Learning Blender : A Hands-On Guide to Creating 3D Animated Characters

Master the Newest Blender Techniques for Creating Amazing 3D Characters: From Design and Modeling to Video Compositing Now fully updated for Blender 2.78b and beyond, Learning Blender, Second Edition, walks you through every step of creating an outstanding 3D animated character with Blender, and then compositing it in a real video using a professional workflow. This edition covers the powerful new selection and modeling tools, as well as high-efficiency improvements related to other parts of the project such as texture painting, shading, rigging, rendering, and compositing. Still the only Blender tutorial to take you from preproduction to final result, this guide is perfect for both novices and those moving from other software to Blender (open source and free software). Author Oliver Villar provides full-color, hands-on chapters that cover every aspect of character creation: design, modeling, unwrapping, texturing, shading, rigging, animation, and rendering. He also walks you through integrating your animated character into a real-world video, using professional camera tracking, lighting, and compositing techniques. The rich companion website ((http://blendtuts.com/learning-blender-files) blendtuts.com/learning-blender-files ) will help you quickly master even the most complex techniques with bonus contents like video tutorials. By the time you're done, you'll be ready to create outstanding characters for all media--and you'll have up-to-date skills for any 3D project, whether it involves characters or not. Learn Blender's updated user interface, navigation, and selection techniques Create your first scene with Blender and the Blender Render and Cycles render engines Organize an efficient, step-by-step pipeline to streamline workflow in any project Master modeling, unwrapping, and texturing Bring your character to life with materials and shading Create your character's skeleton and make it walk Use Camera Tracking to mix 3D objects into a real-world video Transform a raw rendered scene into the final result using Blender's compositing nodes About This E-Book Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Contents Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Part I The Basics of Blender 1 What You Need to Know About Blender What Is Blender? Commercial Software Versus Open-Source Software Commercial Software Open-Source Software The History of Blender The Blender Foundation and Blender Institute The Blender Community Summary Exercises 2 Blender Basics: The User Interface Downloading and Installing Blender Using Blender with Recommended Hardware Navigating the Blender User Interface Understanding the 3D View Editor Navigating 3D View Managing Areas Working with Editor Types Selecting Objects Making an Active Selection Using the 3D Cursor Setting Blender’s User Preferences Summary Exercises 3 Your First Scene in Blender Creating Objects Moving, Rotating, and Scaling Using Manipulators (Basic Mode) Using Keyboard Shortcuts (Advanced Mode) Arranging Objects in Your Scene Naming Objects and Using Datablocks Renaming Objects Managing Datablocks Naming Your Scene’s Objects Using Interaction Modes Applying Flat or Smooth Surfaces Working with Modifiers Adding Modifiers Adding a Subdivision Surface Modifier to Your Object Using Blender Render and Cycles Managing Materials Using Blender Render Materials Using Cycles Materials Adding Materials to Your Scene Turning on the Lights Light Options in Blender Render Lights Options in Cycles Adding Lights to Your Scene Moving the Camera in Your Scene Rendering Rendering in Blender Render Rendering in Cycles Saving and Loading Your .blend File Launching and Saving the Render Summary Exercises Part II Beginning a Project 4 Project Overview The Three Stages of a Project Preproduction Production Postproduction Defining the Stages A Film Without Visual Effects A Visual-Effects Film An Animated Film A Photograph Making a Character-Creation Plan Character Preproduction Character Production Project Postproduction Summary Exercises 5 Character Design Character Description Personality Context Style Appearance Designing the Character Silhouettes Base Design Head Details Refined Design Adding Color Finalizing the Design Making Character Reference Images Using Other Design Methods Summary Exercises Part III Modeling in Blender 