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

Collaborations
Kent Trammell


Announcement #5 (9/4/18): This class if officially over. See page 26 for the closing post and don't forget to fill out the questionnaire


Announcement #4 (8/27/18): REMINDER that this week's stream is on Wednesday, NOT Tuesday. I'm out of the office Monday (8/27) and Tuesday (8/28) but will be back in full grading force on Wednesday.


Announcement #3 (8/6/18): New way to Submit Homework. Please create a unique forum thread to contain all your homework submissions for the month, rather than everyone submitting in this main thread. More info on page 12.


Announcement #2 (8/7/18): Zsolt has done it again. He's prepared the report card document for this month. Feel free to monitor your grades there throughout the next 4-5 weeks.


Announcement #1 (8/6/18): Class is officially in session!


**Experienced Blender users are Welcome! Clarification about involvement on page 2 of this thread.


SYLLABUS


Welcome to the CGCookie Class: Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender 2.8! If you're interested in computer graphics, 3D modeling, and you're new to Blender / new to Blender 2.8, this class is where you need to be.

This "Class" format invites all Citizen members to focus together on a particular topic/skill for a month. Participation looks like this:

  • RSVP and attend the Live Events
  • Watch the pre-recorded education outlined below
  • Ask questions
  • Submit homework by creating a unique forum thread to contain all your homework submissions for the month.
  • Generally be active in this thread

WHEN? The class will take place from August 6th - September 4th.

✅ WEEK 1: First Time with Blender 2.8 (August 6-12)


Abstract: 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 2.8 and 3D from an absolutely beginner perspective. What is Blender for? What can it do? Wait, this isn’t a juicing seminar?

Goal of the Week: Get comfortable with Blender 2.8's UI, viewport navigation, creation and position objects.

Pre-recorded course to watch:

Week 1 Live Event (Remember to RSVP!)

Homework:

✅ WEEK 2: Pushing & Pulling Verts (August 13-19)


Abstract: Enter the world of mesh modeling: The oldest form of building 3D objects with your computer. We’ll discuss the technical art of “pushing and pulling verts” as modelers often call it. Welcome to this wild, geometric world!

Goal of the Week: Practicing editing a polygonal mesh's components to create a custom 3D model.

Pre-recorded courses to watch:

Week 2 Live Event (Don't forget to RSVP)

Homework:

  • Model a 3D object using mesh modeling techniques [post image(s) to this thread]

✅WEEK 3: Digital Clay (August 20-26)

Abstract: 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!

Goal of the Week: Practice digital sculpting.

Pre-recorded courses to watch:

Article to Read: Big Idea: Digital Tablets

Week 3 Live Event (Don't forget to RSVP)

Homework:

  • Do the Melvin sculpting exercise [post a link to your submission in a reply to this thread]
  • Sculpt 3 primitives as demo'd in the live stream [post screenshots]
    • Cube from a sphere
    • Sphere from a cube
    • Cone from a sphere
  • EXTRA CREDIT: Pick on of these options:
    • Sculpt a human face [post a screenshot]
    • Sculpt *something* of your choice [post a screenshot]
           

✅WEEK 4: Next Steps as a Blender Modeler (August 27-September 2)

Abstract: At this point, you've been introduced to the key 3D modeling methods. Meaning that you have the tools you need to MODEL STUFF! This is where practice will make perfect. This is where you build stuff.

Goal of the Week: Be inspired to continue modeling and spend the week modeling or sculpting a challenging object.

Pre-recorded courses to watch: Modeling in Blender Learning Flow

Week 4 Live Event (Don't forget to RSVP)

Homework:

  • Model and/or sculpt something challenging this week! Try tackling a character, a vehicle, a houshold object, whatever. Show me what you've learned. Show me what you're capable of! [post image(s) to this thread]

✅Class Wrap-Up Stream (First Tuesday in September)

We'll be doing a 5th live stream to close out the class, review week 4 homework, and possibly a special guest.

This thread is reserved for CG Cookie Citizens that are participating in the "Getting Started with 3D Modeling & Blender 2.8" class. Its purpose is to serve as central communication for all participating Citizens (excluding Hobby plan Citizens) to ask Kent and fellow participants questions and to post homework. As the instructor of the class, Kent will be monitoring this thread on a daily basis (especially Mon-Thurs) throughout the month of Auguest to review homework and answer questions.

Free members are welcome to observe the thread but please respect that communication and participation is reserved for Citizens.


  • Jake Korosi(jakeblended) replied


    csehz As far as written articles, I'm not sure, there is the Developer Blog with some useful entries. But there are lots of videos, and I think a good place to start is the Developer YouTube channel, where you can follow how 2.8 was thought up and conceptualized, starting from around a year ago.

