blender notes

• currently for blender v2.33
• blender is a Free Media Tool for 3d modeling and animation
• notes from julian's workshop

• interface overview » http://www.blender3d.com/cms/Blender_User_Interface_Tutorial.224.0.html
• blender basics » http://members.home.nl/dotblend/download.htm

• to setup SPE (currently using SPE 0.5.1.B) as an editor, wxpython is required.
• edit .zshenv/.basrhc and .MacOSX/environment.plist to include PYTHONPATH=“/usr/local/lib/python2.3/site-packages/” (or key/value pair)
• downloads
  • http://spe.pycs.net/
  • http://ftp.cwi.nl/jack/python/mac/MacPython-Panther-2.3-2.dmg
  • http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPythonOSX-2.5.1.5-panther-Py2.3.dmg

(chateau d'halloy 19JUL2004 / blender 2.33a)

• abbreviations
  • lmb/mmb/rmb → left/middle/right mouse button
  • mw�mouse wheel
  • lc/mc/rc�left/midle/right click
  • C-vcontrol-
  • S- → shift-
  • Alt- → Alt-
  • Spc → space bar
  • Tab → tab key

• split region, by using middle mouse button on dividers between regions
  • setup 4 pane view
  • menu > system & opengl >
  • edit methods > mesh undo > 64

• using the configuration area between the titlebar and viewport )
  • hide menu, keep working
  • num. 1(z,x) 3(z,y) 7(y,x)
  • 1(z,x) 5(perspective mode)

• viewports )
  • C-u to 'save user defaults'

• C-'up-arrow' > maximize viewport

• spacebar to bring up mesh menu (eg. add > cube)

• mmb to rotate
  • shift-mmb to scroll across the screen
  • mw to zoom, C-mmb
  • edit mode enables editing of mesh

• Tab toggle edit/object mode )
  • rc to select objects in the oops

• oops schematic, under left menu icon in viewport )
  • 'u' to undo

• 'a' toggle select all/none
  • 'x' delete
  • lc to accept, rc to not-accept the changes

• 'g' to grab a vertex after rc to select )
  • S-rc to select a face

• tab to enter
  • mmb to spin,
  • 'z' to view rendered
  • red/white point is pov rotation
  • pink dot is object center
  • rotation menu > select point to rotate view around

• select by draging box around object (lmb/rmb)

• 'b' key to get into 'box mode' )
  • space > add mesh > plane
  • 'a' to select
  • 'e' to extrude
  • 's' to scale
  • 'b' box-mode select

• add mesh > circle > verticies 16
  • extrude/scale/etc

• 'SubSur' (in panels section) to subdivide surfaces
  • 'n' for transform properties pop-up menu, Shift to edit numbers

• '4' and '6' to rotate view (vertical)
  • '2' and '8' to rotate view (horizontal)
  • rc to select which object is editable

• 'p' to seperate a form (selected verticies)
  • S-k cut tool

• make a cube,
  • S-k to cut the cube
  • select one half (in object mode)
  • move the 2 halves apart
  • select each of the vertecies of the open side
  • 'f' to create a face joining the selected vertecies

• normals as direction a face is pointing
  • C-n to force normals to point 'outward'

• edit mode
  • select > mesh tools > subdivide
  • select face, extrude, duplicate (C-d)
  • mesh tools > rem doubles
  • Alt-M to merge vertices

• subsurfacing is for display only
• smoothing a mesh
  • mesh tools > subdivide > smooth

• 'm' to move an object ot another layer

• single vertex on a complex mesh * 'o' (adds menu icon for 'smooth/sharp falloff') * 'g' to grab a circular selection from a vertex

• using 's' for scaling, the mmb can be used to fix values, to scale non uninformly

• keycommand?

• edit mode
• spc, add 'bezier curve'
• 'g' to grab/move control points
• (repeat if necessary)
• convert to mesh
• object mode (tab)
• spc > convert object type > mesh

• reduce an object to a single point
  • C-lc to add points
  • Alt-M to merge
  • smooth/etc
  • S-f to 'fill' with face (vs 'f' for a single face)

• make the profile of half a glass using a sequence of single verts
• check the object center is at the origin
  • object mode, press 'n', set to 0s,
  • 'center new'from the mesh option panel
• move profile to align with the axis
• select the desired 'screw' (degr:360), 'spin' (steps:18) 'spin dup' (turns:1)
• click in the xy view
• 'remove doubles'
• 'subdivide'
• 'smooth' etc+

• forming a smooth bend, rather than a sharp corner
  • select the verts to bend
  • press 'o' for 'fuzzy select'
  • 'r' to rotate, mw to select the radius of rotation

• select 'ipo curve editor'
• object mode
• add some objects
• menu on the right of the ipo view are the 'operations' that can be performed
• time axis (horiz.) vs. 'value' axis (vertical)
• add keyframe
  • in object mode
  • 'i' to insert key
  • select 'loc'
• make change(s) to object
• insert new key frame (as above)
• check the splines have changed

• animation window has 'point' (edit) and 'curve' (object mode
• edit points in 'point' mode, can use editing/select tools.

• in 'top' view
• spc, add > camera
• press '0' to see what the camera is looking at

• select object (in object mode)
• press 'f' to get into uv face mode
• selectfaces with rc
• vertex paint mode
• panels 'edit'
• 'paint' panel
• set color
• set vert color
• copy draw mode
• panel 'shading' (f5) > 'material buttons' > 'add new'
• 'vcol paint' button

• panel 'scene' (f10) > 'render buttons' > 'anim'
• 'osa' oversampling antialiasing
• 'motion blur'
• 'anim' button

rendering

• http://yafray.org » excellent raytracer

import/export scripts

• http://bane.servebeer.com/programming/blender/index.html

links

• http://www.blender.org
• http://www.elysiun.org
• http://vrotvrot.com/support