Not sure really what to do here…I’m new to blender and have the newest version 2.65. As I try and watch video tutorials from various instructors …i’m having a hard time following along as many videos are showing older versions of blender all showing different interfaces. The biggest issue I’m having is the materials and texture tabs…I keep seeing in the vids a small preview screen (the sphere that’s shows chosen color, lighting, and textures). Also…There seems to be a whole lot more options in those tabs in older versions that I cannot seem to find in my newer version (specularity, halo)… just to name a view that I can think of…after spending over an hour looking in the massive manual…and not getting anywhere…I figured I’d try a forum…ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATFUL!!
When you launch Blender, on the right side of the screen you’ll see a panel with lots of settings (left on the screenshot). Now this panel has a header at the very top (and I say that because some panels have headers on the bottom…) with small icons - these are tabs. You can resize the whole panel as you would any Windows window. Or you can scroll the header with your mouse wheel (or click middle mouse button and drag). What you’re looking for is the Materials tab (right on the screenshot) and Textures tab - just to the right of Materials tab.
You may also want to read through this: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual
Thanks for the response!!
Below is what i see in my Materials Screen…it’s missing the sphere materials preview screen and all the other functions…very different then your screen!!
Any thoughts on why this may be?
Press the ‘New’ button to first create a material.
Thanks guys…I know this seems so elementary…but…(see below screen)…after i press new and add a material…still no material preview screen:
Does v 2.65 simply NOT offer this function any more?
You’re using Cycles render engine. Unlike Blender Render (often referred to as Blender Internal), it never had material preview until recently. 2.66 will have it.