Tag: models

ONE BY ONE: Using the Lattice Modifier in Blender!

animation, blog, Resources, tutorials

I love Blender…

And sometimes it does things better than the competition, IMHO. The first time I tried to apply a lattice in Blender, I couldn’t work out how it worked at all. In every other piece of software I had used, you picked your polygon object and applied the deformer. The software worked it out.

Lattices in Blender are part of the modifier stack and, therefore, require connecting. I think there is an addon that does it automatically, but going through the motions is a good way to learn. one of those “Learn the rules to break them” situations.

Anyway, here is a simple guide top using lattices for animation and why they do more than the ones in, for example, Maya.

Sorry, Autodesk, yet again!

Take a look at the video below to find out more. Better still, subscribe to the channel and you’ll see a new one of these every week. Sometimes a “One by One” where we talk about what each part of blender does – at the moment we are concentrating on modifiers – other times tutorials on specific things or quick tips to make your life easier.

You want to see something not here? Then let me know in the comments. I’m always keen to help out where I can.

Take care and stay safe.

ONE BY ONE: Learn The Skin Modifier in Blender

animation, blog, Resources, tutorials

I love Blender…I’m getting predictable, aren’t I..? I know it. But I do. Plus the modifier stack is ace. Nothing new, there’s been one in 3DSMax since it was 3D Studio.

One of those modifiers is called the Skin Modifier. it’s a way of taking all on the edges of your model and forming a cage around them, at the same time turning off the underlying structure, so it’s good for cages, fences and all sorts of structures like that.

The thing is it wasn’t meant for that. It was meant for making more organic shapes, either for rigging automatically to make trees or brachiating structures that needed animating or, more importantly, for prototyping simple models quickly as a base on which to develop, so it has been amazing for making simple creatures that can be worked up in sculpt mode.

As you’ll see here, I am no means a sculptor. there are far better people out there who can each you about that.

But I can show the principles of how to start making a structure that you can sculpt later.

Take a look at the video below to find out more. Better still, subscribe to the channel and you’ll see a new one of these every week. Sometimes a “One by One” where we talk about what each part of blender does – at the moment we are concentrating on modifiers – other times tutorials on specific things or quick tips to make your life easier.

You want to see something not here? Then let me know in the comments. I’m always keen to help out where I can.

Take care and stay safe.