Table Of ContentThe Complete Guide to
Blender Graphics
Computer Modeling
& Animation
SIXTH EDITION
The Complete Guide to
Blender Graphics
Computer Modeling
& Animation
SIXTH EDITION
JOHN M. BLAIN
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................... I
Download and Installation...................................................................................VII
Preamble.............................................................................................................. XI
CH01 Understanding the Interface.................................................................... 1
1.1 Interacting with the Interface........................................................ 3
1.2 First Interaction............................................................................ 4
1.3 Second Interaction....................................................................... 4
1.4 Getting Help..................................................................................6
1.5 Examine the Interface.................................................................. 6
1.6 Rotating in the 3D Space............................................................. 7
1.7 Other Objects............................................................................... 8
1.8 Using the Outliner Editor.............................................................. 9
1.9 Working in the 3D View Editor (Object Mode).............................. 10
1.10 3D Viewport Editor Modes............................................................11
1.11 Working in the 3D Viewport Editor (Edit Mode)............................ 11
1.12 Coloring Using the Properties Editor............................................ 13
1.13 Simple Animation......................................................................... 15
1.14 Explode – Quick Method Example............................................... 16
1.15 Summary.......................................................................................19
CH02 Editors – Workspaces – Themes..............................................................21
2.1 Editor Types..................................................................................22
2.2 Resizing Editors........................................................................... 22
2.3 Splitting Editors............................................................................ 23
2.4 Cancel an Editor........................................................................... 24
2.5 3D View Editor Features...............................................................24
2.6 Scene Manipulation...................................................................... 26
2.7 Scene Manipulation Widget..........................................................29
2.8 Multiple Scenes............................................................................ 30
2.9 Headers Menus and Panels......................................................... 32
2.10 Headers and Panels..................................................................... 32
2.11 The Blender Interface Header...................................................... 32
2.12 The Blender Screen Header......................................................... 33
2.13 The 3D View Editor Header.......................................................... 34
2.14 The Widget Panel......................................................................... 34
2.15 Tool Panel and Object Properties Panel.......................................35
2.16 Properties Editor Tabs.................................................................. 35
2.17 The Preferences Editor.................................................................37
2.18 3D View Editor - Background Color.............................................. 38
2.19 Workspaces.................................................................................. 39
2.20 Creating New Workspaces........................................................... 39
2.21 Themes.........................................................................................41
2.22 Saving a Theme............................................................................44
CH03 Navigate and Save ….................................................................................45
3.1 Files and Folders.......................................................................... 46
3.2 Saving a File.................................................................................47
3.3 Window File Explorer....................................................................48
3.4 Windows File Explorer Diagram................................................... 49
3.5 Blender File Browser.................................................................... 50
3.6 Opening Files............................................................................... 51
3.7 File Browser Header Features......................................................52
3.8 Make a New Folder.......................................................................52
3.9 Display Options............................................................................ 52
3.10 Saving Your Work......................................................................... 53
3.11 The Concept of Files.................................................................... 54
3.12 Append or Link Command............................................................54
3.13 Importing Objects......................................................................... 55
3.14 Activating Import File Types......................................................... 56
3.15 Packing Data................................................................................ 57
CH04 Objects in the 3D View Editor ….............................................................. 59
4.1 Modeling Workflow Philosophy..................................................... 60
4.2 Starting a New File....................................................................... 60
4.3 Modifying the Scene..................................................................... 61
4.4 Object Mode and Edit Mode......................................................... 61
4.5 3D View Editor Cursor.................................................................. 61
4.6 Selecting/Deselecting Objects......................................................62
4.7 Adding Objects............................................................................. 63
4.8 Object Primitives...........................................................................63
4.9 Locating the 3D Viewport Editor Cursor....................................... 64
4.10 Deleting Objects........................................................................... 65
4.11 Duplicating Objects.......................................................................65
4.12 Object Mode Manipulation............................................................65
4.13 The Last Operator Panel.............................................................. 66
4.14 Tool Panel – Widgets....................................................................67
4.15 Manipulation Units........................................................................ 67
4.16 Measuring – Ruler/Protractor........................................................69
4.17 Precision Manipulation................................................................. 70
4.18 Coloring Objects........................................................................... 71
4.19 Other Types of Objects................................................................. 74
4.20 Naming Objects............................................................................ 74
4.21 The Header Buttons Menu........................................................... 76
4.22 Meta Shapes................................................................................ 77
CH05 Editing Objects...........................................................................................79
5.1 The Mesh Object.......................................................................... 80
5.2 Edit Mode Selection..................................................................... 80
5.3 Selecting Verts Edge Face........................................................... 82
5.4 Manipulating................................................................................. 82
5.5 Creating Vertices.......................................................................... 83
5.6 Adding and Deleting..................................................................... 85
5.7 Center Points................................................................................ 87
5.8 Joining and Separating................................................................ 88
5.9 Creating Vertex Groups................................................................ 91
5.10 Proportional Vertex Edit................................................................93
5.11 Inset Faces................................................................................... 94
5.12 Parenting...................................................................................... 96
CH06 Editing Tools.............................................................................................. 97
6.1 The Tool Panel – Edit Mode......................................................... 98
6.2 The Add Menu.............................................................................. 98
6.3 The Last Operator Panel.............................................................. 99
6.4 Extrusion...................................................................................... 99
