Trinity Walton Club Activity Archive

CodeCRAFTERS DAY 5

Getting Started with Blender

Task 1: Interface Familiarization

  1. Open Blender and start a new general project.
  2. Layout Overview:
    • 3D Viewport: Where you view and interact with your model.
    • Outliner: Shows all objects in your scene.
    • Properties Panel: Change settings for objects, materials, world settings, etc.
  3. Navigation:
    • Rotate View: Hold the Middle Mouse Button and move the mouse.
    • Zoom: Scroll the Middle Mouse Wheel.
    • Pan: Hold Shift + Middle Mouse Button and move the mouse.

Task 2: Basic Controls

  1. Selecting Objects: Right-click to select an object.
  2. Adding Objects: Press Shift + A, select Mesh for shapes.
  3. Deleting Objects: With an object selected, press Delete and confirm.

Modeling Your Character

Task 3: Creating the Torso

  1. Add a Cube: The base of your character’s torso.
  2. Enter Edit Mode: Press Tab with the cube selected.
  3. Scale the Cube: Press S, then Z to scale it along the Z-axis.

Task 4: Adding Arms and Legs

  1. Add Cylinders for arms and legs with Shift + A > Mesh > Cylinder.
  2. Position the Limbs: Use G to move, R to rotate, and S to scale.
  3. Duplicate for Symmetry: Use Shift + D for the opposite limbs.

Task 5: Creating the Head

  1. Add a Sphere for the head with Shift + A > Mesh > UV Sphere.
  2. Scale and Position the Head: Use S to scale and G to position it.

Task 6: Adding Hands and Feet

  1. Use scaled cubes or spheres as hands and feet.
  2. Attach to Limbs: Position at the ends of arms and legs.

Adding Colors and Textures

Task 7: Creating a Material

  1. Select Your Character, go to Material Properties.
  2. Add a New Material: Click New and name it (e.g., “Skin”).
  3. Change the Base Color: Click the color box to select a color.

Task 8: Applying Different Materials

  1. Create new materials for clothes, eyes, etc.
  2. Assign Materials to Specific Parts: In Edit Mode, select faces, and click Assign in Material Properties.

Rendering Your Character

Task 9: Setting Up the Camera

  1. Position the Camera: Use G and R to face it towards your character.
  2. Camera View: Press Numpad 0 to see through the camera.

Task 10: Lighting and Rendering

  1. Adjust the Light: Select the light source and use G to position.
  2. Render the Image: Go to Render > Render Image.

Helpful Notes and Troubleshooting:

  • Navigational Difficulties: If navigating the 3D viewport is challenging, check your mouse settings or consider using a mouse with a scroll wheel and middle button.
  • Object Not Appearing: If an object you added isn’t visible, it might be too large or too small, or outside your current view. Try using the “.” key on the numpad to center the view on the selected object.
  • Editing Issues: Make sure you’re in the correct mode (Object or Edit Mode) for the action you’re trying to perform.
  • Material Colors Not Showing: Ensure you’re in Material Preview or Rendered viewport shading mode to see textures and materials.
  • Rendering Looks Dark: Adjust the scene’s lighting or add more light sources if your render appears too dark.

Introduction to Animation in Blender

Animation in Blender involves changing an object’s properties (like location, rotation, and scale) over time and creating keyframes that Blender interpolates between to create motion.

Task 1: Understanding the Timeline and Keyframes

  1. Timeline: Located at the bottom of the Blender window. It shows the current frame, start and end frames, and playback controls.
  2. Keyframes: Mark the values of an object’s properties at a specific point in time. They appear as yellow diamonds on the timeline.

Task 2: Setting Up for Animation

  1. Set Frame Range: Decide the length of your animation (e.g., 60 frames for 2 seconds at 30fps). Set the End Frame in the Timeline.
  2. Choose a Simple Action: Start with something manageable, like a hand wave.

Rigging Your Character (Optional)

Rigging is the process of creating a skeleton for your character so you can animate its movements more naturally. For simplicity, this task can be skipped for first-time animators, focusing on basic object animation instead.

Animating Your Character

Task 3: Inserting Keyframes

  1. Select Your Character: Ensure you’re in Object Mode.
  2. Pose for Start Position: Use G (grab) and R (rotate) to position your character at the start of the wave.
  3. Insert Keyframe:
    • Move to Frame 1 in the Timeline.
    • Press I and select “Location” and “Rotation” to insert a keyframe.

Task 4: Creating Movement

  1. Move to Another Frame: For a wave, go to Frame 30.
  2. Change the Pose: Adjust the arm’s position to the peak of the wave.
  3. Insert Another Keyframe: Press I and select “Location” and “Rotation” again.

Task 5: Completing the Action

  1. Final Position: Move to the last frame (e.g., Frame 60). Return the arm to the original position or a resting pose.
  2. Insert Final Keyframe: Press I and select “Location” and “Rotation”.

Previewing and Rendering Your Animation

Task 6: Previewing the Animation

  1. Use Playback Controls: Use the play button in the Timeline to review your animation. Adjust keyframes as needed for smoother motion.

Task 7: Rendering the Animation

  1. Set Output Properties:
    • Go to the Output Properties tab (printer icon).
    • Set your desired resolution, frame start and end, and frame rate.
    • Choose your file format under Output. For animations, MPEG or AVI are common.
  2. Render Animation: Go to Render > Render Animation or press Ctrl + F12.

Helpful Notes and Troubleshooting:

  • Smoothness: If the animation seems jerky, consider adding more keyframes between the start and end points for a smoother transition.
  • Rigging for Complex Characters: For characters with more complex movements, learning basic rigging will provide better results and control over animations.
  • Animation Principles: Study basic animation principles like anticipation, follow-through, and easing for more natural movements.
  • Playback Performance: If playback is slow, reduce the viewport shading quality or render resolution for previews.