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Blender

Sun, Mar 17 2024 9:48 AM (63 replies)
  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Sun, Feb 13 2022 9:14 AM

    craigswan:
    Yes your right . It is missing .

    Could you try a different browser or maybe clear the cache of the one you are using?

  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Sat, Mar 12 2022 4:08 AM

    Blender : Camera focus & mesh view

    click images to view full size

    Blender n00b on camera duty.

  • WigerToods2010
    8,445 Posts
    Thu, Mar 24 2022 1:23 PM

    ^^^ 

    Very cool, Scott - as is the vase you posted previously.

    Tried Blender years ago but found it to be a bit heavy on laptop resources (Prolly cheap laptop to blame).

    Ever tried Solidworks? I think you'd enjoy tinkering with that. I used to use it years ago and it was pretty awesome for 3D detail back then. Dunno if my ole brain - and lack of patience -  could even handle it now.

  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Thu, Mar 24 2022 2:32 PM

    Thanks Johnny. I think I did say about about most Blender stuff I do, that it is guided by tutorials. Maybe one day something will click into place and I will be able to start my own creations, maybe not, we'll see.

    Yes, you do need a fairly good machine to run it on, I put together a new PC for myself a couple of years ago with a mid range graphics card and it seems to run Blender adequately for my purposes. Rendering animations though can still take hours, although still pictures can be spat out in a matter of minutes.

    My brother uses/used Solidworks, or is it Solidedge?  But that's more engineering oriented isn't it?  You may be right about me liking it, I don't know, but from what my brother has said, the program costs a lot of money, so that's a non-starter in my current situation.

    The thing I like about Blender is the materials that can be created, notice I didn't say 'I can create', lol. Metals, plastics, rust, glass, fabrics, almost anything you can think of, people seem to be able to make it in Blender, and you can do 2D cartoon stuff too.

    If you have even the tiniest bit of an artist in you, you should have a go with it (equipment permitting) because it is so versatile, and, you'll get fed up with me saying this, it's free, hehe.

  • MioKontic
    4,591 Posts
    Tue, Mar 29 2022 12:39 PM

    Through boredom, I decided to have a browse of the forum... and eventually came upon this thread as it was near the top of And Everything Else.  I've heard of Blender, probably around 7 years ago, and may have even watched a very complicated video of how to use it... and that was the end of that!

    The reason I had looked at it was as an alternative to another similar application called Sketchup.  Back in 2013 I found a 3D Virtual World game called Kaneva.  It was this game, and to be more exact the time I spent on it, that led to me pretty much giving up WGT for a few years.  After a little while on Kaneva I began building things in-game.  Kaneva had building materials that they designed, and also user-designed materials and objects.  Most users used Sketchup to make those materials or objects.  Eventually I tried my hand at Sketchup too, and although I wasn't great at it I did make a few items.  It was only after I had used Sketchup a few times that I started looking at what other 3D modelling applications were available, and one of those was Blender.  But I found Blender just too complicated, and at the time I couldn't find a decent video tutorial for it.  Sketchup had it's own video tutorials on their website, made by their own people, and it was certainly a far easier learning curve.

    I think CoffeeCup was another 3D modelling application I found, can't remember if I tried using it or not, although I do know i had downloaded it.

    Kaneva unfortunately closed down in late 2016, hence why I started playing WGT again, although still not as much as I used to because I had found yet another interest, Mached Betting - betting but with guaranteed profits.  I think it was a couple of years later when my attention turned back to WGT, after I'd lost most of my bookies accounts.

  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Tue, Mar 29 2022 1:59 PM

    Well, I won't lie, Blender is complicated (for me anyway). But that is what makes it so capable. I have never tried any other software of this type so that might be a good thing, as I don't have anything to unlearn from another application.

    I don't know what Blender was like to use 7 years ago, but having seen some older tutorials I can see the GUI has changed dramatically in that time, whether that has made it easier to use, I don't know.

    You could give it another try, there are certainly plenty of tutorial videos, but it's something you won't learn in 10 minutes. I have been messing about with it for many months now, and am pretty hopeless to be honest, but I am gobsmacked by what can be achieved with a little dedication.

    Those other 3D programs you mention tell me that you have more than a passing interest in this kind of thing. Go download it. If you are anything like me, you'll click on something in the interface, fall into a big hole and wonder why you even bothered. But the next day, I had another go, and proceeded a bit further before I fell into another big hole. But that's life, you fall over, pick yourself up and try again. Go on, you know you want to...

  • MioKontic
    4,591 Posts
    Wed, Mar 30 2022 8:19 AM

    Correction Scott, I had a little interest back when I was building on Kaneva, but I really haven't any need for it at the moment.  I did watch a tutorial video for Blender last night; the guy was good, but even then he still took 30 minutes to explain things you need to know before you even start, and that to me means it is still complicated.

    The video I watched was by a guy called Blender Guru on Youtube.  He was good.  There were 8 or so videos where he showed you step-by-step how to make a ring doughnut, with pink icing (that was dripping a little), and sprinkled with hundreds & thousands...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyJWoyVx_XI&list=PLjEaoINr3zgEq0u2MzVgAaHEBt--xLB6U

    Unfortunately, like I said, the first tutorial took so long to explain things before you could even start that I lost interest and gave up after about 20-30 minutes.  And the interface is jam-packed with stuff that I quickly lose interest.  I worked in IT for 21 years, initially as a programmer, then many other roles after that, and for a beginner an application like that just screams "keep away".  I remember getting the Sage accounting package many years ago, and that was just as bad; I could do in Excel what I needed to do in Sage, and Excel is a much simpler application.  I know Visual Basic, and therefore Visual Basic for Applications, and I still occasionally write some macros in excel to help me with things.  About 10 or 11 years ago I even wrote some macros to help with club selection and power for someone on WGT which I quite enjoyed.

    I must admit, I did like the look of that doughnut, so I may try Blender again some time... if I'm bored and have nothing else to do  :)

  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Wed, Mar 30 2022 8:34 AM

    Yup, I've watched that tutorial series too and it's enough to put anyone off for good.

    Try Grant Abbitt instead. Complete Beginners Guide

  • MioKontic
    4,591 Posts
    Wed, Mar 30 2022 10:22 AM

    I thought Blender Guru was good, but just took too long over the introduction, particularly as you will forget 90% of what he said; Grant Abbitt at least got started a little quicker.  In my opinion people will learn quicker if they are hands on as soon as possible, then introduce bits as you go along.  That's where GA's video was better - he didn't bombard you with too much information before he started adding objects.  I also like that he would tell you to pause the video to have a play; I always believe you will learn more and faster if you can practice what you have been taught as soon as possible rather than doing it an hour later.  Think of any courses you've been on - did you learn more by listening to the tutor, or by doing the exercises?

    Having watched a bit more now, I actually do fancy having a go, just need to think of something to make!

  • ScottHope
    10,094 Posts
    Wed, Mar 30 2022 10:32 AM

    Cool, I was going to say don't be too ambitious, but you've done this kind of thing before so I am expecting a 3D movie before teatime, lol.  ; )


    Oh, I agree with the hands on approach. More enjoyable if nothing else.

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