How about a Blender Educational book?

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
1

I’m currently a Graphic Design student with one semester left and an internship to finish before I have an Associates in the Graphic Design field.

However, I am in love with 3D animation/rendering. I have used Blender since the C-Key days and will always consider myself an amateur with the program.

Yet as I browse the forums and the Blender.org website, I notice there is not a lack of tutorials and instructions, but a lack of up-to-date tutorials. There is a lack of structure to the tutorials, and thus-far, half-hazard tutorials are plentiful.

Many of them are fantastic, yet some assume the reader knows Blenders’ interface and options. Many skip steps, and many show just the steps to achieve the effect without further explanation of how to utilize the effect properly in day-to-day “blendering”.

Here is my point I wish to make, Blender needs structure for the community. Incredibly well documented instructions of “how-to” methods. Everything from the beginner to the expert. The Blender 2.3 Guide was a fantastic step in the evolution of Blender into the professional and respected world. The Introduction to Character Animation and the ManCandy FAQs helped immensely. Yet those books and DVD’s only went so far, and still were missing the basics for amateurs.

My proposal, a new up-to-date book, a professional book, a book that could be seen in a College or University, a book that teaches.

I would like to know:

  • if anyone in the Blender Community would be interested in such a book. A book by the community and for anyone and everyone.
  • if anyone would like to assist in the development of the book. Such as tutorials ranging from getting to know the interface to sculpting a 3D head. Tutorials of proper lighting techniques to a proper rigging system and animation.
  • if anyone that uses Mac/OSx, FreeBSD, and Linux versions would like to share the differences and how-to’s to accomplish things that are difficult to accomplish in Windows.
  • what topics should be considered and what areas of Blender need the most concentration

As much as I like FREE, this book would mostly be created using Adobe Software, ranging from Photoshop and Illustrator, yet mainly in InDesign.
It would not be available for many months if not a year but in the end, would be the most comprehensive and accurate book about Blender when released.

What is everyone’s thought on this subject?

2

Currently, Blender has three sources of learning: The haphazardly scattered tutorials you mention (although Blendercookies and others are improving the structure on that impressively), the DVDs from the Blender store (my favorite is Creature Factory), and a fair number of books from the store and publishers like Packt (I have 3: Character Animation, Lighting, and Digital Moviemaking, all fully Blender oriented).

What I feel is that there is plenty for the basic topics, like the interface and most main modelling features (sculpt, retopo). You can get started on one such source, and get skilled on two or three. What I feel is lacking is books or (even better) VDs on more advanced and/or specialized topics, many of which are more about customizing or expanding Blender to do demanding tasks than actually using tools already created. Many would be about the projects being done, but built around Blender; less how to use Blender, and more what to use it for.

You can do college 101s with the stuff already out there. I’d pay good money for more in the 701 levels (college-style, that is).

3

@gr8hamster
I tend to favour project based tutorials, a good example would be the official xsi guide to character creation.
However I have to say that the tutorials which shipped with max 3/4 are probably the best I’ve come across.
This is especially true from a beginners point of view.
The reason is simple. They have a project based manual format which keeps the user interested and offers an incentive to complete the project. But at the same time they attempt to teach the interface. Meaning that its not simply a matter of using a tool to produce an effect but learning all the different methods and tools which might be used to create the same effect.
For example you might be creating a character and your ask to use loop cut. Further in the tutorial where you might use loop cut, you would be asked to select edges and use subdivide. This method of teaching the interface is continued throughout the project.
The alternative which your probably aware of is to start a project and use the same tools and methods favoured by the tutor who either doesn’t know of other methods or thinks his/her methods are superior and therefore doesn’t feel the need to introduce other methods or tools. This approach is great if you want to get the project completed in the shortest time but it doesn’t necessarily teach the user how to use and understand the interface.
Also, these tutorials are not the hand holding type favoured by “beginners guides” or “quick start” authors who feel they are talking to 8 year olds but rather they jump straight in to character modelling rigging and animation. So for example there is no introduction the the interface as the intention is to explain it as the project develops
If your idea is to produce a tutorial based textbook I would suggest that it would be a good idea to consider this project based manual approach. i.e. A Manual which takes a project based approach rather than simply listing tools and their effects, or if you like a Manual which lists tools and their effects but makes learning them more interesting.

