The Basics of Blender

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mikethedj4
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The Basics of Blender
mikethedj4
Hey what's up everyone Mike here once again, and today we're going to talk about the Basics of Blender.

Now today we're just going to talk about the basics of the 3d modler (aka the main window you first see once Blender has started) and I know what you're thinking. BlenderPimp is for using Blender for Video Production, and you're 100% right. However 3d models are incorporated into a bunch of movies from The Hulk, The Matrix, Salt (Did you know the elevator scene in Salt was enitrely 3d modeled?) So as you can see 3d modeling has a big part in video production. However we won't do much 3d modeling, however it'll help you have a good start into using Blender, and how it works.

So before we go ahead, and get started into this tutorial make sure you download the newest version of blender from here as the older stable release 2.49 the gui is no longer the same, and 2.5 has a lot more to offer/use/do so we'll be sticking with the newest version. As of today (The day the tut was released) it's 2.57. Also let me point out that we're gonna stick with hotkeys, and the reason why is 1: Blender has a hotkey for almost everything, and 2: it makes the process of making your project a lot faster.

Now we won't go over everything in Blender, cause that'll take forever, but hopefully this tutorial will get you a good start using Blender.

With all that being said, lets go ahead, and get started with the Basics of Blender!

Part 1: The UI
When you first open up Blender you'll see the main window we'll be working with, but a splash screen above it. Just click anywhere outside the splash screen within Blender to remove it so we can begin.

On the left side we see our Tools Shelf, you can show, or hide that by pressing "T" we're going to leave it closed for now so press T.

You'll notice once the window is closed there's a + button on the top near where the text Object Tools was. If you press this + button it'll open your Tools Shelf, just like pressing T. On the right side if you press the + button or the "N" key. This will open up your object Properties. You can use this to manipulate it's location, rotation, add background image, etc: However as this is the basics we're going to keep it basic, and like I said before, stick with hotkeys. So we won't need our Properties open, so close it by pressing "N."

Look at our main window (which is called 3D View) (Where our camera, default object (aka the cube), and light source (arranged from left to right)) On the right of that you see two windows inside it, the top one is called "Outliner" and the bottom one is called "Properties". I know you're probably confused right now, and we'll get into each one later.

The Outliner lists our objects. Sometimes an object maybe so small or behind a bunch of crap, and it's hard to select. This is an easy way to select your objects, lights, camera, curves, etc:

Properties has a list of tabs, in order these tabs are Render, Scene, World, Object, Object Constraints, Modifiers, Object Data, Materials, Texture, Particles, and Physics. Most are pretty self explainitory however we'll go over these in just a bit.

Below 3D View we have the Timeline, this is we're we add something called keyframes to create an animation. (We won't be getting into this today)

I want you to look at the lines on the top, but far right of the properties window.
basicsofblender1.png
Splitting Windows:
If you left click and drag this down, it'll split the window, or left it'll split the window. However if we left click and drag this up it'll give us an arrow, and we can choose to hide our Outliner, or if we move the cursor down we can hide our properties. In this case we'll hide our Outliner, and also our Timeline, we'll add it back later, but we don't need it right now.

Inside the properties window I want you do change the resolution (make sure you're still in the render tab) to 1280x720 (1280=width, 720=height) and set the percentage to 100%. Otherwise it'll divide the resolution by half making it 640x360. Set the frame rate to 30fps (fps=frames per second, and this deals with animation) Click the folder icon by output and here you can change where ever you want your videos to render. (Note if the output format is an image it'll render each frame as a separate image that is if you render an animation. So if you wanna render a video make the output format a video) We'll leave the output as default for this tutorial.

Part 2: Working With 3D View
All we have in our 3D View right now is our camera (far left), default cube (center), and our light source (right). By default your cube should be selected. Select your camera by right clicking it. This will select an object if you hold Shift+Right Click say the light source this will select multiple objects. Another way is by holding CTRL and left click and drag to/around the object you wanna select. If you press "A" that'll deselect what all is selected, and if you press A again it'll select all (A=All). In this case just leave the cube selected for now.

If you press "G", that'll move/translate the object, R" will rotate the object.
If you press "S" will scale/resize the object. However you may have noticed there's arrows on each thing you select. These arrows can be used to move the object on coordinate planes such as the X, Y, and Z coordinate planes. You can look on the bottom left hand side of the 3d view, and see that blue represents the Z coordinate place, red for X, and green for Y. You can also look at the animation I made below, and find that in the 3d view to change it to move, to rotate, scale, or none by left clicking on the icons shown in the animation. You can have more show by holding shift+left click on the icon as well.
basicsofblender2.gif
However you can move, rotate, and scale these objects on coordinate planes using hotkeys as well. G+X will grab the object on the X coordinate grid, and G+Y for the Y coordinate grid, and well you get the idea, it'll also work for rotate and scale.

TIP: If you've decided you don't want to lets say scale it on the x coordinate. You can press C to scale it freely.

Also once you've pressed "R" to just rotate it, you'll notice it stays on an angle, if you press R again you can rotate it freely, and R again will bring it back to the angle rotation.

With your cube still selected press G+Z+1 1 will make it move 1 step up. 2 for 2, 3 for 3, and so on. (NOTE: Right click outside selection so the change won't be applied).

Another trick is if you press (while cube is still selected) R+X+45 it'll rotate your object 45 degrees on the X coordinate grid. Just right click so we don't apply the change.

With your cube still being selected press the X, or delete button, and remove the object. Now wherever the crosshair is place (By left clicking anywhere in the 3d view) this is where your objects will be added once you add them. (You can also move it in the properties dialog via "N") In older versions of Blender 2.49- you could press the spacebar, however that just brings up a search now. You can now add objects by pressing "SHIFT+A" In this case we'll add our cube back.

You can duplicate an object by pressing "SHIFT+D" or "ALT+D" and if you wanna make 2+ objects 1 object. Make sure the objects you wanna join are all selected and press "CTRL+J". (I decided not to join them, but you can if you choose).

Part 3: Moving/Zooming Around 3D View
Now if you have a middle mouse button you can press that button in and drag your mouse around to move in 3D. This is a great way to manipulate your object, and see some errors it may have from hair, arms, etc:

If you don't have a middle mouse button, go to File/User Preferences (CTRL+ALT+U) and go to your input tab. Check "Emulate 3 Button Mouse and Save that as default. Now just press Alt+Left Mouse Button Down and drag your mouse to move in 3D in 3D View.

To zoom in/out you can move your mouse wheel up to zoom in, or out to zoom out.

You can also hold CTRL+Middle Mouse Button, and move it down to zoom in, or up to zoom out.

If you don't have a middle mouse button you can zoom in by pressing CTRL - to zoom out or CTRL + to zoom in.

Another way is by pressing CTRL+ALT+Left Mouse Button Down and if you left click and drag (with thoughs buttons being held of course) you can zoom in by moving your mouse down, or up by moving it up.

However sometimes you may need to move the grid altogether and that's when SHIFT+ALT+Left Click and drag comes into play. (For middle mouse button people it's SHIFT+Middle Mouse Button Down)

Part 4: Getting Started on Modling
Select your cube, and press "Tab" this will bring you from object mode to edit move. Everything we went over will still work, however we're now working with the verticies, edges, and faces of the object rather than the whole object as main. This gives us more freedom to edit/manipulate the object however we want.

So right now if we right click we can only select verticies. The animation below shows you the icons you can click to select verticies, edges, and/or faces. To select edges, and faces you'll haft to choose to select edges, and hold shift to select faces. (TIP: Remember the face will select the edges, and verticies of that given face)
basicsofblender3.gif
Cuts:
To create a cut you'd press "CTRL+R" while in Edit Mode. This will add more verticies, edges, and faces, which really helps when modling an object. Once the hotkey is pressed move your cursor around the object, and a pink line should be displayed where it's displayed shows you the shot the cut would be made in. If you click once the cut isn't applied you can move where the cut(s) will be place, but within that given area. Once clicked again the cut will be applied. (Maybe hard to understand, just give it a try with a cube and you should understand it better)

Dividing:
To have a better understanding of this delete your default cube, and make sure the only object we add is a plane. Scale the plane up 9 times by pressing S+9. Go into Edit Mode (Tab) and press "W" and select Subdivide this will divide the object and multiply it's 1 face (or how many it may have) by 4.

