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

Making modeling easier with Blender's layers function


A short while ago, you used the Move to Layer menu to hide the reference blocks, so you could render the boat. Blender's layers are a powerful tool and something that deserves a bit more study. Perhaps you may have used layers in Photoshop or Autocad. Blender's layers work differently:

  • In Blender, layers are similar to cubbyholes that you can put objects in, and hide them or show them.

  • Something on the top layer won't necessarily render on top of something on another layer. You cannot link them together, or move a layer as you can in Photoshop.

  • An object in a layer that is displayed can be moved, modified, or rendered. An object in a layer that is not displayed, may not.

There are 20 layers in Blender. You can use any number of them. You can select them with the 20 buttons in the 3D View header in Object Mode as shown here. They are called the Layer Visibility Controls, and they are shown in the next illustration. One half has a yellow border...