4

In my opinions e-books and other online documentation should be made by community. It’s just too big project for developers to be involved. On the contrary I think that there should be a bunch (about 20) video tutorials that would present Blender features and interface available at www.blender.org. And these videos must be done by proffesional users of Blender (Blender should be presented as a not just a software for a 3d newbies but it should be advertised as an alternative for proffesional 3d graphics in general).

5

Actually most of the Blender book start from the ground like yours would, so where’s the difference?
Also most tutorial pages start out with basic 101s and there are many for 2.5 now.

6

http://blendercookie.com/ Tons of stuff, getting heavy on Blender 2.5 (as opposed to Blender 2.4x)
http://www.blenderguru.com/ Tons of stuff, used to be heavy on Blender 2.4x but seems to be amping up the 2.5 load
http://www.katsbits.com/ Seems mostly non-video, but good, heavy on 2.5
http://vimeo.com/channels/blendertuts Vimeo Blender channel, lacks structure but lots of content, lots of 2.5
http://presticproductions.blogspot.com/2010/11/ultimate-tutorial-for-ultimate-beginner.html Just one tutorial, but INSANELY comprehensive, and directly targeted at someone who only just installed Blender 2.5 and knows nothing about it.

And there are more. True, there is no “overlaying structure” to unify them all, but it would not take anyone long to find what they need. I do understand the idea of wanting “one book to rule them all”, but I feel the resources are far better put to use doing a quick index of the best of the existing tutorials (video or not), and then filling out what is missing, because no doubt several features are. you could, of course, use the whole lot to create one big, collected, new book to rule them all, but it’s a bigger job than one might expect (I once dreamt of it myself). The question is what would bring the most results from your efforts.

7

Just thought I’d pop in a comment on this one. 3D in general is too broad and fragmented a subject in of itself to do what the OP is asking, so it’d be impossible to write the “one book rules them all”, it’d take too long in fact. It’s impossible in fact so you can only rely of a split community to handle their specialities otherwise everyone over-generalises and repeats the same core information without actually telling users what they actually need to be learning (sound familiar?) - KatsBits caters to game related subjects, Guru to SFX, Cookie to rendering and so on, that’s the only way the community can get any documentation.

8

Isn’t that the wiki, and yeah, its a book that’s never finished,
but rather evolves trough constant progressive refinement, no? :confused:

As for specific/specialized books, that markets already forming rather well around the blender ecosystem.
So I guess, from my point of view at least, I can already see a firm base on the subject,

Just 2.5x development has thrown the wiki into a bit of a chaos as it basically needed a ‘start from scratch*’,
but that’s something we all could help out with, so I really see no issues,
someone(or more than one, preferably) needs to just get around to it and do it. :slight_smile:

*well plenty can probably be ported from the 2.4x manuals/tutorials to 2.5x conventions, still.

9

You’ve kind of proved the point there Felix :eyebrowlift:

The Blender wiki should really stick to explaining/documenting (new) features and functions of the application and who they work - perhaps short examples to better explain that. If it strays into the realms of what to do with it (teaching how to do “X”), it takes precious time away from documenting those very fundamental mechanics we all need. Everything else should be up to the community, imho of course :wink:

10

Having spent some years doing tech writing I can tell you that it’s difficult to do really well. Documenting an application like Blender, with its myriads of features, is particularly difficult in a volunteer, open source environment. Each person documents according to his or her best thinking which leads to inconsistent formats and varying degrees of depth and completeness. That is not a knock on the people who do the work, bless each and every one of them. Considering the absence of an iron hand (And a paycheck!) directing the effort, Blender documentation is remarkably good. Even better is the fact that there’s plenty of room for well written books to help people get what they want from Blender whether it’s animation, stills, arch-vis or…

11

Wow a nice set of replies, fantastic!

