Beginning Blender: Open Source 3D Modeling, Animation, and Game Design

A new world of creative possibilities is opened by Blender, the most popular and powerful open source 3D and animation tool. Blender is not just free software; it is also?an important professional tool used in animated shorts, television commercials, and shows, as well as in?production for films like Spiderman 2.?Lance Flavell?s Beginning Blender will give you the skills to start shaping new?worlds and virtual characters, and perhaps lead you down a new professional path.Beginning Blender covers the Blender 2.5 release in-depth. The book starts with?the creation of simple figures using basic modeling and sculpting. It then?teaches?you how to bridge from modeling to animation, and from scene setup to texture creation and rendering, lighting, rigging, and ultimately, full animation. You will create and mix your own movie scenes, and?you will?even learn the basics of games logic and how to deal with games physics.?Whether you are new to modeling, animation, and game design, or whether you are simply new to Blender, this book will show you everything you need to know to get your 3D projects underway. What you?ll learnHow to create models using sculpt mode, extrusion modeling, and moreGo beyond playing with color to learn procedural texturing and UV mappingHow to use light and depth of focus to make are realistic-looking modelAdding rigging and realistic animationUsing the compositor for movie mixing and?lip-syncing animations?How to put the games engine and physics to work to create full-featured games Who this book is forThis book appeals to all who are starting out in 3D, animation, and games design. It also appeals to those who know about 2D design and photography and would like to expand their skill set. Table of ContentsHistory and InstallationThe InterfaceModelingLighting and? Procedural TexturesUV MappingCurves and NURBSBasic Rigging and AnimationAdvanced RiggingMaking MoviesParticles and PhysicsThe Game EngineGoing FurtherCompanies That Use BlenderBlender and GPL Terms of UseGNU Public LicenseOpenContent LicenseBeginning Blender: Open Source 3D Modeling, Animation, and Game DesignAuthor:Lance FlavelBy:ApressISBN10:1430231262ISBN13:9781430231264