Complete Blender Guide

Level: Beginner or advanced

Audience: The complete Blender Guide is intended for all future users wishing to familiarize themselves with the software or the professional wishing to update their knowledge. From the freelance graphic designer to the company wanting to evolve towards free software, Blender will be an indispensable asset for your graphic design career.

Prerequisites: Good knowledge of the computer tool. The basics in 3d will be a plus but are not mandatory.

Objectives: Discover the software as a whole to integrate it into its workflow. Apprehend the interface and keyboard shortcuts for better efficiency. Get polygon modeling, animation and rendering basics. Explore the more advanced features of Blender, compositing, digital sculpture, 3d printing, video game creation.

Educational resources: Blender trainer certified by the Blender foundation, who has been practicing for many years in the field of 3D. Course support and case studies.

Chapter 1 discovering Blender

1.1 Introduction

1.2-Interface presentation 

1.3-Interface customization

1.4-3D view navigation

1.5-Blender Configuration 

Chapter 2 Object Mode

2.1-The object mode menu bar

2.3-Other objects presentation

2.4-Basic manipulations

2.5-Objects relations

2.6-Use of constraints 

2.7-The BoolTool and boolean operations

2.8-Simple modeling exercises from primitive cup, lamp, desk, usb key 

Chapter 3 edit mode

3.1-Presentation, notion of vertice, edge, face

3.2-Selection tools

3.3-The extrusion

3.4-Modeling tools in edit mode

3.5-The proportional editing

3.6-The snapping

3.7-The looptool addon

3.8-9-10Basic modeling exercises in edit mode Cup,  bottle of shampoo   headphone

3.11–12-13-14 Model a robot with reference image 

Chapter 4 modifiers

4.1-Introducing non-destructive modifiers

4.2-Presentation and use of the main modifiers 

4.3-Presentation and use of the main modifiers 

4.4-Examples of typical modelizations with modifiers chain  

4.5-Examples of typical modelizations with modifiers sofa 

4.6-Examples of typical modelizations with modifiers  bottle

4.7-Examples of typical modelizations with modifiers  plant 

Chapter 5 Béziers Curves

5.1-General overview

5.2-Curves in Edit mode

5.3-Specific features of Curves

5.4-Modelling with curves and hooks

5.5-Import .svg from other softwares

5.6-The text object 

5.7-Exercise: Creation of a 3D logo from a 2D image. 

Chapter 6 Cycles Render Engine 

6.1-Render engine introduction

6.2-General Settings 

6.3-Node system, addon node wrangler

6.4-Shaders presentation

6.5-Specific shaders creation

6.6-Camera settings

6.7-The PBR shaders Addon

6.8-Use on our robot 

Chapter 7 World and Lighting

7.1-The world  panel

7.2-Using HDRI maps 

7.3-Lighting and different types of lamps   

7.4-Exercise-Studio-creation

7.5-Tips with HDRI maps-Easyhdri-Filmic

Chapter 8 UV Mapping Texture Paint and Baking

8.1-Unwrap Techniques

8.2-Edition of islands

8.3-Unwrap the mug

8.4-Unwrap the robot

8.5-Texture paint mode, tools presentation

8.6-Using an image texture as brush 

8.7-Image projection in stencil mode 

8.8-Using Line and Curve Strokes

8.9-Baking in cycles, use with the robot

Chapter 9 The sculpt mode

9.1-Sculpt mode presentation and interface configuration

9.2-Tools presentation

9.3-Multiresolution Modifier

9.4-Basic sculpture techniques

9.5-The liberty of dynamic topology

9.6-Timelapse Sculpture of a werewolf bust

9.7-Using  textures for details

9.8-Retopology tools in Blender 

9.9-Retopology of werewolf bust timelapse

Chapter 10 The Armatures

10.1-Armature presentation and visualization

10.2-Bones management,  layer system

10.3-Armatures in Edit  Mode

10.4-The pose mode 

10.5-Parenting, organic or mechanical object 

10.6-Bone constraints

10.7-Exercise: Rigging an humanoid

10.8-Exercise: Rigging our Robot 

Chapter 11 The animation in blender

11.1-Configuration and principles of key insertion

11.2-Dedicated interface

11.3-Shapekeys

11.4-Separate location scale and rotation keys-Animation of a ball 

11.5-Everything is animatable

11.6-Exercice-Creation of a turnaround system

11.6-Exercise-creation of a title animation

11.7-Exercise-Creating a walking cycle 

Chapter 12 Simulations

12.1-Introduction to simulations

12.2-Rigid bodies simulations

12.3-Smoke simulation 

12.4-Cloth simulation

12.5-Fluid simulations 

12.6-Dynamic particle system 

12.7-Static particles 

Chapter 13 Compositing

13.1-presentation of compositing-Node system concept

13.2-Main nodes presentation

13.3-Exercice - creating a vignette- adding a watermark

13.4-Exercice - use of passes-add a glow effect 

13.5-Example of use- Inlay of a 3d object into an photography