    One of the devs, Pablo Vasquez, also has a Youtube channel dedicated to Blender where he does livestreams regularly, talking about the development process and demonstrating many of the 2.8 features as they were being created.  Each of his livestreams is around an hour long though, so it may take  awhile to watch - but if you can spare the time it's good information.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    jakeblended Whew boy, that's going to be a 💰 post. Thanks for initiating it!

  • Zsolt Cseh(csehz) replied


    jakeblended thanks a lot for the links if someone is briefly interested for example found on the Developer's blog this short summary on https://code.blender.org/2018/03/blender-2-8-highlights/ about the 2.8 highlights

  • silentheart00 replied

    @theluthier If there was ever a need to bookmark comments, jakeblended's post about tips for 2.8 would be just the thing to bookmark.  An informal request lol.

  • Wilco Wilbrink(carrotnl) replied


    @theluthier For the week one homework assignment (model with primitives) can we use bools? In the actual exercise Jonathan Lampal says we may use them, but I just want to check if you agree with that. I have an idea that would look a lot better if I could make a circular hole, and I don't know how to make that with primitives without using bools.

  • Kent Trammell replied

    ccarrotnl Sure, if Lampel says you can, it's fine by me 👌

  • Wilco Wilbrink(carrotnl) replied

    Thanks, I won't overdo it. I'll just use bools when there's no other way.

  • Aaron Rudderham(thecabbagedetective) replied

    ccarrotnl @theluthier To add to that, whilst not related to modeling would it be okay to shade, texture, light etc the scene too?

  • smurfmier1985 replied

    thecabbagedetective What's up with the big picture of Kent? Bug due to updates on the website?


  • Aaron Rudderham(thecabbagedetective) replied

    ssmurfmier1985  Yeah that's my bet, it's happened to me quite a few times now. You cannot escape his glare!

  • Kent Trammell replied

    thecabbagedetective Hmm..yeah I think that's ok. No texturing though; just colored materials. And with EEVEE. AAIGHT?! 🙃

    ssmurfmier1985 Yes it's a bug introduced with the recent updates. I've been manually fixing them but it seems like it's happened enough to report..

    Also it doubles as representing my omnipotent eye 👀

  • smurfmier1985 replied


    @theluthier I'll better behave in class then, don't want to be caught by your all seeing glare :-p

  • smurfmier1985 replied

    @theluthier I've been wondering... how do you add those smileys to your post?


  • Aaron Rudderham(thecabbagedetective) replied

    @theluthier  Sounds good to me, I suck at texturing haha. Now would be a good time for me to finally crack open Substance.


    Eevee scares me though... who am I kidding, 2.8 in general does.

  • Jake Korosi(jakeblended) replied


    thecabbagedetective Sadly I can't quite afford Substance yet; if I color any models I make I think for this class I'll keep it nice and simple - solid materials and let the Principled Shader do the work.

    I just wrapped up my big project, so it's time to dip my toes into 2.8 as my full-time Blender version instead of just playing around in it.  We'll soon find out if the alpha is robust enough to handle my inefficient and unnecessarily complex amateur workflow...

  • Char Hunter(Char) replied


    ssmurfmier1985 Hey Miranda, 

    I use this.  https://www.emojiforgooglechrome.com

    There are others out there also, but I like all the symbols in this one.

  • Wilco Wilbrink(carrotnl) replied

    Yesterday evening I started working on the first exercise, modeling with primitives, (in Blender 2.8) because I also have to make the exercise for the workflow I'm in.

    I'm modeling this birdhouse i found on Pinterest:

    Here's a first screenshot:

  • Zsolt Cseh(csehz) replied

    @carrotnl That is very nice and from the point of view of time management also being good idea to prepare in advance. 

    Finishing this you will feel safe having the homework, so maybe will start another one or extend this one in some direction. 

    If you have time suggesting to start the Melvin sculpting exercise for Week 3, as depending on the experience that might turn out slightly time consuming. Or at least having that completed, more time can stay to the Extra Credit sculpting something unique

  • Aaron Rudderham(thecabbagedetective) replied

    jakeblended I feel you on the workflow, probably spent 100+ hours in the last class where I should've easily been able to do that in half. You live and learn, eh?


    I'll just be using the 30 day trial to begin with. Due to the month's class being a lot more laid back I can probably get some practice in due to not working on my homework as long or leaving them until the 11th hour to upload.


    Also sick render, very nicely done!

  • Aaron Rudderham(thecabbagedetective) replied

    A thing I wanted to ask is that considering it's being encouraged for more experienced users to share their finished projects' Blend files once they're completed as to let newer users to poke around and find out how some things are done, where are some good places to upload Blend files for them to download? I've also seen a few people just attach them directly to messages but I'm not sure as how to do that.