Blender, a powerful open source software for 3D graphics and animation - video tutorial

Blender 3D is a free program (and free software) for 3D graphics. It can be used for creating 3D models, UV mapping, texturing, rigging (animation using "bones"), water simulation, animation, rendering, particles and other computer simulations, non-linear editing, compositing and creating 3D interactive applications. Blender is available for several operating systems, including FreeBSD, IRIX, GNU / Linux, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Solaris, SkyOS, and MorphOS. Blender has a variety of similar functions in purpose and complexity as other 3D programs such as Softimage | XSI, Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, Lightwave and Maya. These features include advanced simulation tools such as rigid body, fluid, cloth and softbody dynamics, powerful character animation tools, node-based materials and Python scripts.
Originally, the program was developed as an in-house application by the Dutch animation studio NeoGeo (not to be confused with the NeoGeo game console) and Not a Number Technologies (NaN); lead author Ton Roosendaal founded NaN in June 1998 to further develop and distribute the program. The program was originally distributed as freeware until NaN went bankrupt in 2002. The name "Blender" was inspired by a song by Yello from the album Baby.
Lenders have agreed that Blender is released as free software under the terms of the GNU General Public License for payment of one installment of € 100.000. In July 18 2002 Roosendaal initiated a fundraising campaign and in September 7 2002 announced that they have gathered enough donations so Blender source code to be made available. Blender is currently a program actively developed open source Blender Foundation.
In January / February 2002 was clear that NaN could not survive and will be shut down in March. Yet they had the power to create another version, 2,25. As a kind of easter egg, a last personal symbol, the creators decided to add a primitive chimpanzee. It was created by Willem-Paul van Overbruggen (SLiD3), who also named it Suzanne, after the orangutan in the Kevin Smith, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Suzanne is Blender's alternative test models, such as Utah Teapot.Un model with few faces, exactly 500, Suzanne is often used as a quick model to test the material, texture and lighting. The biggest competition is called Blender Suzanne Awards.
Blender has a relatively small installation size and runs on several popular platforms. Although it is often distributed without documentation or extensive example scenes, the program is replete with features characteristic modeling softwares top. Among its capabilities are:

* Supports a variety of geometric primitives, including polygonal structures, fast subdivision surface modeling, Bezier curves and NURBS surfaces, metaballs, polygon sculpting, and vector fonts Typeface.
* Versatile internal rendering capabilities and integration with the open source raytracer YafRay.
* Animation tools including inverse kinematics, deformation of the armature (skeletal) and lattice, shape keys, keyframes, timeline, non-linear animation, constraints, vertex weighting, softbody dynamics, including collision detection objects, fluid dynamics, Dynamic hard body hair, based on the particle system, and a system for detecting particles by collision.
* Python Scripting to create new tools and prototyping tools, game logic scripting or automation of certain tasks.
* Non-linear video editing capabilities based on the composition.
* Game Blender, a sub-project, offers interactivity features such as collision detection, dynamics engine, and programmable logic. It also allows the creation of stand-alone applications that can run in real time, from architectural visualization to video game programming.

In Blender, an Object (representing an entity that interacts with the environment) and its “personal” Data (the actual shape / function of the object) are clear and distinct. Object-data relationships are dynamically linkable at all times, facilitating fast modeling processes that are unique features of the Blender program.
An internal file system that allows you to "wrap" several scenes in a single file (called a ".blend" file).
All “.blend” files of the program are compatible between all platforms, as well as forward and backward with other versions of the program, and can be used as a library from where you can get ready-made content.
".Blend" files can be automatically saved as periodic instances by the program, making it more likely that the file will survive the event of a program crash.
All scenes, objects, materials, textures, sounds, images, post-production effects of an entire animation can be stored in a single ".blend" file.
The various interface configurations are stored in the “.blend” file, so what you save is what you get when you upload it. This file can be stored as "user default" (default user preferences), so the screen configuration, as well as all objects stored in it, are used every time you start the Blender program.
Blender still has the reputation of the program difficult to learn. Nearly every function has a direct keyboard shortcut and the number of features offered by Blender has resulted in several different shortcuts on the same key. Since its release as open source efforts have been made to add comprehensive contextual menus as well as make use of tools more logical and orderly, and further improve the visual interface, introducing color themes, windows transparent floating a new and improved object tree overview, and other small improvements (pipette color, etc).
The two primary modes of work are Object Mode and Edit Mode, between which alternate with the Tab key. Object mode is used to manipulate individual objects in general, while Edit mode is used to manipulate the actual data defining the object. For example, in the case of polygonal objects, Object mode can be used to move, scale and rotate the entire object, and the edit mode is used to manipulate the individual peaks of a single structure. There are several other ways, such as Vertex Paint, Weight Paint, Sculpt Mode. Version 2.45 have and how UV Mapping, but 2.46 he was included in Edit Mode.
The program often use keyboard commands. By 2.x versions and versions 2.3x especially if it was really the only way to give commands, which was largely responsible for creating the reputation of the program difficult to learn. The new versions have more comprehensive menus.
Blender has an internal file system that allows entering multiple scenes into a single file (called file. Blend).

* All “.blend” files are compatible with other versions of the program and are cross-platform. They can be used as a library to borrow a texture or object.
* Blender can automatically save work to not lose data in case of a crash.
* All scenes, objects, materials, textures, sounds, images, effects for an entire animation are stored in a single “.blend” file, so what you save is what you get when you upload it. The file also stores the user's preferences, such as the arrangement of the windows, so when opening a file the program looks the same as saving it.

In a ".blend" file are stored objects and their relationships in a way that is difficult to decipher, making it difficult to convert them from an external program, but there are many converters built into Blender that access object data directly through the API, facilitating export to other programs.
Blender organizes data as different types of "data blocks", such as Objects, Meshes, Lamps, Scenes, Materials, Images and others. In Blender an object is made up of several "data blocks", for example a cube has at least one datablock for Object and Mesh and usually also has a material. This allows, for example, duplicating objects but keeping a single datablock to which all copies of the original object are linked, allowing all objects to be modified at the same time. The relationships between data blocks can also be changed manually. Datablocks can also be taken from other .blend files, allowing them to be stored as libraries for later access.
The first large professional project that used Blender was Spider-Man was 2 mainly to create animated sketches and previews for storyboarding department.
In September 2005, some of the most notable Blender artists and developers have worked to create a short film using primarily free software, in an initiative known as the Orange Movie Project. Resulting film, Elephants Dream, premiered on March 24 2006. In response to the success of the film Elephants Dream, the Blender Foundation Blender Institute sponsored 2 to create other projects: Big Buck Bunny, also known as Project Peach, and Yo Frankie, also known as Project Apricot.In on September 27 2010 the premiere Sintel animation film, film only with this program.
2.5 Blender is likely to soon become the most widely used modeling program 3D.
Remember, if you have suggestions, complaints or additions do not hesitate to write in the comments box, de-also if you met the comments box a user has a problem and you can help him, do not hesitate to do it, the only way we can do this place better, see the comments box!
Enjoy !
Download test files
By visiting the link below you can watch on youtube sequence resulting from the tutorial.
"Http://youtu.be/5uaGlrcuqv4"

by Dan Constantin …… ..tutorialegimp.blogspot.com