I’m new with Blender (and to all 3d work overall). As I get more involved in making my first project, I notice ways that Blender’s tools and meshes I can easily add and extrude effect my plans. In my case, I’m working with a space ship with a comic book “Flash Gordon” type feel to it, so working with recognizable solids helps in some ways.
I’m curious, though, about how it works with more experienced modellers and animators. Do you find that the availability of tools in Blender will change your models? Do you have times when you have a design in mind, but find that what is available in Blender makes it easier to make other shapes, so you end up changing the model to suit Blender’s tools instead of sticking with your original plan?
Or, after getting used to Blender, is it possible that when you’re working out sketches and ideas on paper or in your head, you work with shapes and designs that you know are easy to create in Blender?
I’m just curious about this and how the tools effect the final work.
You’ll find what commonly happens, when entering your project with the only reference being in your head, is that it rarely goes to plan.
I’ve only recently become good enough to model accurately from a good reference picture, and usually, it only works out on about 50% of my attempts. And I’ve been using Blender for nigh on two years, now.
When you first start to use Blender, especially when you’ve no reference to work with, you’ll find yourself taking the easy route toward a project’s completion. Which is why I’d recommend having a distinct project in mind, accompanied by as many references as you can muster, before you begin work. That way you can spend a lot of time working out each of the details, learning how to model certain things in the process. It’s better to take a long while to match a concept completely, than to take a short while to make your models “near enough”.
What you’ll find though, is that eventually you’re able to use your knowledge of each of Blender’s tools to create exactly what you’re going for. You’ll see what I mean if you watch some videos of Andy Goralczyk in action (there are some at http://video.google.com - Search for “Siggraph 06”).
You’re correct in the assumption that the tool limits the design. Conciously or uncounciously.
One of the reasons to use blender actually is that their modeling tools are faily capable. Especially now with subsurface modifiers. There are other considerations though. FX for example. Smoke and mirrors. Limitations to the render are equally important and as you begin to run into dead ends you’ll find your designs are slanted to the capabilites of the tools as are all projects (whether it’s admitted or not).
This isn’t so much a blender only problem. There are limitations in the technology, the hardware, the software, etc. When you see an image that you are particularly impressed with try to find what the process of creation was. Then you’ll have a better idea of what your limitations are.
firstly, i would like to say that many people cannot put their images in their head onto paper, let alone a 3D program.
i agree with jimmey, i cannot just say, oh i want to model a printer, and just start, and get it looking nice without looking at what a printer looks like. i need to collect good reference pictures (that don’t contradict each other if possible) from all angles, and if possible examples from other people’s work, and of course, comments from people here at blenderartists.
If you’re new to 3D then you shouldn’t trouble yourself about the capabilities of Blender - it’s more than good enough to handle almost anything you’re likely to need from it for the next year - or two - or more and by then it will be so much more capable than it is now you probably still won’t have learnt more than two-thirds of the features available to you.
At this early stage of your learning curve, rest assured it’s your skills that will determine your progress, not Blender’s tools. Don’t spend too much time worrying about building a specific item (in your head or from plans) until you’ve learnt how to build the things in a good number of tutorials… and I don’t mean just copy the tutorials, I mean LEARNT how to make those things and WHY they’re made that way. One way or another, things like spaceships are usually made from polygons and Blender’s got a whole lot of those for you to use - it’s up to you to work out how to fit them all together in the “best” way. If some Blender users could build these PEUGEOTs way back in 2004, then chances are the tools are available for you now to build almost any spaceship you can conjure up.
Give yourself 6 months to get a bit comfortable with Blender then another 6 months to get some vague grip on what 3D modelling is really all about, then another 6 months to start turning out some good original models and so on. If you’re lucky, it’ll all go a little faster for you.