Blender 3D Basics

Beginner's Guide

The complete novice's guide to 3D modeling and animation

Gordon C. Fisher

[PACKT] open source*community experience distilled

PUBLISHING-

BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI

Table of Contents

Preface 1

Chapter 1: Introducing Blender and Animation 7

Welcome to the world of Blender 3D 8

Discovering Blender and animation 9

Learning Blender will literally change how you think 10

Installing Blender 10

Using Blender 12

Time for action - rendering your first scene in Blender 12

Time for action - closing Blender 15

Top 10 reasons to enjoy using Blender 3D 15

Learning from your animation heros 16

Going back to the year 1922 on an animation field trip 16

Time for action - searching on Felix Turns the Tide +1922 17

Moving ahead a few years in time, to 1928 18

Time for action - searching on Plane Crazy +1928 19

Arriving in 1938, the animation industry is at a peak 20

Time for action - searching on Goonland +1938 20

Starting to use computers for animation in the 1960s 21

Beginnings of 3D animation in 1963 22

Time for action - searching on Ivan Sutherland + Sketchpad 23

Going to the late 1970s, a few companies are doing 3D animation 24

Time for action - searching on Triple I demo 24

Time for action - watching Information International, 25

Inc. (Triple I) 1982 demo reel 25

Introducing Pixar -1984, and everything comes together 25

Time for action - searching for the video of The Adventures of Andre and Wally B 26

Back to the present time 27

Table ofContents

Animation principles 27

Using 3D skills, what can you do with them? 28

Making 2D animation 29

TV and video 29

Films and pre-visualization 29

Stereoscopic 3D 29

Web animation 29

Games 29

Flight and driving simulators 30

Digital signage 30

Displaying scientific data 30

Legal evidence display 30

Architectural walkthroughs 30

Virtual reality 30

Virtual sets 30

Interactive instruction 31

Showing what can't otherwise be seen 31

Creating a portfolio to get a job 31

Product development and visualization 31

Summary 31

Chapter 2: Getting Comfortable using the 3D View 33

Exploring the Blender 3D interface 33

Setting up Blender the way you want it 34

Using the three basic Blender controllers 35

Using the numeric keypad with Blender 35

Emulating the three-button mouse and Numpad 36

Understanding how to use Blender Windows 36

Time for action - playing with the Blender windows 36

Time for action - resizing windows 38

Time for action - flipping the window header 39

Time for action - maximizing and tiling the window 39

Time for action - splitting Blender windows 40

Time for action - joining Blender windows 41

Exploring the 3D View window, the heart of Blender 44

Time for action - discovering your tools 44

Looking at the 3D View window, what do you see? 45

Making pictures with computers 47

Making colors with a computer 48

Making millions of colors with just red, green, and blue 48

Measuring things in 3D 49

Navigating in the 3D View 51

I 111

Table ofContents

Time for action - rotating the scene in 3D View 51

Time for action - zooming the scene in 3D View 52

Time for action - panning the scene in 3D View 52Using the Numpad to change the angle in the 3D View 53

