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Sticking my hand into Blender
Post #763 • March 29, 2006, 3:17 PM • 2 Comments
I'm trying to learn some Blender. I'm having problems. One:
Let's make Gus thinner:
1. Press SKEY and start to move the mouse horizontally. (Click MMB to constrain scaling to just one axis or press YKEY to obtain the same result). If you now move the mouse toward Gus he should become thinner but remain the same height.
2. The three numbers on the 3DWindow toolbar show the scaling factor. Once you constrained scaling, only one of these numbers will vary. Press and hold CTRL. The scale factor will now vary in discrete steps of value 0.1. Scale Gus down so that the factor is 0.2, then set this dimension by clicking LMB.
3. Return to Front view and to Solid mode (ZKEY), then rotate your view via MMB. Gus is much better now!
Go Gus. Yes, this is the beginning tutorial.
Two, I'm on a Mac. MMB and LMB stand for Middle and Left Mouse Button. On a Mac, LMB = click. MMB = Command-click. RMB = option-shift-control-click.
Three, Blender is on version 2.41. The tutorials are on 2.32. Some of the buttons have moved to entirely new locations.
Why am I doing this? Because I've had it in my head to learn this program for six months. Because I worked with animation students for years and never precisely understood what they were doing. Because if Leonardo was around, he'd be all over this. Because I think it would make a great visualization tool for paintings.
But mostly, I'm learning it because my muse, who has an evil streak, is telling me to. It's not my job to argue with her. It's my job to shut up and follow her directions. Occasionally, she sends me down the wrong path on purpose. You remember how Rilke told his young correspondent to live the questions in hopes that one day he would live the answers? This is living the bad ideas in hopes that one day I live the good ones. And there's nothing to do except option-shift-control-click my little heart out until they come.
Related: has anyone ever practiced the eye fitness exercises described here and found them effective? All this screen time is hurting my vision.
2.
March 29, 2006, 9:57 PM
I think you would have more fun with a "wallace and gromit" claymation style visualization tool. Go buy Play-dough my friend.
1.
alesh
March 29, 2006, 3:46 PM
I've messed around with 3dmax and Maya, and I can tell you that the complexity and general opaqueness applies to the genre of this program, not the program itself.
I suggest patience and a 3-button mouse.