News: Blender 2.57 Quick Effect Operators Demo

DEVELOPER NOTES (Janne Karhu)

Quick effects operators:

* A couple of operators to quickly create effects that would otherwise take some time to set up.
* Nice to use for demoing functionality or as a starting point for more complex effects.
* "Make Fur" - Gives every selected mesh object particle fur with a desired density and length.
* "Make Smoke" - Makes each selected object a smoke emitter and creates a new domain object around the emitters with the correct material to render the smoke. ** Has style options for "stream": constant smoke flow, "puff": only create smoke once from the volume of the emitter object, "fire": enable high resolution smoke and set a secondary fire color texture for the domain object.
* "Make Fluid" - Makes every selected object a fluid object (normal/inflow) and has the option to start fluid baking immediately.
* This should provide a nice base for extending these / adding more operators for different effects.

More info at the Blender Developer Blog...

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

Video: Adding Transitions to Camera Changes in an Animation

In this Blender tutorial, we'll take a look at how to add simple transitions to camera changes in an animation. This will be accomplished using Blender's Video Sequence Editor.

This tutorial is an extension to the Camera Changing tutorial.





Additional Info:

• Blender's Video Sequence Editor
• Effects in the Video Sequence Editor

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

Creating a Library of Reusable Composite Nodes

Hello,

In this video tutorial, we’ll take a look at how you can create a library of reusable composite nodes in Blender. It takes time to create node setups, and often the work is repetitive, so let’s see what can be done to be more efficient.



This tutorial can be viewed at BlenderCookie.

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

How to Create a Layered Snowflake Pattern in Blender

Hey there, time for the first video tutorial of the new year!

This one is about creating a layered snowflake pattern. The Blender 2.4x video tutorial covers:

• Creating the snowflake pattern using simple poly-modeling techniques along with Blender's Mirror modifier and Spin tool
• Arranging the snowflakes using the Scatter and Drop script along with some manual tweaking
• Setting up render layers for compositing
• Using Blender's nodes to composite the render layers with added FX
• Adding colorful stars to the composited layers
• Adding a background image to the snowflake pattern

If you've never used Blender's Composite Nodes before, this tutorial will be a good place to get your feet wet with the basics!

Resource File (ZIP file) Includes:

• two Blender 2.4x blend files for the basic setup
  
• the Scatter and Drop script (created by Roland Hess) along with a link to instructions on how to install python scripts. Normally, I would provide a link to a python script like this, but I couldn't find a working link to the file so I just included it in the download.
• some additional sample renders of similar snowflake patterns
• a copy of the background image used in the tutorial

I hope you enjoy it!


Check out the video tutorial...

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

Video Tutorial: Showcase your 3D Models with a Basic Studio-Styled Setup

Hey there! Here's a quick tutorial that should help you create better renders to showcase your models. You'll understand a very simple technique that will allow you to achieve the type of results depicted in the before & after image below:



You'll understand how to render your model with a seamless background and soft shadows, without complicated lighting and backdrops. Once understood, this type of setup only takes about thirty seconds to implement!

Here are some more examples of the types of renders that are easily achieved using the techniques covered in the tutorial. The models used in these renders were generously provided by some of the members of the BlenderNewbies Forums. Thanks, guys!








This simple technique can also be used for animation tests and even serve as the basis for the stylized appearance of an animated short.

(Note: For more advanced users, set the ground object to only show shadows.)



Watch the tutorial online
(FLV streaming, Length - 5:29)

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

Video: How to Create Glint Effects in Blender

Adding glints to your scenes can add an extra touch of realism and excitement. This video tutorial will show you, step-by-step, how to easily add glint effects.




Topics covered:

• Halo types
• Basic Compositing using the AlphaOver node
• and more...

Watch the tutorial online
(SWF streaming, Length - 30:11)
Or, Download the 79.6MB ZIP file to view it offline (load the HTML file in your browser).
Or, Download via Torrent.

Download the .blend file, here (1.56MB packed - After loading file, go to File-->Unpack Data. Specify where you want the textures to be placed.).

Get the Free Flash Player: Windows version or Linux version

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

Using your Mouse for 3D Animation

This tutorial is about using your mouse to quickly create IPO curve data that, otherwise, would be tedious to do by hand. Using this technique, we'll look at how to easily add a more "organic" feel to certain types of motions, create a handheld camera effect, and more!

This topic will be covered in three parts:

Part One covers just the basics of the Mouse Recording feature.
(SWF streaming)
Or, Download it to view offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

Part Two shows how you might apply it in a more "real-world" scenario by adding animation to a spherical probe.
(SWF streaming)
Or, Download it to view offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

Part Three shows how to easily create a handheld camera effect.
(SWF streaming)
Or, Download it to view offline (load the HTML file in your browser).

Get the Free Flash Player: Windows version or Linux version

Extra Files and Examples

Blend Files:

• A Simple Text Animation
• A Handheld Camera Effect
• Controlling Particles with the Mouse

Short Video Clips:

• Candle Flame (from Nathan Dunlap's non-particle flame example*) with subtle vertical turbulence added.
• Particle "Storm" with mouse-animated colors, halo size, alpha, scaling, rotations, and vortex.

*Nathan Dunlap's website and Nathan's original .blend file

technorati tags: Blender3D, 3D, animation, IPO Curves, record mouse

PDF: More Neon Effects!

Here's another tutorial for more neon effects!

This time I focus on applying a neon effect to letters. You'll be surprised by the almost unlimited number of effects that can be created from just a handful of parameters. And, it's easy!

Download the PDF here.

technorati tags: neon effect, 3D, graphics, fx, cg