6.5 The Extrude Region Tool.............................................................. 100
6.6 Inset Faces................................................................................... 101
6.7 The Inset Faces Tool.................................................................... 101
6.8 The Bevel Tool.............................................................................. 101
6.9 Edge and Loop Selection............................................................. 102
6.10 The Loop Cut Tool........................................................................ 102
6.11 The Knife Tool...............................................................................103
6.12 The Poly Build Tool....................................................................... 104
6.13 The Spin Tool................................................................................105
6.14 Creating a Spin Profile..................................................................106
6.15 Spin Duplication............................................................................108
6.16 The Screw Tool............................................................................. 109
6.17 The Smooth Tool...........................................................................109
6.18 The Edge Slide Tool......................................................................110
6.19 The Shrink Fatten Tool..................................................................110
6.20 The Shear Tool............................................................................. 110
6.21 The Rip Region Tool..................................................................... 110
CH07 Modifiers..................................................................................................... 111
7.1 Modifiers in General..................................................................... 112
7.2 The Modifier Stack....................................................................... 114
7.3 The Modifier Group.......................................................................115
7.4 The Simulate Group......................................................................115
7.5 Generate and Deform Modifiers................................................... 115
CH08 Editing with Generate Modifiers................................................................117
8.1 Modifiers – Generate.................................................................... 118
8.2 Array Modifier............................................................................... 120
8.3 Boolean Modifier.......................................................................... 122
8.4 Build Modifier................................................................................ 123
8.5 Decimate Modifier........................................................................ 124
8.6 Edge Split Modifier....................................................................... 125
8.7 Mask Modifier............................................................................... 126
8.8 Mirror Modifier.............................................................................. 127
8.9 Multiresolution Modifier................................................................ 129
8.10 Remesh Modifier...........................................................................129
8.11 Screw Modifier.............................................................................. 131
8.12 Skin Modifier................................................................................. 132
8.13 Solidify Modifier............................................................................ 133
8.14 Subdivision Surface Modifier........................................................ 135
8.15 Triangulation Modifier................................................................... 137
8.16 Wireframe Modifier....................................................................... 137
CH09 Editing with Deform Modifiers.................................................................. 139
9.1 Modifiers – Deform....................................................................... 140
9.2 Armature Modifier......................................................................... 140
9.3 Cast Modifier.................................................................................140
9.4 Corrective Smooth Modifier.......................................................... 141
9.5 Curve Modifier.............................................................................. 142
9.6 Displace Modifier.......................................................................... 143
9.7 Hook Modifier............................................................................... 144
9.8 Laplacian Deform Modifier............................................................146
9.9 Lattice Modifier............................................................................. 147
9.10 Mesh Deform Modifier.................................................................. 148
9.11 Shrinkwrap Modifier...................................................................... 149
9.12 Simple Deform Modifier................................................................ 150
9.13 Smooth Modifier........................................................................... 151
9.14 Smooth Corrective Modifier.......................................................... 152
9.15 Smooth Laplacian Modifier........................................................... 152
9.16 Surface Deform Modifier...............................................................153
9.17 Warp Modifier............................................................................... 155
9.18 Wave Modifier............................................................................... 157
CH10 Editing Using Curves.................................................................................159
10.1 Curves Circles and Paths............................................................. 160
10.2 Bezier Curves............................................................................... 161
10.3 Bezier Circle................................................................................. 163
10.4 Nurbs Path................................................................................... 163
10.5 Nurbs Circle.................................................................................. 163
10.6 Modeling from a Curve................................................................. 164
10.7 Closed Loops............................................................................... 165
10.8 Using Nurbs Curves..................................................................... 166
10.9 Nurbs Circle................................................................................. 167
10.10 Nurbs Curve................................................................................. 169
10.11 Lofting.......................................................................................... 170
CH11 Editing Techniques – Examples............................................................... 175
11.1 Creating a Landscape.................................................................. 176
11.2 Dupliverts..................................................................................... 177
11.3 Modeling an Aircraft......................................................................179
11.4 Sculpting – Sculpt Mode...............................................................182
11.5 Sculpting Demonstration.............................................................. 184
11.6 Creating a Humanoid Figure........................................................ 187
CH12 The Outliner and Collections.................................................................... 191
12.1 Collections in the Outliner Editor.................................................. 192
12.2 View Options in the Outliner Editor...............................................195
CH13 3D Text........................................................................................................ 197
13.1 Creating 3D Text in Blender..........................................................198
13.2 The Object data Button “a”...........................................................199
13.3 Fonts............................................................................................ 200
13.4 Creating Text on a Curve............................................................. 203
13.5 Converting Text to a Mesh Object................................................ 204
13.6 Converting Text to a Curve........................................................... 204
13.7 Entering External Font..................................................................205
CH14 Viewport Shading.......................................................................................207
14.1 Viewport Shading Options............................................................ 208
14.2 Wireframe Viewport Shading........................................................208
14.3 Solid Viewport Shading................................................................ 211
14.4 Color Display Options.................................................................. 213
14.5 Background Display..................................................................... 215
14.6 More Solid Viewport Shading....................................................... 216
14.7 Rendered Viewport Shading.........................................................217
14.8 Material Preview Viewport Shading..............................................218
