Blender Wiki for technical documentation;
- User forums, such as the Blender Artists Forum.
While you can learn simply by reading the book, you'll get more out of the tutorials if you follow along. In order to do this, you'll need access to a computer with Blender installed. You can download Blender from the Blender Foundation's website; more detailed instructions are in the first module.
Version compatibility: Blender is under continuous development, and most of the following tutorials do not apply to the current version of Blender. While you might find some individual tutorials still useful, this book should no longer be used as a general guide for learning Blender. |
Version-specific content should be tagged with a note that looks like this:
Applicable Blender version: 2.75. |
Overview
editThe core of this book is a series of tutorials that increase in complexity, with later tutorials building on the preceding ones. While experienced users can skip ahead, beginners are urged to proceed through the tutorials in sequence.
The tutorials in the core series are grouped into four units:
- Background — A basic orientation regarding:
- Computer graphics
- The Blender user interface (UI)
- Basic Modeling and Shading — Basic techniques for building and rendering 3D models
- Broadening Horizons
- Alternative modeling and rendering techniques
- Introductions to lighting, animation, and game creation
- Taking Off
- Scripting
- Advanced techniques for modeling, animation and game creation (Note: the Blender Game Engine is not available as of 2.8x onwards)
Each unit is subdivided into sections, which are made up of modules.
Three appendices are also provided:
- Reference Material — including:
- General Advice — Tips to help you get the most out of Blender
- Miscellaneous Tutorials — Tutorials that aren't part of the core series
Table of Contents
editUnit 1: Background
edit- Knowing before Making ⇐ START HERE
- What Blender Can Do
- Section 1A: 3D Concepts
- Section 1B: User Interface (UI.)
Unit 2: Basic Modeling and Shading
edit- Section 2A: Your First Mesh Models
- Section 2B: Smooth Meshes (Simple Person with a Hat)
- Section 2C: Materials and Textures
- Beyond Basics
- Blender Memory Management
- Using Bones
- Mountains out of Molehills
- Modeling a Volcano
- Penguins from Spheres
- Dicing With Depth (Dice Modeling)
- Model a Goblet
- Simple Vehicle
- Modeling a 3D Parachute in Blender
- Model a Low Poly Head
- Building a House
- Pipe joints
- Lighting Suzanne: Introductory one lamp lighting
- Curve and Path Modeling
- Using Reference Photos
- Further Materials and Textures
Unit 3: Broadening Horizons
edit- UV Maps - Pasting photos to 3D surfaces
- Lighting
- Basic Animation
- Particle Systems
- Blender Game Engine
Unit 4: Taking Off with Advanced Tutorials
edit- Python Scripting
- Advanced Modeling
- Advanced Materials and Textures
- Advanced Animation
- Advanced Game Engine
- Hacking Blender
Appendices
editReference Material
edit- Glossary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tutorial Links List
- Hotkeys
- Output Formats
- Image Portfolio
- Blender Glossary
- Materials Directory: Every Material Known To Man
- Sources of free 3D models - Sources of free 3D models for additional study
- All Blueprints Links – blueprints from all over the Web
- Materials, Textures, Photos - Sources of free materials, textures and photos
Advice
editGeneral advice:
Performance tips (for making Blender run faster):
Miscellaneous Tutorials
editThis is our attic, mostly tutorials that could be useful to some extent if they would be revamped completely, but are of little use at the moment. If you can contribute to some of them, go ahead and rewrite them to your liking!
- Modeling a Gingerbread Man
- Modeling a simple space-ship
- Create an animated GIF wallpaper (Blender/GIMP)
- Creating Weapons based on 2D Images
- Modeling with Meta Balls
- Match Moving
- Match Moving/Motion Tracking with Icarus and Blender
- Create a Clayman
- Organic Modeling
- Understanding the Fluid Simulator
- Creating a jewel in Blender
- Modeling a picture
- Modeling with the Spin Tool
- Creating Ogg-Theora movies using Blender
- Creating animated GIFs using Blender and Gimp
- 3D Tiling Backgrounds For The Web
- Cool Things That Aren't That Obvious in Blender
- Troubleshooting Common Technical Issues and What to do About Them
- Creating Blender Libraries
- Add some depth with stereo
- Ways to create a "fluffy" effect (materials and lights)
- Human Body
- Rendering Information
- Using Blender Libraries
- Beginning Modeling Final Project
- Using Inkscape to make advanced Bezier curves
- Light Mapping
- Platonic Solids
- Animation Notes and FAQ
- Customization
- Mist - Make Objects Opaque
Additional Resources
edit A Wikibookian suggests that Blender 3D: MemoBook be merged into this book. Discuss whether or not this merger should happen on the discussion page. |