Time (faster features, same time= better work) things like bevel object, and edge loops speed things up
Quality (better quality tools means that things can have a better maximum quality) things like displaement mapping and raytracing have enabled things that were impossible in the past.
Comunity, obviously the comunity has grown and matured hense you are seeing better artists.
Everyone always mentions bevel and edge loops, but let’s not forget the very much easier constrained scaling. No longer must we wrestle with some hideous mouse gesture just to scale something in the y axis. I couldn’t begin to estimate how much time that’s saved me.
BTW people. i don’t actually use Bevel, loop cut or knife cut (well knife cut i do use but not often)
the major improvment to me was the “undo” button LOL
other than that there are minor tools which make the major difference. kife and bevel etc… i would say are major for most people (even though as said i don’t use them much)
but when i do use them it saves a huge amount of time. and the undo button potentially saves hours of work.
I can´t stop feel myself, that modelling is overestimated in this community. I don´t say, that it isn´t important to have modelling abilities to make good pictures, but it is must rather then art. Much more important is good concept (on which Blender can´t help), good materials and textures and maybe on first place good light and render setup.
So I don´t think, that new modeling tools in Blender, which are great anyway, aren´t “responsible” for that we have more and more great renders here on ElYsiun. Maybe it is due to new material, lights and render settings more, but the most important is that artist reached next level through experience. Furthemore-the more good artist supporting each others with crits, suggestions and tutorials, the better art each of them can produce- just fruits of this community´s spirit which
from all the new features, loopcut is the greatest.
makes the modelling process friendlier towards people like me, who are not really the most technical modellers out there… brings much flow to work.
and, sound clip loading into sequencer, scrubbing and sync. without those, I would be lost.
I am sure that Blender will continue to advance technically as a 3d design tool But no matter how many functions Blender acquires, an artist must apply good skillful “classic” art and professional practiced 3d software design methods. Then they must learn how to transform their ideas functionally into 3d art with Blenders tools. If they do not, their art will not really benefit from any of Blenders software feature advancements.
Some folks think that a 3d artist that has access to so called superior 3d software rendering tools will automatically become a great artist. This is so not going to happen. A good artist can design an amazing media communication with a piece paper and a pencil that could be used to promote any media communication without any need for any other design tools. From a table top to a hand drawn 8x10 Kinkos printed flyer minus the PC. With zero render time. Oh yeah, this is still a professional design method option. Don’t throw away your pencils just yet.
3d software art is like having an “ultra” pencil. The first copy of Blender 1.6 could still be used today for producing an impressive 3d art designed media communication presentation just as suitably as today’s current version of Blender.
It’s just that with today’s version of Blender you have way more tools for creating your art designs. That’s putting things lightly I’d say. You have unlimited options for 3d design expressions.
There is nothing more to say than to tell you to pull up your sleeves and tune into the deepest functional artistic design thoughts that you have and proceed to-
Blend On!
People are getting better indeed, and prbably because of the new tools. (knife has made my modelling so much fun and so less time-consuming). But the community hasn’t improved THAT much.
If you compare elysiun with a site like cgtalk, you’ll notice the difference immediately. The worst pictures posted there would be among the better pictures on elysiun. The other way around is also true. The best pictures here are average on cgtalk. People should still raise their standards more in my opinion.
My works just gotten worse since 2.27. Then when all these new tools to rival Max’s meshtools appear, someone thought we needed bloody raytracing, who needs to sit in front of a monitor for 8 hrs watching something appear pixel by laborious pixel.
None of the new additions help at all, we’ve all just gotten better, except me cos I was no good to start with.
I have to agree that the quality of artwork is astounding and leaves me in awe everytime I look through the forums. Just wish I could be that good.
Sonix. (With more than just a hint of sarcasm in his writing.)
Blenders been open source for over a year now. Although the new tools are great, I think its the fact that much of the blender community has had a years practice.
Correct me if I’m wrong but the majority of the blender community would have started using after the project became open source. Which would mean that the community is still very young and the art work will only get better as it matures.
Yep it really looks like blender is mor professional, and people are working hours to get something good, before posting crap. I mean, nice games, models, renders and nice effects. I hope this will increase and we get proffesional things in the future so artists are more atracted by Blender.
Ah, the days of 3d software on 8 MB and 4MB graphics cards on 486 “power machines”.
Blender is all this and that for just about everything 3d. And it’s so portable. That’s why I compare it to a 3d “pencil”. You can put a complete 3d graphics software package on a cd and take Blender on the road and run it most machines. Have you ever been shopping for a PC and thought, “I wish that I had some pwerful software to test this PC’s power with. Maybe something that would bring the most powerful PC on display in the store to its knees?” Hehe. Yeah Blender is up to this task.