Time for action - seeing the top view, front view, and right side view 53

Time for action - seeing the bottom view, rear view, and left side view 54

Time for action - seeing what the camera sees 54

Time for action - verifying the Camera View 55

Time for action - rotating the view with the Numpad 56

Time for action - rotating the view in another direction with the Numpad 56

Time for action - zooming with the Numpad 57

Time for action - making the camera see what you do 57

Understanding Perspective and Orthographic views 59

Time for action - toggling between Perspective and Orthographic views 59

Displaying the Quad View and Full Screen 60

Time for action - toggling the Quad view 60

Navigating in the 3D View 60

Summary 62

Chapter 3: Controlling the Lamp, the Camera, and Animating Objects 63

Understanding lamps 64

Time for action - moving the lamp 64

Time for action - moving the lamp close to the cube 65

Time for action - moving the lamp far away 66

Time for action - seeing how the lighting looks without rendering 68

Adding color to the lamp using the Properties window 69

Time for action - adding color to the lamp 70

Using multiple lamps for better lighting 71

Time for action - adding a second lamp 72

Light color mixing 73

Saving your work 75

Time for action - saving a file 76

Always have a backup file 77

Controlling the camera 77

Time for action - using the global axis and local axis 78

Time for action - moving an object in one plane in global mode 78

Time for action - moving an object in one plane in the local mode 79

Seeing through the lens 79

Time for action - setting up Blender so you can see what the camera sees 80

Using the camera as a canvas 81

Understanding the rules of composition 81

Employing Blender's camera composition guides to make your work look better 83

Table ofContents

Understanding the fundamental camera moves 84

Rotating and scaling the camera and other objects 85

Making an animation 85

Time for action - loading a file 86

Time for action - making a simple animation with keyframes 87

Getting a video player so you can play your animation 89

Time for action - downloading the Blender video player 89

Time for action - installing a video player for Blender 90

Rendering your animation 91

Time for action - rendering the animation 91

Controlling motion in the Graph Editor 92

Time for action - exploring the Graph Editor 92

Introducing the F-Curve 93

Modifying motion with the Bgzier curve controls 94

Time for action - working with a Bezier curve 95

Time for action - adding squash and stretch to the animation 96

Doing more with the B6zier curve handles 97

Time for action - refining the use of the Bezier curve handles 98

Selecting which channel to work on 99

Time for action - adding keyframes in the Graph Editor 99

Time for action - controlling the F-Curves with the Channel Selection Panel 101

Time for action - controlling channel display with the header 102

Copying, pasting, and deleting keyframes 102

Time for action - copying and pasting keyframes 102

Keyframes for properties 103

Time for action - keyframes for lights 103

Summary 107

Chapter 4: Modeling with Vertices. Edges, and Faces 109

Using Object Mode and Edit Mode 109

Time for action - going into Edit Mode 110

Investigating vertices, edges, and faces 111

Time for action - choosing the best display mode 112

Time for action - working with vertices, edges, or faces 112

Selecting multiple vertices, edges, and faces 114

Time for action - pressing A to select all 114

Time for action - pressing B for border selection 114

Time for action - pressing C for circle selection 115

Time for action - pressing Ctrl+LMB for lasso selection 116

Creating Blender's basic objects 117

Time for action - making a basic object 117

Understanding what lies behind vertices, edges, and faces 119

Building vertices, edges, and faces from scratch 120

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Table ofContents

Time for action - making faces out of vertices and edges 120

Time for action - making a face from an edge 122

Summary 124

Chapter 5: Building a Simple Boat 125

Turning a cube into a boat with box modeling 126

Using extrusion, the most powerful tool in box modeling 126

Time for action - extruding to make the inside of the hull 126

Using normals in 3D modeling 128

Time for action - displaying normals 129

Planning what you are going to make 130

Choosing which units to model in 130

Time for action - making reference objects 131

Sizing the boat to the reference blocks 132

Time for action - making the boat the proper length 132

Time for action - making the boat the proper width and height 133

Time for action - adding curves to the boat's lines by subdividing 136

Using clean building methods 140

Time for action - adding a seat to the boat 141

