CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #5 (Feb 1, 2018): The class is officially closed! Thanks to all who participated. Be sure to check page 43 for the closing "statement" and commendations.
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #4 (Jan 30, 2018): The timing worked out where this week's homework stretch is 10 days instead of the usual 7. So you've got extra time to complete the assignment! I'll look for submission through tomorrow, the 31st, and then I'll do a final post to close out the class.
BTW week 4's live event is archived if you missed it.
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #3 (Jan 15, 2018): Week 2 is done - We're halfway through the class! Today WEEK 3 begins where the focus is digital sculpting. This is a far more artistic method of shaping 3D models, so if you struggled in week 2, week 3 should be refreshing.
- Only 1 course to watch this week: Fundamentals of Digital Sculpting
- Live Event tomorrow at 2pm EST
- Please submit homework anytime between Jan 15 - Jan 21 with "BC1-1801 Week 3 Homework Submission" at the top of your post.
Keep up the awesome work, Class! So much creativity and hard work being contributed from everyone 🤘
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #2 (Jan 8, 2018): Week one is accomplished! Today WEEK 2 begins. We're moving forward from basic viewport interaction and into mesh modeling; into Edit Mode and the modifier stack.
- Reminder that you have 2 courses to watch this week: Mesh Modeling Fundamentals and Modeling with Modifiers.
- Live Event tomorrow at 2pm EST
- Please submit homework anytime between Jan 8 - Jan 14 with "BC1-1801 Week 2 Homework Submission" at the top of your post.
As always, don't hesitate to ask questions in this thread!
CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT #1 (Jan 2, 2018): The class has officially started! Today we held the first live event to kick things off. The recording will be published by tomorrow at the latest is now available in "Past Events".
That means it's now up to you to watch the Blender Basics Course and submit your homework to this thread. Please add a big, bold title to your homework submission reply so I can easily tell. Like this:
"BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission"Also don't hesitate to ask questions along the way. I'll be checking this thread daily to answer questions, give advice, check homework.
This thread is for CG Cookie Citizens that are participating in the "Getting Started with 3D Modeling and Blender" class! Its purpose is to serve as central communication for all participating Citizens (excluding Hobby plan Citizens) to ask me and each other questions and to post homework. As the instructor of the class, I will be monitoring this thread on a daily basis (especially Mon-Thurs) throughout the month of January to review homework and answer questions.
This thread is intended only for Citizens who are participating in the class. Free members are welcome to observe the thread but please respect that communication is reserved for Citizens.
Welcome to the CGCookie Class: Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender! This is the first "Class" format where Citizen members are invited to focus together on a particular topic/skill together for a month. Participation is this:
It will take place from January 2nd through January 31st and the topic is for beginners that want to get into 3D modeling. The class is based on pre-recorded courses that students are expected to watch each week along with weekly Live Events.
Download the latest official version of Blender and watch the Blender Basics course. The goal this week is to simply get familiar with the application. We’ve all been there: Opening Blender (or any 3D package), gazing at all the crazy UI, trying to orbit in the viewport, crying...Ok, maybe you were stronger than me and didn’t cry. But the reality is 3D software is daunting. There’s SO MUCH to digest especially when you’re a beginner.
This first week we’re going to overview Blender and 3D from an absolutely beginner perspective. What is Blender for? What can it do? Wait, this isn’t a juicing seminar?
During the Live Event we're also going to open the floor, ask me anything (AMA) style, so I can answer all your questions about getting started with Blender.
HOMEWORK: Create a scene out of primitive shapes. It can be anything from a landscape to a spaceship to a character. Just get comfortable with creating and positioning mesh objects. Here's an example:
Take a screenshot of your scene and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 1-6*.
Enter the world of mesh modeling! The oldest form of building objects in 3D, in the computer. We’ll discuss the technical art of “pushing and pulling verts” as modelers often call it. First, watch the Mesh Modeling Fundamentals and Modeling with Modifiers courses to be introduced to this wild, geometric world.
Practice makes perfect here and during this week's Live Event we’ll be mesh-modeling a few objects to demonstrate tools and workflow available with Blender. It’s ideal if you practice along with me!
HOMEWORK: Model either 1, 2, or 3 unique objects using mesh-modeling techniques. They can be as simple or as complex as you like, but they can't be primitives. I want to see that you've used mesh tools to significantly customize your shapes. For example, you could model a hammer, a cell phone, a keyboard, a game controller, a picture frame, a coffee cup - choose something fun!
Take a screenshot of your shaded model + wireframe-over shaded (as pictured above) and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 7-14*.
Digital sculpting is the more artistically intuitive method of 3D modeling. If pushing and pulling verts felt like the hard way of doing things, sculpting will be a welcomed alternative! Watch the Fundamentals of Digital Sculpting course this week.
During the Live Event, we'll discuss the pros and cons of digital sculpting as well as how it compares to mesh modeling. Again, practice makes perfect with any craft, and we will also practice sculpting. Be sure to have your pen and tablet ready!