6 Blender Modeling Tools Working with Vertices, Edges, and Faces Selecting Vertices, Edges, and Faces Accessing Modeling Tools Making Selections Shortest Path Proportional Editing Linked Selection Loops and Rings Border Selection Grow and Shrink Selection Limit Selection to Visible Select Similar Select Linked Flat Faces Select Boundary Loop and Loop Inner-Region Checker Deselect Other Selection Methods Using Mesh Modeling Tools Bevel Boolean Operations: Intersect (Boolean) and Intersect (Knife) Bisect Bridge Edge Loops Connect Delete and Dissolve Duplicate Edge Offset Extrude Fill and Grid Fill Inset Join Knife Knife Project Loop Cut and Slide Make Edge/Face Merge Poke Remove Doubles Rip and Rip Fill Screw Separate Shrink/Flatten Slide Smooth Vertex Solidify Spin Split Subdivide Working with LoopTools Working with F2 Using Other Interesting Blender Options AutoMerge Hide and Reveal Snapping Summary Exercises 7 Character Modeling What Is Mesh Topology? Choosing Modeling Methods Box Modeling Poly to Poly Sculpt and Retopologize Modifiers The Best Method Setting Up the Reference Planes Modeling the Eyes Creating an Eyeball Using Lattices to Deform the Eyeballs Mirroring and Adjusting the Eyes Modeling the Face Studying the Face’s Topology Blocking the Face’s Basic Shape Defining the Face’s Shapes Defining the Eyes, Mouth, and Nose Adding Ears Building the Inside of the Mouth Modeling the Torso and Arms Modeling the Basic Shapes for the Torso and Arms Defining the Arms and Torso Detailing the Backpack and Jacket Finishing the Belt and Adding a Neck to the Jacket Modeling the Legs Modeling the Boots Modeling the Hands Building the Basic Hand Shape Adding the Fingers and Wrist Modeling the Cap Creating the Base of the Cap Adding Details to the Cap Modeling the Hair Shaping Locks of Hair Adding Natural Details to the Hair Modeling the Final Details Eyebrows Communicator Badges Teeth and Tongue Other Clothing Details Summary Exercises Part IV Unwrapping, Painting, and Shading 8 Unwrapping and UVs in Blender Seeing How Unwrapping and UVs Work Unwrapping in Blender Using the UV/Image Editor Navigating the UV/Image Editor Accessing the Unwrapping Menus Working with UV Mapping Tools Defining Seams Considering Before Unwrapping Working with UVs in Blender Marking the Seams Creating and Displaying a UV Test Grid Unwrapping Jim’s Face Using Live Unwrap Adjusting UVs Separating and Connecting UVs Reviewing the Finished Face’s UVs Unwrapping the Rest of the Character Packing UVs Summary Exercises 9 Painting Textures Defining the Main Workflow Painting in Blender Texture Paint Mode Before You Start Painting Conditions for Painting Paint Slots Limitations of Blender’s Texture Paint Mode Creating the Base Texture Placing Texture Elements Saving Your Image Packing Your Images Texturing in 2D Image Editing Software Exporting the UVs as an Image Loading the UVs and Base Elements Adding Base Colors Adding Details Applying the Final Touches Seeing the Painted Character in Blender Summary Exercises 10 Materials and Shaders Understanding Materials Materials Application How Materials Work Masks and Layers Channels Blender Render Materials Cycles Materials Procedural Textures Shading Your Character with Blender Render Setting Up Blender Render Materials Applying Textures in Blender Render Shading Jim in Blender Render Making Render Tests Shading Your Character with Cycles Using Cycles Materials Using Basic Shaders Mixing and Adding Shaders Loading Textures Shading Jim in Cycles Running Render Tests Summary Exercises Part V Bringing Your Character to Life 11 Character Rigging Understanding the Rigging Process What’s a Rig? Rigging Process Working with Armatures Manipulating Bones Working in Object, Edit, and Pose Modes Adding Constraints Rigging Your Character Creating the Base Bone Structure Rigging the Eyes Rigging the Leg Rigging the Torso and Head Rigging the Arm Rigging the Hand Mirroring the Rig Organizing the Rig Skinning Understanding Vertex Weights Setting Up the Model for Skinning Adding an Armature Modifier Defining Weights Creating the Facial Rig Modeling Shapes Creating the Face Rig Using Drivers to Control the Face Shapes Creating Custom Shapes Making Final Retouches Reusing Your Character in Different Scenes Library Linking Working with Groups Protecting Layers Using Proxies to Animate a Linked Character Using Dupli Visibility Summary