While doing research and working on applications of my own, I typically find a few that catch my interest along the way. One of the more recent finds is Blender.
I realize that blender may not be new to many of you, but I didn’t have cause to even consider it until the project I’m currently working on came along. Blender is available for all of the major platforms: MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
Blender is a full featured, customizable 3D creation suite designed for modeling, animations and rigging, rendering, compositing, texturing, sculpting, story art, simulations, VFX, and more including video editing.
Extensions are also available to further customize and expand blender for your specific needs. From a programmability perspective, the Python API makes it possible to script and customize every available tool.
Visit the blenders.org feature page for more details on each feature or take a look at the latest reference manual to see how easy it is to get started! Surprisingly, at approximately 82Mb, Blender doesn’t require a lot of space on your hard drive.
Visit blender.org to download your copy of Blender and run the setup installation wizard to install the software on your machine. Accept the terms in the license agreement, review or customize the setup and follow the prompts to complete the installation.
After spending a little time with the software and manual, I was able to create some interesting geometry. As an Engineering Technologist in electro-mechanical design, the components I need don’t require the creative flare of an artist making it that much easier.
Sketchup was also a worthy contender for the project I’m working on, but the duration and scope of work isn’t worth the price tag for the features I needed. Blender is an open-source application and I’m more than happy to make a donation to support it.
Until Next Time,
Related Articles and Resources
Blender: There are many websites that offer training and tutorials. The following is a short list of websites to get you started.
- Blender – 3D Content Creation / Modeling
- MODELLING For Absolute Beginners – Blender Tutorial
- Blender 3D Modeling Tutorials For Beginners: The Ultimate Collection by Josh Petty, (conceptartempire.com)
- Blender Models & Rigs – blendernation.com
Sketchup:
