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

Adding color using materials

In this section, we will be adding materials to our objects to make our scene more interesting! You will learn how to use the Shading workspace to assign random colors to our instance objects by using basic shading nodes and a color ramp.

To add materials to our Geometry Nodes scene, we need to apply the material to our instance object. In this case, it's the cube that we have created and moved over to the side of our scene:

  1. Click on the cube to select it, and open the Shading workspace by clicking on the Shading tab at the top of the interface.
  2. With the cube instance still selected, click on New to create a new material:

Figure 2.36 – Selecting the instance object and creating a new material

By default, you will see two nodes: the Material Output node and a Principled BSDF shader node. Let's create a new node called the Object Info node.

  1. Hover your mouse over the Shader Editor window...