Exercises 12 Animating Your Character Inserting Keyframes Using the Manual Method Using the Automatic Method Using Keying Sets Animating Properties in the Menus Working with Animation Editors Timeline Dope Sheet Graph Editor Non-Linear Animation (NLA) Common Controls and Tips Animating a Walk Cycle Creating an Action Creating the Poses for the Walk Cycle Repeating the Animation Walking Along a Path Summary Exercises Part VI Getting the Final Result 13 Camera Tracking in Blender Understanding Camera Tracking Shooting Video for Easy Tracking Using the Movie Clip Editor Tracking the Camera Loading Your Footage Studying the Anatomy of a Marker Tracking Features in the Footage Configuring Camera Settings Solving Camera Motion Applying Tracked Motion to the Camera Adjusting Camera Motion Testing Camera Tracking Summary Exercises 14 Lighting, Compositing, and Rendering Lighting Your Scene Analyzing the Real Footage Creating and Testing Lights Using the Node Editor Compositing Understanding Nodes Studying the Anatomy of a Node Using the Node Editor Previewing the Result Compositing Your Scene in Blender Render Setting Up the Scene Setting Up Render Layers Compositing Nodes Compositing Your Scene in Cycles Setting Up the Scene Setting Up Render Layers Node Compositing Rendering Render Settings Output Final Render Summary Exercises Part VII Keep Learning 15 Other Blender Features Particles Hair Simulation Cloth Simulation Rigid and Soft Bodies Fluids Simulation Fire and Smoke Grease Pencil Pie Menus Game Engine Freestyle Rendering Masking, Object Tracking, and Video Stabilization Sculpting Retopology Maps Baking Included Add-Ons More Add-Ons Animation Nodes Python Scripting Summary Index This Book Offers New, Often Unexpected, But Always Intriguing Portraits Of The Writers Of Classic Fairy Tales. For Years These Authors, Who Wrote From The Sixteenth To The Nineteenth Centuries, Have Been Either Little Known Or Known Through Skewed, Frequently Sentimentalized Biographical Information. Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm Were Cast As Exemplars Of National Virtues; Hans Christian Andersen's Life Became--with His Participation--a Fairy Tale In Itself. Jeanne-marie Leprince De Beaumont, The Prim Governess Who Wrote Moral Tales For Girls, Had A More Colorful Past Than Her Readers Would Have Imagined, And Few People Knew That Nineteen-year-old Marie-catherine D'aulnoy Conspired To Kill Her Much-older Husband. Important Figures About Whom Little Is Known, Such As Giovan Francesco Straparola And Giambattista Basile, Are Rendered More Completely Than Ever Before. Uncovering What Was Obscured For Years And With Newly Discovered Evidence, Contributors To This Fascinating And Much-needed Volume Provide A Historical Context For Europe's Fairy Tales.--p. [4] Of Cover. Introduction / Sophie Raynard -- Europe's First Fairy Tales / Ruth B. Bottigheimer -- Giovan Francesco Straparola : 1485?-1556? / Ruth B. Bottigheimer -- Giambattista Basile : 1575?-1632 / Nancy Canepa -- Sophistication And Modernization Of The Fairy Tale : 1690-1709 / Nadine Jasmin (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- Charles Perrault : 1628-1703 / Yvette Saupé And Jean-pierre Collinet (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- Marie-catherine Le Jumel De Barneville, Baroness D'aulnoy : 1650/51?-1705 / Nadine Jasmin (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- Catherine Bernard : 1663?-1712 / Lewis C. Seifert -- Marie-jeanne Lhéritier De Villandon : 1664-1734 / Lewis C. Seifert -- Henriette-julie De Castelnau, Countess De Murat : 1668-1716 / Geneviève Patard (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- Charlotte-rose De Caumont De La Force : 1650?-1724 / Lewis C. Seifert -- Antoine Galland : 1646-1715 / Manuel Couvreur (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- Jeanne-marie Leprince (or Le Prince) De Beaumont : 1711-1780? / Elisa Biancardi (translated And Adapted By Sophie Raynard) -- The Legacy Of Eighteenth-century And Nineteenth-century German Female Storytellers / Shawn C. Jarvis -- Benedikte Naubert / Shawn C. Jarvis -- Jacob Grimm : 1785-1863, Wilhelm Grimm : 1786-1859 / Donald R. Hettinga -- Ludwig Bechstein / Ruth B. Bottigheimer -- Hans Christian Andersen / Peer E. Soerensen. Edited By Sophie Raynard. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. Master the Newest Blender Techniques for Creating Amazing 3D Characters: From Design and Modeling to Video Compositing Now fully updated for Blender 2.78b and beyond, Learning Blender, Second Edition, walks you through every step of creating an outstanding 3D animated character with Blender, and then compositing it in a real video using a professional workflow. This edition covers the powerful new selection and modeling tools, as well as high-efficiency improvements related to other parts of the project such as texture painting, shading, rigging, rendering, and compositing. Still the only Blender tutorial to take you from preproduction to final result, this guide is perfect for both novices and those moving from other software to Blender (open source and free software). Author Oliver Villar provides full-color, hands-on chapters that cover every aspect of character creation: design, modeling, unwrapping, texturing, shading, rigging, animation, and rendering. He also walks you through integrating your animated character into a real-world video, using professional camera tracking, lighting, and compositing techniques. The rich companion website (blendtuts.com/learning-blender-files) will help you quickly master even the most complex techniques with bonus contents like video tutorials. By the time you're done, you'll be ready to create outstanding characters for all media–and you'll have up-to-date skills for any 3D project, whether it involves characters or not. Learn Blender's updated user interface, navigation, and selection techniques Create your first scene with Blender and the Blender Render and Cycles render engines Organize an efficient, step-by-step pipeline to streamline workflow in any project Master modeling, unwrapping, and texturing Bring your character to life with materials and shading Create your character's skeleton and make it walk Use Camera Tracking to mix 3D objects into a real-world video Transform a raw rendered scene into the final result using Blender's compositing nodes Register your product at informit.com/register for convenient access to downloads, updates, and corrections as they become available. **Master the Newest Blender Techniques for Creating Amazing 3D Characters: From Design and Modeling to Video Compositing** Now fully updated for Blender 2.78b and beyond, __**Learning Blender, Second Edition,**__ walks you through every step of creating an outstanding 3D animated character with Blender, and then compositing it in a real video using a professional workflow. This edition covers the powerful new selection and modeling tools, as well as high-efficiency improvements related to other parts of the project such as texture painting, shading, rigging, rendering, and compositing. Still the only Blender tutorial to take you from preproduction to final result, this guide is perfect for both novices and those moving from other software to Blender (open source and free software). Author Oliver Villar provides full-color, hands-on chapters that cover every aspect of character creation: design, modeling, unwrapping, texturing, shading, rigging, animation, and rendering. He also walks you through integrating your animated character into a real-world video, using professional camera tracking, lighting, and compositing techniques. The rich companion website (blendtuts.com/learning-blender-files) will help you quickly master even the most complex techniques with bonus contents like video tutorials. By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to create outstanding characters for all media—and you’ll have up-to-date skills for any 3D project, whether it involves characters or not. * Learn Blender’s updated user interface, navigation, and selection techniques * Create your first scene with Blender and the Blender Render and Cycles render engines * Organize an efficient, step-by-step pipeline to streamline workflow in any project * Master modeling, unwrapping, and texturing * Bring your character to life with materials and shading * Create your character’s skeleton and make it walk * Use Camera Tracking to mix 3D objects into a real-world video * Transform a raw rendered scene into the final result using Blender’s compositing nodes Learning Blender walks you through every step of creating an outstanding animated character with the free, open source, 3D software Blender, and then compositing it in a real video using a professional workflow