How the hell do I learn how to use Cycle's nodes?

Support Basics & Interface
#1

Hi, I want to make mixtures of colors and add different materials to them, I would use Cycles and Cycle’s nodes system to do this right?? I’ve been looking for in depth tutorials explaining how to use nodes but I can’t find any good ones. Can you guys recommend some good videos or blogs concerning this?

Thanks.

#2

Try this one.
http://www.blenderguru.com/videos/create-realistic-materials-with-cycles/
Also this thread is full of gold:
http://www.blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?278285-Yet-Another-Thread-about-Cycles-Materials

#3
#4

I do not know why advanced users think nodes are intuitive to learn for a novice user. I have found it much more intuitive to learn Blender Internal without nodes than internal/cycles with nodes. Therefore, there are very few tutorials explaining nodes for novice users. Most tutorials start with advanced concepts that are not useful for an user who has never seen nodes.
To me has been useful this tutorial series:





Thanks to Enigmatoots!

And remember to enable Shader Nodes button because you can spend a whole day without knowing how to use nodes as has happened to me :smiley:

#5

Shameless self-promotion. Learn nodes, create nice useful shader at the same time.

Reminds me, I need to ask why this isn’t available on CGCookie since the refactor…

#6

Alright. Thanks everyone!

#7

I am finding this video tutorial to be especially enlightening, as it breaks down how Cycles treats render passes.
So for example if you want to separate out your ambient occlusion layer to blur out the graininess, this explains it:

#8

Ok; thanks man.