Time for action - making the other seat 143

Making modeling easier with Blender's layers function 145

Time for action - introducing layers 145

Time for action - using layers for controlling rendering 146

Coloring the boat to add realism 147

Time for action - coloring the hull and the gunwale 147

Time for action - adding a texture to the seats 151

Time for action - naming objects and joining them 154

Using Basic Lighting 155

Summary 155

Chapter 6: Making and Moving the Oars 157

Modeling an oar 158

Getting scale from an image 158

Making a cylinder into an oar 158

Time for action - making the shaft of the oar 159

Time for action - making the grip and guard 160

Time for action - making the base of the blade of the oar 163

Time for action - making the blade 164

Controlling how smooth the surface is 169

Time for action - controlling flat and smooth surfaces 169

Making the oarlock 171

Time for action - making the oarlock 171

Assembling the boat, oars, and oarlocks 174

Table ofContents

Time for action - loading all of the models together 175

Animating the boat 179

Time for action - timing a stroke 179

Parenting and kinematics 181

Time for action - animating the oarlock and oar 182

Animation cycles 184

Time for action - copying keyframes to make a rowing cycle 184

Moving the boat 186

Time for action - moving the boat in sync with the oars 186

Tracking the boat with the camera 189

Time for action - tracking the boat 189

Making Stereoscopic 3D Animation 190

Summary 190

Chapter 7: Planning your Work. Working your Plan 19JL

Using templates for modeling 192

Time for action - adding a template 194

Time for action - scaling and aligning the template 195

Time for action - building the mast 198

Modeling with Bezier Curves 200

Making an object with a single Bezier Curve 200

Time for action - making the rudder with a Bezier Curve 200

Using multiple Bezier Curves to make an object 204

Time for action - making the path and the cross-section for the tiller 204

Keeping everything organized 207

Making an index of your files 208

Saving your Blender files 209

Planning your animation 209

Discovering the story you want to tell with your animation 209

Bringing your story to life with storyboards 211

Making a storyboard 211

Using animatics to plan the timing of your animation 214

Using charts and guides to help you plan your animation 215

Staying in TV limits with Safe Title-Action zones and Lower Thirds 215

Time for action - adding a Safe Title/Safe Action guide to Blender 216

Transitioning from Standard Definition TV to High Definition TV 217

Laying out your motion with Timing 218

Planning what work must be done to make an animation 219

Guiding animation production with an audio track 220

Time for action - adding an audio track to Blender 220

Summary 224

Table ofContents

Chapter 8: Makingthe Sloop 225

Modeling with Subdivision Surfaces 225

Time for action - making a simple Subdivision Surface 226

Using Edge Tools to make modeling easier 227

Time for action - turning a Reference Block into a sloop 228

Time for action - making selection easy with edge loops and edge rings 230

Time for action - creating the shape of the sloop from the top 231

Time for action - giving the hull a hull shape 233

Time for action - flattening the transom 237

Time for action - making the bow sharper 238

Time for action - finishing the hull 239

Getting the most for your rendering time with Levels of Detail 240

Time for action - making the boat simpler 240

Modeling the hull as a mesh 243

Time for action - converting the surface to a mesh 243

Time for action - making the cockpit 244

Time for action - making the cabin 247

Using Boolean modifiers to cut holes in objects 252

Time for action - detailing the cabin using the Boolean modifier 252

Time for action - applying the Boolean modifier 254

Adding materials and textures to the sloop 255

Time for action - coloring and texturing the sloop hull 256

Time for action - using the same materials for two objects 261

Making the ship's wheel with the Spin tool and DupliVerts 263

Time for action - using the Spin tool to make the rim of the ship's wheel 263

Time for action - making the hub 265

Time for action - making the circle 265

Time for action - making the spoke 266

Time for action - assembling the ship's wheel 269

Summary 271

Chapter 9: Finishing your Sloop 271

Making sure you have the files you'll need in this chapter 273

Finishing the sloop 274

Time for action - setting up the boom and gaff so they swing 274

Time for action - adding the rudder, tiller, and keel 278

Time for action - adding the ship's wheel 281

Time for action - adding the boat name 283

Time for action - using a NURBS surface to make the mainsail 285

Detailing the sloop, adding a door and portals 289

Time for action - adding a line to control the mainsail 289