I do see many points from everyone here!

@Pipeline: Thanks for those links, I never heard of http://katsbits.com.

And with that, I make my point! I have been an avid Blender user and never heard of katsbits.com.

@Everyone: The only reason I decided to ask and propose this idea to the community is because I believe it’s a sound idea.
While using my textbooks for classes I continuously thought “this would be fantastic if a Blender book was set up like this”

The books I am referring to are
The Graphic Designers Digital Toolkit by Allan Wood
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom In A Book
 Adobe Illustrator CS5 Classroom In A Book
 Adobe InDesign CS5 Classroom In A Book

All of these books (especially the one by Allan Wood) are fantastic examples of a method to teach amateurs and entrepreneurs 3D Rendering and Animation.

The Classroom In A Book series covers most, if not all, of the options in the software. Not only by example but with step-by-step lessons and repeated use throughout the book in various situations.
This series is the most useful when using these programs, I refer to them once in a while when I can’t remember that one particular step to accomplish something.

The Graphic Designers Digital Toolkit is fantastic in the fact that it covers all of the three mentioned programs. The lessons involve step-by-step instructions to accomplish the finished piece. And throughout the book, steps are repeated and added upon giving to reader a chance to progress with attributes of the software. Example: One lesson may show a reader how to use a text box and change fonts and size. The next lesson shows the reader the same thing, yet delves into the kerning, leading, superscripts and many other features in a lesson format showing uses and applications of said methods.

I believe the Blender community would benefit from such a book.
I’m not saying this would be a “One Book Rules Them All”, I am saying this would help Blender properly build it’s name as a professional software.

Sadly, my instructors either do not know of Blender, or continuously refer to Daz3D, trueSpace, anim8or, Maya3D, lightwave, poser, gmax, etc.
Some instructors even prefer to use the new 3D tools in Photoshop and Illustrator.

In closing think of it this way. How much could a “n00b” learn by making a wooden chair?

Lesson one part 1: make the chair out of simple boxes and circles
Lesson one part 2: put a simple wood texture on chair.
Lesson one part 3: subdivision used to give chair wood effect(random round corners, uneven parts, chipped parts)
Lesson one part 4: proper texture added with images, create another lamp or two
… so on and so forth.

With this example the user not only begins to understand the basics of camera movements, but is introduced to simple modeling techniques and shown how to use materials.
When the lesson is over the user is left with a very well modeled chair and begins to develop an understanding of what may be accomplished.

Comments, suggestions?

12

To be honest I’m sick of those project-based textbooks. I prefer the “useful lesson in a given scenario” style, Blendercookie and Blenderguru have that kind of style for most of the tutorials (Blendercookie of course has some projects, but mostly one-video-per-technique).

13

Grab a copy of Blender Foundations: The Essential Guide to Learning Blender 2.6 :slight_smile:

Edit: Or watch out for the next three issues of Linux Magazine, there will be series of articles published working exactly the same way :wink:

14

Thanks for the mention Raub. I worked very hard to design Blender Foundation with an eye toward education. Not only do I use teaching techniques in the book that seem to actually help people to retain the material, but I do some things (like telling them what things they don’t need to bother with, common mistakes, how to choose one tool or technique over another, etc.) that you don’t usually find in other sources. Also, the example project was developed to be both a nice finished project, and to teach the proper skills along the way. I’ve actually taught live classes using the book, and it works really well.

The fact is that creating a real piece of educational material like this isn’t easy. It’s not something that just anyone can pick up and do. You need a high degree of technical knowledge, the ability to write well, and the ability to teach. Put that filter on people who work with Blender and your result set is dwindles quickly. A community documentation project that shows every feature and button of Blender and explains them is do-able with the right leader and organizational tools, but I think that a really good educational tool will only become free for the community if someone coughs up some serious $$$ and pays someone else to do it.