[ENDED] BC1-1808 - August 2018 Class Homepage - Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender 2.8

ssmurfmier1985 Why ta very much! I also have a few non-Blender things that I need to study throughout the month so I can't say I'll never be bored.

@theluthier Yeah it seemed to transfer my files fine for now but I don't wanna be 80% done and then feel like I need to convert and BAM doesn't wanna work. Very thankful for not having to glue myself to 2.8 as well, I'll probably use 2.8 for the first 3 weeks but go back to 2.79 for the last, as that's obviously what I'm used to.

Now I just gotta figure out what's the best way to start sculpting an organic model. Skin modifier? Get a high poly ball and use snake hook? Make a low poly model via the references and subsurf that? Guess I'll need to experiment for that, as I've seen all these ways used.

@theluthier It appears to work when I comment, or reply to a comment.  Other times, it's more sporadic.  It appears to store the last time I was "engaged" versus casually reading the comments, if that makes sense.

@theluthier I was afraid you'd say that, the skin modifier is soooo wonky with me haha. Well, best to get used to it, I say!

@theluthier Did you intend for the Week 4 stream to be on Wednesday and not Tuesday?

@theluthier thecabbagedetective How about metaballs? I've heard that can be a good alternative for sculpting. Never used them yet so I'm curious if that would work?

@theluthier Do it, please!

Kent thanks such "Getting Started with Python in Blender" class would be so great, before of anything expressing to everyone that no programming knowledge is needed. 

ssmurfmier1985 Miranda yes basically Python is much closer to the average users (even to beginners) than someone would think, for example look at this - grab the top of your screen and add a cube to Blender, you will see all the Python code behind of that action and so which you can investigate and build in to your own code:

Anyway just a short hint yet to bring the topic even closer, so as showed in the before example, you can paste any Python code to the Python Console in Blender. Although that works great, writing Python code in that console is not too user friendly, programmers that is why edit their code in some text editor like Notepad++ (it is a free program with even portable version from link https://notepad-plus-plus.org/ ):

The code is much more readable/beautiful like that, then you can save your file with .py extension and in Blender you can open such ready codes in Text Editor window, let me show it analogically with the original 25 cubes demo:

You can see that there is no any rocket science in the basics, although it is so powerful that surely rockets can be built through that :-)

csehz That looks so much easier then I expected. I'm signing up for this class in advance! Learning programming has been on my wish list for years, and this looks like a really fun way to learn it 😄 thanks for sharing this and making all these pictures to show us what's possible, looks really awesome 😎

@theluthier 

 Your post has single-handeldly inspired me to brainstorm a "Getting Started with Python in Blender" class. It will be so much fun! Thanks for the inspiration 🙇🏻‍♂️

YES PLEASE

Getting 2.7x files into 2.8 is very hit-or-miss for me too.  On the one hand, I've been able to for instance open the VonnBots Blend file, or even append characters from it into a new 2.8 file; the only thing that doesn't "work" is the custom UI addon for the rigs.  On the other hand, I tried to import my half-done French Horn project into 2.8 and couldn't set it to render preview mode without crashing - maybe because of all the modifiers?  

Just be aware that 2.8 converts your layers into collections.  Helpfully, they will be named according to the layer they were - so everything that was in layer 1 in your 2.7x file will be in "Collection 1" in the 2.8 outliner; everything that was in layer 12 will be in Collection 12, and so on.  Except you can rename collections to whatever you want, which is awesome.

I would suggest that if you have any projects started in 2.7x, even if you plan to switch completely to 2.8 (like me), just finish those projects in 2.7x first and only start projects in 2.8 from scratch.  

Right now I'm kind of spinning my wheels, I finished my last big Blender project in the middle of July so now I'm waiting for the class to start producing with 2.8.

One benefit of switching to 2.8 so soon is being able to get really excited when functions I miss are re-added.  I'm gonna throw a party when Local View gets put back in; you're all invited.

jakeblended Will there be cake? ;)

Collections are really awesome indeed, renaming and creating as many as you want makes organizing so much easier. You can even add sub-folders to your collections. One of the best new features in my opionion! Big fan :)

ssmurfmier1985 And objects can belong to more than one collection at the same time, so they can be controlled and selected in more than one way.  It really is a vast improvement, one of so many in 2.8 which is why things like having to learn some different hotkeys doesn't bother me all that much in the scheme of things.

I've read that new matcaps and today the new Grease Pencil function has also been added to 2.8!  The new Grease Pencil stuff is likely beyond the scope of the beginner class though, and I believe the "old" version of the grease pencil tool is now called Notations, to distinguish it from the new system which is more of a 2D creation tool than a utility.  I'm not as interested in the new system as some, as I'm more of a 3D mesh traditionalist, but it does look a seriously cool feature.

jakeblended Wow, didn't now about that option yet. That is awesome!

I'm very curious about the 2D pencil features, want to try out if I can use it to make basic concept art directly in Blender (nothing fancy, I'm not much of a 2D person either). Won't try that out for a while though, 'cause got a lot of 3D stuff to learn first, can't do it all at once :)

edit: just watched a video from the blender development team about grease pencil, you can do a lot more than drawing, it's pretty awesome actually! Huge amount of cool new creative options, worth exploring more in time :)

jakeblended Jake I like the option so much in 2.79 (and in before versions too), that no need to install Blender to the computer, it is enough just to download and run.

Do you have information will be the same also with 2.8 so having a kind of portable version in this way?

Looking forward to this! I just Joined CG Cookie again and ready to restart my learning into Blender. I realized how hard it was for my to stay consistent and continue my growth as a modeler when I didn't have a community behind me (plus planning a wedding the last 6 months).

Having Kent and the rest of CG cookie mentoring myself and my art was something I have been missing. Excited to re-learn everything!:)

nathangarduno Welcome back!  Looking forward to what you've got!

nathangarduno If you dont work at a studio its a good replacement for not having teammates to ask.