— Mil

Table of Contents

Time for action - adding the portals 291

Summary 297

Chapter 10: Modeling Organic Forms. Sea, and Terrain 239

Getting ready to make the island 300

Creating the ocean 300

Time for action - making a surface for the water 300

Making an island 303

Using the ANT Landscape add-on 303

Time for action - using ANT Landscape to make the island 304

Detailing the island 307

Time for action - understanding the proportional editing control 308

Time for action - using proportional editing to create the port 310

Time for action - building the breakwater 313

Time for action - adding contours to the back side of the island 315

Painting the island 316

Time for action - painting the island 316

Making the island ready for habitation 322

Building the pier with just four objects 322

Time for action - creating the pier frame rails with Bezier Curves 322

Time for action - adding planks to the pier with DupliFrames 325

Time for action - using arrays to create the pilings for the pier 327

Appending the boathouse 329

Time for action - appending the boathouse and building pilings for it 329

Building modular houses 332

Creating trees with the Sapling add-on 334

Time for action - adding trees to the landscape 335

Making rocks 339

Assembling your world 339

Time for action - using groups to organize your scene 341

Summary 343

Chapter 11: Improving your Lighting and Camera Work 345

Getting ready to do lighting and camera work 345

Using lighting 346

Lighting with three lights 347

Time for action - introducing the three point lighting system 347

Time for action - lighting with only the key light 348

Time for action - lighting with only the fill light 349

Time for action - lighting with only the back light 350

Time for action - using color to separate what you see 351

Time for action - using cookies 353

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Table ofContents

Time for action - preparing to adjust falloff 355

Time for action - adjusting the falloff 357

Time for action - using the Custom Curve to tailor light 359

Using the camera to best effect 363

Changing the field of view 363

Time for action - zooming the camera versus dollying the camera 364

Using perspective 367

Using depth of field 368

Time for action - creating depth of field 369

Getting variety in your camera work 373

Comparing long and medium shots 374

Using close-up and two shots 374

Applying the rule of 180 375

Using motion blur 375

Planning your animation and making sure it comes out right 378

Storyboarding your ideas 378

Laying out your animation 379

Proofing your work 380

Doing a preview 380

Using hardware rendering to see the motion 380

Inspecting details by rendering only part of the frame 381

Glimpsing what the animation will look like with the quick render 381

Time for action - reducing render times 381

Making corrections 383

Time for action - using the Dope Sheet 384

Summary 387

Chapter 12: Rendering and Compositing 3_89_

Preparing for Chapter 12 389

Editing with the Video Sequence Editor 390

Time for action - dissolving with the Video Sequence Editor 390

Time for action - editing individual video strips 395

Time for action - using K and Shift+K to make your trims 397

Making stereographic 3D with the Node Editor 400

Time for action - creating the red image for the left eye 401

Time for action - making the right-eye view 404

Rendering your animations 408

Making your computer ready to render 409

Making rendering more beautiful 409

Using Anti-Aliasing for more beautiful renderings 409

Time for action - displaying aliasing 409

Getting realism with subsurface scattering 410

Putting a sparkle on your animations with ray tracing 410

Table ofContents

Time for action - seeing ray tracing 411

Choosing the proper number of tiles 412

Using alpha channels 413

Time for action - exploring the alpha channel 413

Time for action - using transparency in the Video Sequence Editor 414

Choosing the dimensions for your animation 416

Time for action - selecting render presets 416

Time for action - seeing what fields look like 418

Choosing what gets rendered 420

Selecting the best file format 422

Rendering with the Cycles renderer 422

Time for action - simulating the glow of a kiln 423

Summary 428

Pop Quiz Answers 429

Chapter 2, Getting Comfortable using the 3D View 429

Chapter 3, Controlling the Lamp, the Camera, and Animating Objects 430

Chapter 4, Modeling with Vertices, Edges, and Faces 430

Chapter 5, Building and Lighting a Simple Boat 430

Chapter 6, Making and Moving the Oars 430

Chapter 7, Planning your Work, Working your Plan 431

Chapter 8, Making the Sloop 431

Chapter 10, Modeling Organic Forms, Sea, and Terrain 432

Chapter 11, Improving your Lighting and Camera Work 432

Chapter 12, Rendering and Compositing 432

Index