Book Image

Taking Blender to the Next Level

By : Ruan Lotter
Book Image

Taking Blender to the Next Level

By: Ruan Lotter

Overview of this book

If you're ready to start exploring the more advanced workflows and processes in Blender to create intricate 3D models, then Taking Blender to the Next Level is for you. This book focuses on a few different VFX-related workflows such as geometry nodes, organic modeling, 3D camera tracking, photogrammetry, sculpting, compositing, and physics simulations. You’ll learn how to use geometry nodes to create dynamic motion graphic scenes as well as perform 3D scanning of real-world objects using photogrammetry. You’ll also find out how to model, rig, and animate your own 3D characters from scratch. Next, you’ll progress to using simulations to break objects apart and then use cloth and hair simulations to add realism to your 3D creations. Finally, you’ll go over the final render settings and export your 3D animation masterpiece as a video. By the end of this Blender book, you’ll be able to model your own 3D characters, objects, and landscapes; rig, animate, and texture your characters; 3D track live-action footage; and composite your 3D characters into live-action scenes.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
1
Part 1: Modeling, Materials, and Animation Workflows
10
Part 2: Let's Do Some Physics
14
Part 3: Match Moving and Compositing

Matching the lighting to our live-action scene

In this section, we are going to set up lighting for our scene. It's important to try to match the lighting in your scene as best as you can with the lighting from the live-action footage to ensure that the shadows of your characters or props match the shadows in the live-action footage to create a realistic composite. Let's get started!

Let's first create a floor plane so that we can try to match the direction of the shadows of our character with the shadows from the live-action footage. We will later also use this plane as a shadow catcher. Follow these next steps:

  1. Press Shift + A and select Mesh | Plane to create a new plane object.
  2. Scale and move the plane on the x axis and align its edge to the wall of the building. Your scene should now look like this:

Figure 13.13 – Aligning the plane with the side of the building

  1. Scale and move the plane object on the y axis...