World, Modifiers, and Materials:
Your World tab takes care of the whole world within the 3d model. The horizon color generally is your background color. We're only in here to check Environmental Lighting, and that's pretty self explanitory.

Modifiers are a lot like layer effects in PhotoShop. Their generally filters that you can use to manipulate your object, and have it have some sort of effect. For example start a new project (CTRL+N outside of edit mode via inside object mode) select your modifiers tab (wrench icon in the properties) and add the array modifier. This modifier duplicates the object however it'll duplicate it and add it much faster than manually, and has the ability to set each duplicated object's offset, and more.

If you remove that an add a subdivision surface (aka subsurf) modifier this will generally rounden your object, now really smooth it out cause you still see the faces, verticies, and edges on the main object. However in the tools shelf there's a button that says smooth if you press that it'll smoothen the object, and flat will bring it back to default. You guys can mess with this to have a better understanding. We won't be using any until later on in this tutorial.

Materials generally gives your object a color, if shadeless is checked the whole object will remain that solid color, if traceable is unchecked the shadow of the object won't be shown.

Your First 3D Model:
Start a new project (CTRL+N), and remove the default cube (select the cube+X), add in a plane (SHIFT+A), and scale it up a pretty decent size (S+9). Go to the materials tab, and set the color to a darkish greenish color (I chose #487700) and the intensity to 0.210.

Now add in a UV Sphere press S+1.5 and G+Z+1.5 click the shading button in the tools shelf, and go back to materials, and give it a lighter green color (I chose ##5C9200, and 0.615 for intensity)

Go to your world tab, and check enable environmental lighting.

Then select your UV Sphere, and go into edit mode (Tab) make sure all is selected and press delete and choose Only Faces. Press "E" (E to extrude) and if it has that white like for a coordinate just press C to have it scale freely.

While you have it extruding press S and scale it in a bit, and left click. Just enough to make it look nice.

Now press F12 to render your animation (ESC to stop/exit render) and here you can see what your final result looks like. (CTRL+F12 renders an animation)

Obviously the background looks like crap, but hopefully uou guys have a good understanding of the Basics of Blender.
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smashapps
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Re: The Basics of Blender
smashapps
Few typos there lol

Very well put there and nicely explained

nice work mike must of spent ages doing it
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Napster1488
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Re: The Basics of Blender
Napster1488
Are you good at modelling ?
Since i am working on a Modification for the Game Max Payne 2 and i could need some Modlers.
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mikethedj4
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Re: The Basics of Blender
mikethedj4
It took awhile, but I got it done.

I've heard I'm good, and I've heard I'm bad. I honestly don't think I'm that good or at least average at best. I only make games for my nephew to help him improve on his English, and also some typing games for me to improve my speed. I haven't released any of them, and not intending to either.

I used to do work for others however I stopped, cause I put these tutorials out there to help people, improve, and get better at doing these type of things theirself. Instead a lot of people on YouTube don't view/watch the tutorials (especially this) and expect me to do work for them. I only do work for others when I'm getting paid or if I'm collaborating with another, and that last one is rare. (I'm more of just a do it myself kind of guy, and my tutorials are aimed for thoughs types of people as well.
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Axel
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Re: The Basics of Blender
Axel
Yessss thank you :)

I was looking for tutorials about blender but only found those advanced ones :?
http://vagex.com/?ref=25000
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mikethedj4
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Re: The Basics of Blender
mikethedj4
Their not really advanced. They only seem advanced, cause you don't know how Blender works.
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Axel
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Re: The Basics of Blender
Axel
I think its reversed , you think they aren't advanced , because you know how blender works :P
http://vagex.com/?ref=25000
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mikethedj4
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Re: The Basics of Blender
mikethedj4
Yeah, but I look at everything as a math standpoint, but don't explain it as one, cause people will get confused. Especially if/when algorithms come into play.
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