Book Image

Blender 3D Basics

Book Image

Blender 3D Basics

Overview of this book

Blender is by far the most popular open source graphics program available. It is a full featured 3D modeling, animation and games development tool used by millions all over the world ñ and it's free! This book is for those looking for an entry into the world of 3D modeling and animation regardless of prior experience. Blender 3D Basics is the entry level book for those without prior experience using 3D tools. It caters for those who may have downloaded Blender in the past but were frustrated by its lack of intuitiveness. Using simple steps it builds, chapter by chapter, into a full foundation in 3D modeling and animation. Using Blender 3D Basics the reader will model a maritime scene complete with boats and water, then add materials, lighting and animation. The book demystifies the Blender interface and explains what each tool does so that you will be left with a thorough understanding of 3D.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
Blender 3D Basics Beginner's Guide
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
3
Controlling the Lamp, the Camera, and Animating Objects
Index

Time for action — moving the boat in sync with the oars


When you row, you dip the oar in the water and push the boat forward using the oar as a lever. The boat coasts while you are moving the oars back. You are going to create a marker to track that motion. When the oar is in the water, the marker will give you a location for the oar tip. When the oar is out of the water, the width of the marker will show you how far to move the boat while it's coasting:

  1. Press Numpad 3 to get the Side view. Make sure you are on frame 0. Use the Current Editor Type button in the lower left corner of Graph Editor to change Graph Editor to Timeline.

  2. Move your cursor below the boat. PressLMB.

  3. Deselect all the objects, and make a cube. Move the cube so the left corner is just below the blade of the oar as shown in the next screenshot.

  4. Select the boat and make a location keyframe. Do not make a keyframe for the cube.

  5. Move the time to frame 26.

  6. Select the boat and move it in Y so that the oar lines up over the left...