My first course for CartoonSmart.com was launched today: Blender Basics! I've been a fan of CartoonSmart.com's Flash tutorials for many years, so I was honored to be asked to do Blender courses. CartoonSmart.com produces high quality training for a great price.
Blender Basics is for folks who've never used Blender before. It is a gentle introduction to a very powerful, open source, 3d program. In it I try to address the concerns I had when I first downloaded it. The interface is very different than most Mac or PC programs. Once you learn the basics though, you'll like it. It is very fast and highly configurable.
After learning some of the basics of the interface, interacting in the 3d space, setting up your workspace, saving and loading, I show you how to make a 3d character scratch, just starting with a sketch. I cover modeling and finish up with introduction to materials and rendering.
The video high quality, it is compressed using the H.264 codec at Best quality, Millions, 1024x768. The audio is AAC 44.100kHz. The only place to get it (legally) is CartoonSmart.com. CartoonSmart.com and I will be donating a percentage of the profits to the Blender Foundation to support further development of Blender.
This is great. I have bought some tutorials from CartoonSmart in the past. Unfortunately I have MX2004, and Justin is concentrating on v8 and CS3. Any way I have been trying to learn blender in what spare time I have. Now I have a reason to visit CartoonSmart again.
ReplyDeleteAre there going to be regular tutorials?
Thanks Dave, for your kind comments. Yes, I do intend to make Blender videos regularly, I've got a list of ideas I'd like to cover in Blender. Blender rocks! :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding Flash... CS3 with ActionScript 3 is great! If you have the opportunity to upgrade I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
I have been a 3D modeler, vector artist and animator for over 20 years but have never used a program quite like Blender or worked with characters in such a way, so almost as soon as I found Blender I was about to give up; until I got my CartoonSmart newsletter and checked out your tutorial.
ReplyDeleteThe laid back, and very real approach you give to modeling, with such a complex program is just what I needed to accept the power of this amazing program and not feel overwhelmed with the differences, complexities and configurability of Blender that tend to dominate other underground tutorials. You repeat all the right actions enough to get it engrained (in the FREE 40 min download) and then get right to work doing something productive and fun for the remaining 2 hour tutorial.
The relaxed, zen-like focus is an added extra that makes your confident, and detailed approach something not only informative, but easy to watch and embrace with my own experiences learning complex programs, vector modeling and animation. If the lesson is calm and soothing, then the task will be a breeze.
I'm really excited about what's next that you have to share of your Blender knowledge...
Thank you very much!
fractal
I have been a 3D modeler, vector artist and animator for over 20 years but have never used a program quite like Blender or worked with characters in such a way, so almost as soon as I found Blender I was about to give up; until I got my CartoonSmart newsletter and checked out your tutorial.
ReplyDeleteThe laid back, and very real approach you give to modeling, with such a complex program is just what I needed to accept the power of this amazing program and not feel overwhelmed with the differences, complexities and configurability of Blender that tend to dominate other underground tutorials. You repeat all the right actions enough to get it engrained (in the FREE 40 min download) and then get right to work doing something productive and fun for the remaining 2 hour tutorial.
The relaxed, zen-like focus is an added extra that makes your confident, and detailed approach something not only informative, but easy to watch and embrace with my own experiences learning complex programs, vector modeling and animation. If the lesson is calm and soothing, then the task will be a breeze.
I'm really excited about what's next that you have to share of your Blender knowledge...
Thank you very much!
fractal
Thanks fractal, you made my day!
ReplyDeleteBTW, my next course, Blender Basics 2, will be out soon. It is twice the length and gets into the action right away, so folks who have seen either the free or full version of Blender Basics (or those already comfortable with the basics) can move right into it. It is still the fundamentals, Blender is quite deep (but fun!).