Shape Modeling Exercise Series - #1

This is the first video in a series of videos on modeling shapes in Blender.

The point of these videos is not to model a complete object but to rather focus on different shapes and issues that you may encounter while modeling. So, essentially, these are exercises.

Hopefully, these videos will help you better understand how to approach modeling certain shapes, and what tools are available in Blender to make things easier.

(The techniques demonstrated aren't intended to be the exact solution for every scenario.)

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Creating Mesh-based Arches from Curves

This video tutorial will show you how to leverage the power of curves to create smooth polygon-based arches. We'll also take a look at how to control the polycount of the resulting mesh. After covering the basics, there are two short timelapse videos demonstrating a couple of variations on the techniques.

The resulting geometry can be used to help create archways, doorways, architectural support structures, etc.



Watch the tutorial online
(FLV streaming, Length - 11:31)
Or, Download the 62MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Video Tutorial: Creating a Text Outline Effect in Blender

In this short tutorial, we'll take a look at how you can use Blender to create text outline effects. Our goal will be to have the text appear as two-dimensional printed text as opposed to 3D text.



After viewing this tutorial and studying the included references, you will be able to:

• Add text to a Blender scene and change its font
• Setup a camera to render a scene orthogonally
• Create a window to display your rendered scene using the Image Editor
• Gain control of the bevel of a curve object
• Control the anti-aliasing of your rendered scene using the OSA filters
• Create a text outline effect
• Remove shadows and lighting from an object's material
  

and more...




Additional References:

• 3D Text
• Curves
• Editing Curves
• Oversampling (aka OSA or Anti-aliasing)
  

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

QuickTip Video: How to Animate a Cylinder along a Curve

Hey there,

Here's a quick tip video (with audio) that shows how to animate an object along a curve that will also cause the object to be deformed by the curve.

Note: There is no actual setting of keyframes covered in the tutorial.

Watch the tutorial online
(SWF streaming, Length - 5:28)

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

QuickTip Video: How to Make 3D Cables/Wires in Blender

Here's a super quick video (no audio or keystrokes) I created in response to a question I received via the Message feature of the Blender Toolbar.

Tal asks:

Is there a tutorial or guide for modeling cables/wires? Any suggestions?

View the Answer online.

Download the SWF file (3.07MB) to view offline (you can drag-drop the .swf file onto your browser to play it).

Are these types of videos helpful without audio and keystrokes?

Note: I won't always have the time to answer quick questions but, if I can, I will. Thanks.

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Video: Oven-Baked Pretzels in Blender 3D (Complete)

I love hot, oven-baked pretzels. I haven't had one in a good long while, though. So, I thought I would create some 3D pretzels in Blender!

This video tutorial series will take a look at how you can create 3D pretzels in Blender. We'll start from a collection of reference images and go, step-by-step, all the way through to the final render.


For more experienced users, here's a PDF file of the outline used in the creation of the tutorial. It provides a good overview of the entire process.


I hope you enjoy it.


Part 1 - The Draft Scene

• We take a look at our reference images
• Establish a basic work environment in Blender
• Create a draft version of the oven and conveyor belt
• Create some proxy objects for the pretzels

Watch the tutorial online (faster access to different chapters!)
(SWF streaming, Length - 17:54)
Or, Download the 48.8MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).
Or, Download via Torrent.


Part 2 - The Basic Pretzel Mesh

• Create pretzel mesh using a curve, BevOb, and Shrink/Flatten (Alt-S)
  

Watch the tutorial online
(FLV streaming, Length - 10:56)
Or, Download the 70.8MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

torrent available later...


Part 3 - Sculpting Details

• Learn some basic sculpting keystrokes that free you from the Properties panel
• Use sculpting to give the pretzel more volume and realism

Watch the tutorial online (faster access to different chapters!)
(FLV streaming, Length - 14:45)
Or, Download the 60.3MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

torrent available later...


Part 4 - Materials

• Flattening the bottom of the pretzel mesh
• Multi-Layered materials
• Vertex Painting
• Texturing the conveyor
• Adjusting the pretzel proxies
• Replacing the pretzel proxies

Watch the tutorial online (faster access to different chapters!)
(FLV streaming, Length - 53:41)
Or, Download the 183MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).


torrent available later...


Part 5 - Soft Shadows, Lights, Tweaks

• Using Mist for Shadowy Areas
• Soft Shadows Demo
• Applying Soft Shadows
• Object Name Editor script
• Adding and Tweaking Details
• Lighting the Scene
• Final Environment Tweaks
  

Watch the tutorial online (faster access to different chapters!)
(FLV streaming, Length - 1:02:55)
Or, Download the 180MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

torrent available later...


Reference Material:

• Mist
• Buffer Shadows
• Ambient Occlusion
• Blender Spotlights
• Blender Lamps
• Ambient Light
• Loop Cuts

Part 6 - The Finishing Touches

• Adding "feet" to the Pretzel
• Final Adjustments to the Basic Pretzel
• Making Each Pretzel Unique
• Final Tweaks
• A Little Post-Production
  

Watch the tutorial online (faster access to different chapters!)
(FLV streaming, Length - 41:38)
Or, Download the 162MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

torrent available later...


Reference Material:

• Numpad-Asterisk(*): align view to selected object(s)
• In Vertex Paint mode, you can sample colors faster by right-clicking any desired color within a 3D View.
• To save an image of your render to file, press F3. The file will be saved according to your current Output Format settings.
• The OSA (anti-aliasing) filter used is Mitch, which helps to sharpen the quality of the edges and some textures. The sharpest OSA filter, however, is CatRom. (see BlenderWiki's Oversampling details)
  
• Exposure and Range
• Output Formats
  

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

Modeling the Blender 3D Logo

In this tutorial, we create a 3D version of Blender's 2D logo. When we're done, we'll have a very accurate model of our favorite 3D application's logo.

Examples (the tutorial does not show the creation of the following):



What's covered:

• Adding a background image (or blueprint)
• Using curves for modeling iconic images and lettering
  
• and more

Watch the tutorial online
(FLV streaming, Length - 39:17)

Link: History of the Blender Logo and Suzanne
Link: Blender Wiki - Curves
Graphic: Blender logo graphic used in tutorial

Get the Free Flash Player: Windows version or Linux version

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, graphics, Blender tutorials

GIF Video: Uniform Distribution of Vertices (or Meshes) along a Path

Here's a quick tutorial about how to get uniformly distributed vertices (or meshes) along a curve. You can control the density of the vertices and also make adjustments to the curve that are instantly reflected in the vertices. Also, this technique can be used for any object you create...fence posts, telephone poles, trees, etc.!

(Update: For those having issues with the pacing, I extracted the captions text and they're now listed on the page, beside the video.)

Click on the image to check it out:

technorati tags: vertices, 3D, graphics, 3D curves, mesh