HOMEWORK: *Submit during the week of Jan 15-21*
There’s still much more to learn about modeling with Blender. Remember, it’s a craft. Time + practice is the only way to develop your modeling skills.
This week your challenge is to dive into the Modeling in Blender Learning Flow. While the class gives you a boost, the Flow takes you further into intermediate and advanced modeling techniques/workflows. Test the waters and see how far you can go this week.
During the Live Event we'll discuss the journey of becoming a skilled modeler as well as the potential for turning it into a career. Finally, I’m going to sift through homework submissions to commend my favorites and offer critiques!
HOMEWORK: Model and/or sculpt something challenging this week! Try tackling a character or a complex vehicle, etc. Show me what you've learned; what you're capable of!
Take a screenshot of your shaded model and post it in a reply to this thread *during the week of Jan 21-31*.
This is an awesome concept on the dragon and night. Love it!
(I almost went into edit mode to taper some of the pieces on mine, but opted to leave it primitives :D )
One of my challenges has been consistency, but those times when I have been consistent on working on something every day have been when I found the biggest explosion of my capabilities... not everything was great, but there were more great pieces as a result of the consistent effort.
Hi Kent,
Sorry I am not new to Blender/3D. I have used Blender before it was free, 2002 I think, and then later 2003-2006 I really got into it, I have learned the basics of modeling but at the time I was most interested in rigging and animation. I use Blender and 3D Max from time to time for modding games, but still not much modeling, so I think this class will be great to get me into modeling, one of my new year goal!
HOMEWORK SUBMISSION, BC1-1801, Week I
had fun with this one. using just primitives is not as easy that one might think, and certainly i normally do blocking out project bit different.
first one:
the second one i cheated with particle simulations and displace modifiers and procedural materials other than those everything is primitives. main point for creating this was composition and i know its more advanced topics and I hope this isn't coming as showing off, i'd really like to hear if the composition works or not, its something i've tried to understand lately and figuring out what makes pictures work.
For someone comfortable with Python scripting, this sounds like a great project to simplify this process. Then sell it on Blender Market. I would buy it. ^_^
Hey Kaj, I love the motorcycle design, fun use of the primitive forms. Your landscape is really detailed. It took me a little while to find the town in the background. I wonder what else is hidden in there. The town is following the rule of thirds and the nebulous clouds point my eye there. Unfortunately the dark blurry shadows in the foreground compete for the attention of my eye. If the render camera was elevated and angled down a little, perhaps the blurry trees and shadows would be more subtle. I love the color variations in the trees and ground which gives them a warm and earthy look. Great work!
HOMEWORK SUBMISSION, BC1-1801, Week I
Forrest Scene with Basic shapes:
Clouds and rocks are ico-spheres pushed/pulled with proportional editing.
Trees are 8 sided cylinders w/edges scaled out and dragged down.
House is a square with a few lines cut in to allow for a door.
Hills are made from the tops of spheres dragged up with proportional editing.
Background it world color set to blue.
Colors done by adding multiple colors to each object and selecting the faces I wanted to be that color and hitting "Apply".
Hope it's not too convoluted and over the top.
BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission
Excuse my poor English, it is not my native language.
I used to work with Cinema4D some years ago. Then I recently discovered that Blender has improved a lot specially using Cycle render engine. So it made me want to practice again.
This picture is inspired by Disney's castle. I made it using just primitives and I used Blender render.
I was under the impression that using primitive shapes was not going into edit mode and altering the primitive shapes, just scale, rotation and translate? Or did i miss something. Could or done alot more if I could of gone in edit mode.
I thought your scene was nice Tony. I don't think this is a competition. lol. Just all learning and having fun. I think for the most part most of what I've seen has been primitives (with a tweak or two in edit mode).
No its not a competition and some of the work is fantastic especially the dragon and the knight that was epic. Just a stickler for the rules and wish i'd just broke them too lol.
Loving these emotions about the homework, like in a real class :D
Anyway Tony you are right :)
BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission
This is my submission for week 1. I had a lot of fun making this scene. I've been on blender cookie for a couple of months now(I'd still say I'm a beginner) and as some others mentioned I liked the direction and time limit that this exercise gave me. I feel this was a really good assignment for getting really comfortable and proficient with interacting with objects. I think it was simple, yet challenging enough. I'm actually a bit sad I won't be able to join you on the next stream :( If it only wasn't a Tuesday. I also love all the creativity from the projects others are doing.
BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission
I found this exercise to be a challenge, attempting to figure out how to create some shapes without using using curves, modifiers, or editing. Originally, I had planned to create a sailboat in the scene, but decided on the houseboat instead. It was good to have to think about how to do things using just primitives.
BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission (Part 1)
This is the first part of my submission for week 1. Completely made out of primitives, with only rotation, translation and resizing. Loved doing this with the primitive restrictions.
Tomorrow I will try to create a cottage and some trees to make a complete scene.
BC1-1801 Week 1 Homework Submission
Wow! A little bit down to the wire for me. Thanks for offering this course Kent! Great review and challenge to get back in to a groove. This image was inspired by Wallace and Gromit's "A Grand Day Out." Hope I submitted this correctly!
